Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-12-06
INTERVAL IMPROVEMENTS.
Plan for RscIaiI1ing She Waste
Lands OF The Lower miEsis-
GEPpi.
From the Journal of the Franklin instituted

From the Joura.l OF the FrSuslin institute
WA-aIEGToS, .. O., January, 1856
Sir The magnitude of the subject
I propose in this memoir to bring Il
your notice, aud through you to the con
siderstion of Congress, and the vast in
terests involved in reclaiming and con-
verting TO the use Of the world the delts
lands Of the lower Mississippi valley
would suggest sufficient excuse, were
suy necessary, for this manner of ez-
pressing my views on this subject, and
attracting the attention Of the country
TO the unappropriated elements of pros
perity in the material of the waters of the
Mississippi. borne on by its eternal GOOD
and constantly wasted in the tides Of
the Gulf of Mexico.
l hare propose briefly TO suggest my
undOubting conviction that a new plan
of diking the lower Mississippi, in con-
nection with 8 system Of Easte-Weirs
and gates, so constructed at proper dis
tances in the leyees of the river, that
during all the seasons of great floods,
vast volumes of the waters of the river,
thick with the delta making material
borne down in the Missouri and other
crest rivers of the northwest, may be
turned Iof to overflow the extensive
SEamps and uorasses and Eli the lagOons
an lakes abounding between the table
Lands and the proper alluVial bottoms of
the lowe Mississippi basin, depOsiting
in them an.' creating from the waters
~ .nJ ~;cb 5s>lta-lsnds, and by degrees
Tsising them 70 T. level of the stream
When IN lood Tn tn - manner it is pro-
posed to redeem them Fl, IN their present
waste, turn them to bottOl u eA
in richness, for the culture Of t'0''oh Snd
sugar, relieve the country from 1heiT
fatal malarias, and create sanitary anu
productive soil where mOrass, swamp
stagnant lagoons and lakes are the fruit
ful causes of the contagious and Pestll-
ences Of this region.
The fact that an engineer of the army,
distinguished for capabilities as general,
and in scientific and practical engineer
ing, has been charged by you with the
repairs of the levees, neglected and
DESTROYED since the beginning Of the
rebellion, and sent TO superintend their
reconstruction, suggests clearly to my
mind your views of the powers Of the
government to take in hand any meas
ures Of this nature, involving and facil-
itating commercial intercourse with the
many States washed and trayersed by
the tributaries Of this great inland sea,
and al emptying their floods through
this great lower basin of the Mississippi
into the Gulf of Mexico.
How far the government, under ITS
constitutional powers Ito regulate com
merce between the different States, can,
incidentally, in improving the navigation
of this tide-water river, introduce i'm
provements by any system of diking,
releasing the main food-waters from eX
listing banks and beds, so as TO divert
their creative material of delta into the
cramps, lagoons and lakes Of the State
Of Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana,
and reclaim them from wastes productive
only of contagious feyers aud pestilence,
Congress must decide But it is my
Judgment. offered, however, with diff
dence, as clearly within the powers OF
Congress as it IS 20 pass laws OF quaran-
tine and health, or laws TO protect life
and preserve health on steamers that
navigate this river or the high seas.
Preventive measures against pestilenee
and epidemics at home are, or ought TO
be. as much under the control of Con-
gress as legislation TO close our harbors
and rivers against their importation from
abroad.
all events, the right Of the govern
1neKt to improve navigation of rivers
that for INTO the sea is conceded and
under this =, ,ucession, shall proceed to
show that the D. an propose goes direct
" 70 this point. aid is one of the most
scouomical and practical the government
can adopt.
Under the present regimen Of this
river. as partially regulated by existing
systems Of dikes, the waters, charged
with their rich and fertilizing material
forming our deltas, are not permitted 70
spread themselves over the great alluvial
bottoms Of the States have mentioned,
but are borne on into the Gulf, deposit
ing their material near the great mouths,
and constantly forming new land there.
The heavier water Of the sea, and the
storger tide and stream Of the Gulf,
throV back this material, and deposits it
in and about the confluence Of the fresh
with the salt water Here it creates and
Increases bars, setting back as dams set
hack the waters in their channels, and in
progress of time raises the water in the
main beds above their banks, requiring
continually higher and stronger dikes to
prevent overflow and the destruction of
plantations whose levels are below high
wster-lines.
These are the Interchangeable laws gov
ernipg the creation and growth Of great
aIluvial bayous and bottoms. They are
natures laws, and can only be partially
changed by artificial means, in great
or less degree, however, as the skill and
ingenuity of man, practically applied
nav alter them.
The geography Of the great Missis-
oui bayou is particularly favorable to
e successful application of skillful
engineering, SO as to control the regimen
of this river, and in the progress o.
time. aiding and directing it's hood to &C
eomplish by its own power and perpetual
laws, the regeneration Of Its wastes o.
marsh, SWamps, morass, lagoens aas