Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-03-27

YAzoo PAss.-This name has occurred Of late
IN the news from the southwest - frequently
that, as the uniformed may be apt 10 suppose
II some mere outlet or cutoff across one Of the
detours Of the Mississippi, VIC propose to give a
few words Of explanation. The Yazoo Pass is a
complete and distinct chain of river navigation,
connected with the Mississippi at its beginning
and end, but widely separated from it in its gen
ersl course, as it passes through the interior
the State Of Mississippi, and Is as long as tina
from Lake Providence 10 Red river. II furnishe
cas If the Mississippi the slme facilities for nav
,iiion which the Lake Providence cutoff furnish
- ives; Of the river
Neither is it an artificial communication. Il is
natural highway which was formerly well
known 10 steamboatmen IN the Mississippi, and
was much usel by them until the State Of Missis-
s;ppi stopped the connection by building levee
at the upper end to prevent the flowing Of the
waters Of the great river through this channel
Tbs vas owing to the fact that the regions ira
versel by the waters forming the chain called
the lazOo Pass were OVERLOOKED by the superb
buudant foods, leaving much of land swampy,
which being valuable for agricultural purposes,
the State sought by this improvement to drain
and reclaim.
~ course the result OF this improvement by
WI ch the Pass was blocked up was to augment
re- largely the mighty volume Of the Father of
Waters, and thus render the whole country along
It's banks subject to inundation So that, in
POINT Of fact, this work, while it reclaimed the
swamp lands along the Yazoo Pass, merely trans
icTred them to the margin Of the Mississippi it.
self, and at the same time obstucted a very va
liable channel Of cheap travel and Transports
ton. The waters of the Mississippi are sufficient
70 supply dozens Of such channels without IN
juring the main highway itself, and il would 70
far 70 relieve the borders Of the annual inunda
tons if artificial connections were made in add
ton to the maintenance Of the natural ones.
The 1azco Pass commences east of the Nississ
ippi river, somewhere near Helena, Ark, in a
sheet Of water called Halfmoon Lake with which
the Mississippi was connected. The Pass was
destroyed by the building ola strong leyee there.
but this has been removed by cur troops and the 7
channel reopened. Coidwater river takes it's
rise in this lake, and flowing thence, empties in
20 the Tallahatchie river. which is tributary
Of the lazoo river. The latter empties into the
Mississippi river near Eicksburg This whole
chain Of navigation IS called the Yazoo Pass
Gunboats traversng il can render the region
for the rebel forces. This also enables
Grant to threaten the city from all points stimuli
taneoasly
As regards the Lake Providence cutoff, which
We have previously described, it seems to have
1yen a bolder aud more extensive sweep than We
stated For on rsaching Red river, it has there
A connection with the Atchafalaya river. which
runs parallel to the Mississippi and empties into
The Gulf, so that we may by this route avoid the
rebel works at yicksburg and Port Hudson both.
These two great works, the Yazoo Pass and the
AXE Providence cut-offs, are destined to be me-
norsble in the history Of this war-.Norfh
american.