Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-03-31

3. -
The Julia No 2 left Louisville for thi
port Friday.
! The Tempest was to leave yesterday.
The Chic continued to fall at Ciucin
natl and Louisville on the 10Th.
The ST. Louis Democrat Of the 2sth says
The Mississippi is now open to Oquawka
fifteen miles above Burlington. The road.
are hardening, the rivers reireating within
their banks, and business prospects general.
~ tightening. The news from the gold
mines Of Montana, etc, is encouraging, and
the opinion Is gaining ground that all the
boats preparing to leave for the upper Mis-
/ souri, win get a sufiiciency Of freight, at
paying rates, and good passenger lists.
/ The weather was somber yesterday, but
dry, and it is very likely that wewill see no
more rain nor snow for some time.
Az Memphis, on the 29th, tile Mississippi
had fallen two inches. As all the upper
tributaries are falling it will no doubt con-
time to recede gradually. The Aralaaehs
of the 2Sth says: Sunday, we think, the
flood win have abated sufficiently to per-
init the Nicksburg packets to renew their
trips and do business at every landing"
A dispatch from Little Rock, dated the
28th, says "the river is falling. with about
five feet to Napoleon
On last Thursday both houses Of Congress
passed joint resolution providing for the
necessary survey for a ship canal around
the falls Of the Ohio river. The resolution
directs the Secretary of the Interior to cause
surveys, with plans and estimates OF cost,
to be made by an officer Of the Engineer
Corps, for a ship canal suitable for military,
naval and commercial purposes, around the
falls on the Indiana side, and to cause said
officer also to estimate the expense Of CON-
plotting the Louisville and Portland canal,
On the Kentucky side, according to the
present plan. The expenses of these sur
veys are to be betrayed from existing APP
preparations. The report viii be laid be-
fore Congress next session for decision,
whether the old canal shall be completed
or a new one made
AT New Orleans, on the 9th, the levee
was in danger at many points.
The Coucordia leyee at Marengo was
much damaged, and fears entertained that
il would give way.
The New Orleans Pieag,Re Of the 2Sth
publishes dispatch from Point Coupse,
dated the 9th, stating that large crew
asse had occurred at Grand Lake, and there
was no chance to close it. The Pieayuas
says
This levee, an immense work, costing
thousands upon thousands of dollars, has
but recently been completed and it was
considered by the State Engineer capable
of resisting any pressure from the mighty
stream. Il is situated on the right bank of
the river in the parish Of Pointe COupee,
and the escaping flood will inundate an
exceedingly rich agricultural section Of the
State, making the third or fourth year
(consecutiyely) thatit has been oyerhowed.
In commenting upon this misfortune the
Pieaysae says
The intelligence Of an uncomfortable
creYasse in Grand Leyee created serious
alarm in this city Yesterday. That crevasse
must carry with it fearful Had OF DESC
lation. For three years in success ion the
hopes of the planters have been DESTROYED
over broad stretches Of fertile lands BY floods
which broke through the insufficient arti-
fetal barriers raised against them, and the
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destructive than either of those which pre-
ceeded It. 1t is sad indeed to contemplate
these repeated disasters, coming, as they
have done, on the heels of others scarcely
less serious in their character. What was
left by the rayages Of war the waters have
swept away, and thousands upon thousands
of our people, both white and eolored,
must be relieved by charity or starYe.
The leyee which has just broken was bat
recently completed at a cost to the State of
nearly half million dollars. On it .Our
people had staked their credit and their
hopes, and the Investment has proved an
utter loss. Not only will the crops and
stock of thousands Of our citizens be lost,
but they will be driven from their homes
and subjected 10 swamp feVers and other
ailments which will greatly add to the
burden Of their miseries.
But il il not alone from Grand Ieyee
that the threat of general overflow comes
In no portion of the State are the leyees of
sufficient solidity and height to resist the
unusual pressure 10 which they are now
subjected. Everywhere the river threa-
tens to overleap or thrust aside the narrow
combining walls of earth through which
men in effect have said THUS far shalt
thou go and no further, and here shall thy
proud waves be stayed /" The might Of
the Mississippi is well known.
When the proud river marks ont for
itself new dynamic lass. and seeks fresh
channels of escape for its continent waters
it il no easy matter to bring il back into its
old lines and limits of restraint. Such is
its position at present. A month earlier
than usual the waters have attained an
unusual height-one never before known
at this season of the year-and from all
quarters come cries Of melting SHOWS and
still greater floods
1t is now quite evident that, with the
breaking up Of our old plantation system,
which virtually made every riparian propri-
etor and planter an overseer Of the
levees on which his success in life depen-
ded, we have no sufficient combination Of
local interests left to afford our people
adequate protection from the danger Of
annual foods Unless 4 comprehensive
national plan be adopted we greatly fear
that the Father of Waters will be left mas
ter of the situation, and that much Of the
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