Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-12-31
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
Report ON the Mississippi Levee
System.

System.
The committee heretofore appointed
to report on the Mississippi levees pre- |
sented an exhaustive document, last
evening, to the called meeting of the
Chamber of Commerce. The important |
document recites the following facts:
After recting the practicability of pro-
tecting the Mississippi valley, the COM
mittee invoked Government aid, but pro
tested against the Kellogg Congressional
scheme as monopoly fraught with mis- |
chief and oppression.
The report says:
We believe the nationality Of the inter-
est and the long practice of the Govern |
ment will justify a direct advance in
money or credit of the Government to
the States for building the levees, under
such restrictions as shall secure faith
full application of the means to prop |
erly located and constructed levee. The
probable cost of such levee from Cape !
Girardeau to the Gulf, at the present
prices of labor and provisions, will not
be less than SIS, 900, 600 or $4,000, 600
a sum utterly beyond the means of the
inhabitants of the valley in their present
impoverished condition; and, without |
the aid of the Government, this splendid |
domain, covering an era of q, 100 square |
miles, must remain for generations to |
come more or less subject to the ravages
of the flood The existing leyees afford |
only partial and uncertain protection,
and cannot be made available in any |
general and permanent system. The
river front requiring levees measures
from
Cairo to mouth of st. Francis................ 200
Helena to mouth of White riyer....-..-..-... IVY |
Mouth Cypress creek to Red river......... $40 |
Red river to New Orleans. ~ /
Horn Lake TO mouth of Yazoo.........-...... $40 |
Total river front ..l27O
A properly located line Of levee would
probably reduce this. ~
Making ..lOOJ
of levee to build. This levee would re-
claim forever from inundation in the
region ,c
Above mouth of Red $50
Below mouth Of Red river..............-.... $500
Total area subject to overflow .. ........27,75O
of which are contained in
ST. Francis basin gu
Yazoo basin SUI
Between Helena and Red river. about...~.6,OOO |
OF this area about 10000, 900 acres lie
within the cotton zone; 100000 acres
below Red river are adapted to the sugar
cane. and 100000 acres are more
strictly adapted to the culture of grain,
making total of l7,760,000 acres,
worth, at twenty-five dollars per acre,
$444, 600, 900. Suppose one-half Of these
lands reduced to cultivation, and we
have an annual product from them of
5000, 900 bales OF cotton, 1925, 600 600
pounds of sugar, l00,000,000 gallons of
molasses, 100000 bushels of corn,
worth at present prices 1926, 900, 600.
The report goes on to show the value
of the products of the Mississippi Valley,
and gives reason why the Government
should foster and support the enterprise.
The aid given to other enterprises are as
follows:
To the three Pacific railroads.&c.
Union, the Central and the Kansas
and their branches, the Government has
issued its bonds to the amount Of $685.,
$4,000, and granted lands to the amount
Of ia, 100000 acres, or 1880 square
rifles, about equal TO five such States as
Ohio. Besides these, Congress has at
various dates since 1850 granted to aid
works Of internal improvement &C, 1885,
$50 aeres-making a total of 1870, 1885,
$50 acres, or about 29T, 300 square miles
IAN area exceeding in extent that of
the six New England States, with New
York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio,
Indiana and Illinois combined. Canals,
and even wagon roads, have received the
fostering care Of the Governmental
405, $50 acres having been granted to the
former, and s,7S2,2l3 acres to the latter.
After commenting upon the futile ef
forts pursued by the States of Louisiana,
Arkansas and Mississippi to build levees
after stating a plan for the proposed
levee and the method Of constructing it,
the report says as to Mississippi Valley
railroad.
Tins constructed on the line of per
msneney. forever safe from eaviug, and
Of dimensions adequate 10 the resistance
Of any food. we would donate the sec
ton from Cairo TO 81. Francis to one in
corporated railroad company; that SEQ
ton from Horn Lake 20 fazOO 70 an
other; the section from Helena 10 White
river 10 another; the section from Cypress
Creek TO Red river to another; and the
section from Red river TO Algiers 70 a
fifth compa1y, al upon their laying
track and equippinE II, and giving sails
factory bond 10 maintain Il forever,
without further cost 70 the country. The
company on the first section would ex-