The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1867-07-06

1Lo duuOuuG Ol CllS Id1 Is Sa1Q Dy
some, who have surveyed the
river, to be sixty-six feet. Now
allowing the river to run through
Bayou Pierre, it would be short
ened ninety-fom miles. By cut
ting the various narrow necks, a
similar shortening could be effect
ed. By SO doing, tits but reason
able to expect that a much greater
depth of channel at Shreveport,
would be attained, amounting
reasonably to twenty feet, as |
have before remarked. AS to.
leveeing, this need only be par
tial, and in the low places, as in
parts of the lakes. Would the
benefit of the contemplated i'm
provement equal the cost ? Let
me attempt a rough calculation:
The length of the bottom lands,
from mouth of Cane river to Ar
kansas, is one hundred and fifty
miles; the average width ten
making fifteen hundred square
miles, or nine hundred and sixty
thousand 1880, 000) acres. A tax
of one dollar on each acre would
be amply sufficient to effect the
improvement. The value of the
crop destroyed by the late over
flow, would fully pay for the
amount necessary; for it is quite
certain that property to the value
of a million and a half was de-
stroyed by the late overflow, and
as much by last years overflow.
Were the lands before mentioned,
brought into successful cultiva-
ton, it is quite reasonable to esti-
mate that five hundred thousand
bales of cotton would be raised
yearly upon it, and worth forty
millions of dollars; a sum sufi-
Gent to build double track Rail
roads from Shreveport to New Or
leans and to Vicksburg direct.
Even now those lands on Red
River which by some favorable sit
uation do not overflow, are worth
one hundred dollars per acre.
With the contemplated improve
ment, all the lands would be
brought to that value.
Ought even the total loss of
navigation to be cared for when
obtaining SO vast a public benefits
Or ought the land owners on the
river to oppose a tax of twenty
dollars per acre even, if it should
be necessary in order to effect the
desired end?
But navigation would not be
ruined. The depth of water would
be the same as now, and the short
ening OF the channel and its
straightness would compensate
the bOatmen for the increased
rapidity of current. Could not
boats stem, on Red River, a cur
rent that they stem on the Mis-
sissippi9 The Mississippi by it's
greater volume acquires now a
considerably greater velocity than
Red River; and should this last
river, after the contemplated i'm
provement, acquire a velocity of
current equal to that of the Father
of Waters, at flood, still it's navi-
cation would be practicable, and
the trip from New Orleans to
Shreveport made in just as short
a time as now.
The river by it's being kept clear
ofrafts by navigation, hasa strong
tendency to straighten itself, and
of itself, has made more than one
cutoff, and yet navigation is not
destroyed nor injured. When a
cutoff is first made, the rapidity
OF current there is very great, but
after the channel has had time to
deepen, it is but the same as else
where.
To effect the end proposed, sew
eral years might be necessary, but
in themeantime, I think we should
not thwart the rivers own efforts,
but allow it to travel through
Tones Bayou-its shortest course
to Grand FcOra r