The New Orleans crescent., 1868-03-29

paid in gold. IL - 1n0l0put3Dle that no1e y
these great works offers any comparison in pros
| reclaiming The slluvial regions OF the Ms
| sissippi.
The cost. at present prices. Of restoring th'
levee - their condition at the beginning
Of the war, Is closely and officially estimated g
four million doilsrs. But ss already explained
the ievees existing at that time were entirely In
sufficient for their objects, and the expenditure o
seventeen millions Of dollars at the then prices
was required 10 really secure the country agsins
overflow. Allowing this sum 70 have been prac
ticaly doubled BY depreciation of currency and
increased difficulty in procoripg labor, We have
at present prices, thrtyeight millions of dollars
requisite to secure the entire region against over
fow, while certain most valuable districts-as the
Yazoo bottom lands. for instance--may be pro
tected by investing an amount not greatly exceed
ing the cost of couple of Monitors.
The totat area of the bottom lands Is about
32 COO square miles, of which mere narrow strip
along the main stream and its principal tribntarcs
and bayous has been heretofore opened to cult
vation., Protected against the river and properly
drained, this would render available at least
25l00J acres of sugar land--or more than double
the amount heretofore planted; about 100000
acres Of the best cotton land in the world, capable
of yielding bale to the acre; and not less than
100000 acres OF corn land OF unsurpassed aud
inexhausfible fertility. An expenditure Of less
than three dollars to the acre present prices) oi
land actually made cutivable by the levees
would thus be sufficient to reclaim them from
overflow. Supposing the cotton lands alone to be
under cultivation, tax OF one cent. pound for
one crop would nesrly pay the cost of the levees
for the entire valleys.
Once secure against overflow the value of these
rich bottom lands can hardly be imagined. so
easy are they of culture that before the war the
allowance upon wellstocked plantations in the
Yazoo district was two ablebodied negroes and
one mule to thirty acres of cotton lald and this,
too, when the negroes were so lightly worked
that they rarely exceot in food emergencies, were
required TO labor upon the levees-this being re-
garded too severe for their strength. Irish la
Dor was chiefly used for this purpose.
In applying the levee system to the Mississippi
very false principle has been heretofore adopt.
ed; and, In consequence. an amount of money
has been squandered probably sufficient to Sc
curely protect the valley, if rightly invested.
Below Red River. and especially below Plaque
mine, the land rapidly slopes from the immediate
bank Of the river often TO low cypress swamps
and lakes, which do not admit of drainage. For
this reason the levees have been placed upon the
edge OF the bank, as near the river as possible,
both 10 reduce their height and to secure az large
an area as practicable for cultivation. In this
section location based upon this principle is sd-
vlsable, especially as the caving of the banks is
so gradual that with proper care in allowing
space iD the bends no rapid destruction of the
levee need occur. aIItl 9fI
About Red river, especially along the Yazoo
and st. Francis fronts, the problem is quite diff
feTent. Here there is an extensive back country,
well provided with natural drains for rain water
Moreover, the caving of the immediate banks is
rapid and highly destructive to the levees. Tho
injuries TO the works during the war chiefly arose
from this cause and they were so serious that
many bends, especially Of the st. Francis front.
are now without levee3; and the whole region is
liable to annual inundation In consequence. The
rapid rate of this caviDg is Illustrated in Council
Bend. where the river has encroached mile and
a half in forty years. The vicious system Of
closely following the banks Of the river with the
levees was ipaugurated in this district partly be-
cause it was the time -honored custom in the lower
and settled part of the valley. but chiefly because
the tfstcomers occupied and planted the imme.
date banks to secure the advantages of water
transportation for their crops and supplies. The
evees being built by tax upon land under culti-i
vaton, they were very naturally located so as to
secure the property of the resident taxpayers.
This was often carried 70 the absurd length Of
nciosipg by an extensive loop some paltry cotton
he'd, while the location endangered the crops of
he entire neighborbood for many miles around.
To reclaim this portion of the valley this sys
iem OF location should be radically changed. A
grand guard levee of ample height, aud as nearly
straight as possible, should be constructed SO
ar from the banks as TO be secure against caving
nto the river for many years. When areas are
hus sacrificed sufficiently large to repay the in
7estment, an exterior levee, following the bank.
night be constructed by local means but the
security OF the back country should never be i'm
ltlIucO Dy eucu a lOCduOu OF l1e main lovee.
In some localities other public works might
naturally unite with the levee interest in reclaim
ng the country. Thus project was on foot. a
lesr or two since, TO extend the Iron Mountain.
tailroad from its present terminus, near the bor-
Ter OF the st. Francis bottom lands. across them |
o a series OF ridges which run from point oppo-
ite Osceola TO Memphis. parallel to and about |
lght miles from the general course of the MIS- |
issippi. The roadbed was to be made sufficiently
igh to serve for guard levee; aud immense
Iacts OF BACK country were to be secured from
vefhow. and furnished with railroad commuui- |
alton to markets. The owners of the property |
lade liberal offers of land but, with the uncer.
Antics OF condscation hanging ever their titles |
o money could be raised upon such securities |
no tne project Is understood TO be awaiting the |
ettiement OF the reconstruction problem.
The landowners in this region have cene- /
ally nothing left by the war bat their real |
state; and, with that threatened with con
seatlon, they find it impossible to raise the neces-
aly l9nos M 70 restore the leyees to proper con.
ton Tor safe cultivation. With heavy taxes i'm
ending, and no means to depend upon but their
rops, the desire was recently and is doubtless
DIV, universal to honestly accept any far terms
reconstruction, and to devote their whole atten-
on to retrieving their fortunes. The demand for
Dor ls great and negroes desirous of employ-
ent can readily secure it at good wages The
ecessiiy for their labor. and the power of select
z tnen employers, give them the strongest Dos
Die security against imposition. Eorthern set
- onu esPeOiahy Noftnern capital, are eagerly |
ecomed, and many plantations have been thus
ased upon Misunderstanding to there being no
neral overflow. The very unusual succession
great floods'' of late has disappointed sueb
tlcpatons In many instances
WIN capacity for protection against inunda-
IN st an outlay less than that expended 10 CON.
ructing the Erie canal with residents ready to-
slcome newcomers who in good faith devote
eLr energies to developing the country; with a
mate IN the cotton lands favorable to large
pulation, and in the sugar lands not unfayors
after acclimation, il seems evident that this
mense tract of the most fertile alluvion in the
'rid cannot long remain a waste, where deer
am undlsiurbed among the young cotton woods
" sprlnglDg up among the deserted fields, aud
lere, IN an hours walk from the steamboat. one
" plunge INTO cane brske or a cypress swsmoil
labited only by bears and alligstors.
HENRY L. ABBOT.
Here is what The Mansfield (peSoto parish,
De6 has tn fha = .