Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1867-11-12
Apropos of Red River and the Mississippi.

past, was long connected with the
internal improvement affairs Of oul
State. As State Engineer, as wei
as in his private observations and
experience, Mr.. Morse bore repeated
evidence of desire and ability tc
render important service to the State
upon all subjects touching the i'm.
provement of navigation and the
levee system and the reclamation oil
swamp or over1owed lands. The
beneficial suggestions made by him
from time to time, during his official
and personal intercourse with the
citizens and authorities of the State
with,regard to the means and method
best adapted for the promotion Of
the interests coming under his super
vision, and the practical good grow
ing out Of those suggestions, are facts
interviewer in the history of Louisi-
ana, and entitle Mr.. Morse to re-
spectful and deferential hearing in
whatever views he may now Or here
after choose to offer on the subjects
above referred to.
We bespeak for his communica-
ton which follows, an attentive De.
rusal
GKEENviLLE, s. c., Oct. 25th, 1867.
EDITORS GAZETTE AND COMET Gents
The frequent mention in your paper of the
subject of levees, is sufficient evidence Of
the interest which YOU take in the recla-
nation of tho swamp lands, 20 induce me
to address you this communication, with
a hope that some good may grow out of it,
You doubtless refnemb Der that | was some
what infatuated upon this subject, while
connected with the internal i'm ptovements
Of the State, and hence you will not be
surprised to learn, that have studied the
matter deeply since.
1
much time and thought to it, partly from
personal motives, as my own lands on Red
River have been -overflowed, and partly
from my ncturaf love of it's vestigation;
the latter feeling, think being the pre-
dominating motive.
| have always been Of the opinion, that
we ought not to rely alone upon our levees
for protection, And-the experience Of many
years, US well as the study which I have
given to the subject, confirm mo on this
opinion.
| visited Washington City during the
summer, for the sole purpose of collecting
all the available information in the form
of surveys which could be found by the
use Of which, think am able to prove,
that very considerable portion of the
surplus waters Of the Mississippi, can be
held back in the valleys Of its tributaries,
and in that way, the height and PRESSURE
Of it against the levees, may be materially
diminished.
SO far az the Red River il concerned, the
surveys which ! have found, prove be-
You'd all fear Of doubt, that by Il proper
use of the great lakes above and near
Shreveport, as Reservoirs, in which to
catch its outfowing water, all inundations
Of that stream below them, may be pre-
vented, and these same surplus waters be- |
ing given back 20 the river at tho proper
time, would make good its low water nav
igation during the whole season.
| have all the facts and arguments in |
the case written out, but the paper is too |
long for your perusal.
You may ace that if we can hold back |
the food water of Red River, that the |
great outlet of the Atchafalaya would ma
terially relieve the lower Mississippi, fire.
quently at the very moment when it would |
be most required.
The cost of the works by which I pro-
pose to reclaim all the lands Of Red River,
from some distance above the Raft, down
to the valley of the Mississippi, with
levees only in the low places in front, leav-
ing the back low swamps as drains to re-
ceive the rain water, and at the same time
partially relieving the Mississippi, and af-
fording ample means for the improve
ment of its low water navigation !; | est
mate at asout 81 100000 This is much
below any proper estimate which | can
make Of the first cost Of levees, and Of
if we add to their first cost, the
never ending outlay for repairs, the plan
which | propose will be found infinitely
less expensive than the other. No currents
could operate toundermine and wash away
my works, while the levees are constantly
being carried off by that means.
The same plan applied 10 the other trib
utaries of the Mississippi, rs far as may be
found practicable, would, in my opinion
much relieve the latter.
| am aware that am writing positively
in regard to Red River, but | have the
facts and figures to prove my assertions,
and believe that have considerable over
estimated all costs.
The plan differs somewhat from that
by Mr.. Ellet, inasmuch as ! do
not contemplate the drawing up of any
streams in mountain gorges, and thus
catch all their water, but only propose pro
yiding reservoirs in the valleys by the
side Of them, hich shall receive only their
overfowing waters, relieving their chan
nels from the return Of their water below,
which ordinarily couses ups stream cur
rents.
My next proposition is to take the turbid
waters of the Mississippi through, or under
the levees at all the low places, into the
adjoining swamps, even if obliged to re-
turn it again to the main stream lower
down, and by that means elevate the lands
by deposits, both in front and rear of.the
levees. In this way, the swamps may be
and the front lands upon which