The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-01-25
From De Bolc's ReuieU.
Remarks in Relation to the Improve
ment of the Mississippi River.
(pUBLIsHED BY REQUEsT.)

The present condition of the lower Missis-
sippi, its oyertlows, the frequent changes in its
channel, and the dangers incurred by every
rise in its waters, are owing to the inordinate
width of the bed of the river and its innumera-
BILE sinuosities, islands, &c. Flowing through
an alluyial soil, no doubt originally composed
of the materials brought down by its own wa
tiers, the channel thus formed is easily liable
tochange The least irregularity in the banks,
or deepening or shoaling of the bed, causes
the current to turn toward one side or the
other, and, in its efforts to continue the direc-
ton thus obtained, to abrade the bank against
which its force is directed. A bend, once thus
begun becomes by degrees more and more
prominent or extended by the abrasion Of the
concave side Of the bed, while opposite convex
bank is at the same time increased by the de-
post brought down, and advances in proper
ton as the concave bank recedes. In this way
the curvature continues toincrease until it OBJ
tains the form similar to that of pear, leay-
ing only q narrow neck Of land between,
through which, in time of high water, the
river sometimes breaks, thus regulating itself
and carving out the laws of nature, which in
fluence it to seek the shortest and straightest
passage to the Gulf VI Mexico. Several in
stances of this kind have occurred in the his
tory Of the Mississippi, by which its course
toward the Gulf has been rendered shorter
and more direct.
Water has tendency to pursue a straight
course because that presents the least length,
and consequently the greatest relative fall In
all, rivers, the courses If which are circuitous,
the water may be seen, in time of food to
leave the channel where either bank is low,
and enter it again lower down, by strighter
and shorter course /; but when the food sub
sides, the water Is again confined within its
bed, and whatever changes it then undergces
depend on such accidental circumstances as
may influence the direction Of the e1rrent.-
The changes that take place within the bed of
a river result exclusively from the abrasion
of the banks.
The valley Of the lower Mississippi has been
formed Of the detritus brought down by the
river, which, flowing throngha bed with low
banks, in time Of high water has flooded the
country on either side, and there deposited a
portion Of the immense quantities of sedimen-
tary matter brought dowa into its channel by
its tributaries. Thus covered with the depos-
its of every flood, the lower valley gradually
became more and more elevated until it ac-
quired q permanent and solid character, sub
ject only to occasional everflows in times Of
extreme high water. The same causes which
have created the valley and delta of the lower
Mississippi, namely, the immense quantities
of sedimentary matter brought down from
above. and the high floods, have also led to the
elevation Of the bottom of the bed OF the
r;var which seems to have kept pace with the
elevation and extension of the valley.
The erection of leyees for the protection OF
the cultivated lands from inuDdation whicn
levees have been extended along both sides OF
IN river for great distances, has had q tenden-
w ,s 70 render this elevation ofthe bed Compare
lively more progressive, by combining within