The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-02-25
The Gibson County keserVOlr-What
Damage Was Beae By Cutting IT.
Correction of Our Report.

Damage was Beae By Cutting IT.
CORRECTION of Our Report.
We have received q llettert from a
prominent citizen Of Gibson County,
Who Ives near Che, Gibson County
Reservei r.. n m WI SzlsfeEs he states that the
reports given as Of the destruction
resaltibgr from gthe cutting gof the
Reservoir are greatly exaggerated.
Hesdehies that any loss, OF property
was oeeasioned thereby, and that it
will really result in great benefit to
the health and agricultural interests
of that section Of Gibson County.
We make the following extract from
his letter4 % t1AO3
The cmbankment or dam is sabout
six hundred yards long from east to
west crossing alsmall creek and the
low lands orr flats, bordering on
same, and backing the water up the
creek and flats for about three miles,
being from east to west at the widest
place about one and aHshalf miles
wide, and about ten feet deep In the
uCE pest lEdGGSg SAO VI CCA
and branches or ravines. The breach
in ttesembankmena was made exactly
where the dam crosses. the creek, so
the water il rnnnlng out OF the res
ervoirranS gin the oidschannel of the
| Gre elk gust as ii did beforethe dam was
built, land the creek has the same
natural .schannelH nov that it had
before the building of the reservoir.
So there Is no farm below the dam
that WILDE damaged one cent, but
upon the contrary, parts of some
farnlstllat were covered By the water
Of the reservoir and made useless
thereby will be putin cultivation and
produce. good crops. Hundreds oil
acres that are now IN woods lowing to
| the reputation for healthy VIII now be
.bonght by farmers, put into eultiva-
ton and made prolific, and thus be Q
.soureelof revenue 10 the county and
State shea1tll improved, &c-
AS ito health, the people do not
think the letting off of the water viii
make that any worse, for about one
half or two thirds Of thehreservoil
went dry in the Summer and Fall
anyhow, and the miasma arising from
decaying vegetation was as great as il
is likely to be next summer, for now
it IS drained and will take the Win.
ter's and Springs freezes and washes
/ aud thereby be rendered more pure
and moro healthfnl than before. The
people did not act rashly or incon-
siderate. iIs this matter, but acted
| after mature reflection for what
they considered their best inter
/ oe ttrEfln mas Eanl
IN running order, everybody in
the vicinity was willing to submit
to the affection of the reservoir, or
" sell out for whatever they could
get and move off to a healthier local
ity, but since the canal Is entirely
abandoneds why keep q nuisance in
their midst, causing them to incur
! heavy expense each year in the pay
ment hof doctor bills for curing fever
and ague, besides loss of time, nealth,
&c, and they are willing to repair
the breach in the dam at their ex-
pensei whenever the canal is put in
running order, and the reservoir is
needed. You in Evansville have
filed UP the canal for a mile or two
which has done just as much damage
as the cutting of the Port Gibson
| Reservoir. Why did you do so?
Because the canal was abandoned,
and to fill up the old ditch was con-
ducive to health. and of other local
advantages For the same reason
| the reservoir went up" and we dc
not think the health of Evansville
wifi be materially affected thereby
| BY publishing In your paper this
| communication, so people may see a
correct as well as your incorrect
statement, you win very much oblige
Il SUFEERER BY THE RESERVOIR. 3