Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-03-19

Gen. McCOmb, Of the U. 8. En-
Corps, ls IN our city IN con-
pectiOn with The subject Of remedy-
ing the threatened "Uut-OR." He
has been ordered here ia eOhse.
quence Of the following reports
and further reports, showing the
injury that would result To- our
city should the river force Its way
through the point opposite. o A.
though we think this damage Is
very remote, yet we are glad Oisee
this practical manifestation Of in
terest in our city on the part Of the
United States Government. here
are the reports: @'a" t'1H
'- ''' .'''' JACKSON, MSS
.Hi IHaiH. DeO., 1864 s.
To the Honorable, the Secretary Of
War: ..a.ri .gi,p
Having been directed by Major
General Ames, commanding the
4th Military District, to accompany
him to Vickskurg, for the purpose
OF examining the Mississippi river
above that city, reported to be rap.
idly abradiHg q point above the
city, and threatening to make for
itself q new channel, greatly TO the
prejudice of tho interest Of the city
of Vicksburg, In company with
General Ames, left this City on the
fret day Of November, aud arrived
ae Vicksbnrg on the evening Of the
same day. Al ten, A. M, on the
second, accompanied BY General
Ames, the Mayor, General Swift.
and some Of the officials Of the city
Of Y~lcksburg, left that city on
steamer to make the proposed ex-
animation. Slowly Steaming UP
the left bank OF the river, about Two
miles above the City, we encoIn-
teaed q bar extending acrosS the
river from the IMisslssIppl shore,
and throwing o channel 10, the Op.
pOsile bank. For two,thirds Of the
distance from the LEFT bank the wa
ter on the newly formed bar 10 not
exceeding six feet, but deepening
rapidly to the right bank, near
which we were unable TO get
sOundings with the line on board.
The river here was reported by
the officers of tho boat to be frOIr
sixty to seventy feet In depth, and
continues so to q short distance
above Grants canal. We followed
| the bank to GFant's canal, sOml
, miles above the point Of land pro
jeoting from the Louisiana side o
the river.
Throughout this distance the riv
: or rushes against the loose sandy
i. banks, and Is rapidly abradini
them. Several hundred yards 0
, the bank have yielded to the flOOt
II within the year past, as was report
o cd by those on board the steamer
and as was made suIflclentlyappat
ent by the large, newly made do
posts on the opposite shore, 81
y tending from the recent growth
g willows, some two hundred yard
r into the river.
The point of Hand referred Il
g projects from the main Ian
J.. on the Louisiana side
, the river, from about oppOsil
y Vicksburg, aud runs nearly para
d lei with the left bank, TO the widl
a of the river, below the Nation
Cemetery, and makes the gre
y bend of the river above Wick
burg. AS we'll as we could asce
IL tain, this projecting strip 10 not
an average over half Q mile
width. At the point of create
" abrasiDD, Il % believed 10 be aboI
iii three-nurths Of q mile wide, and
undoubtedly daily diminishing
u width, from the washings Of u
river. Trees were standing, sur
~ to their tops In the river, viii,
!, had the appearance Of having bel
: recently washed from the ban
n. their leaves were fresh and gree
no How long this abrasion will co
tinue and what remedies to app
oil to prevent II, and what effect d
e. cutting Of the point away, w0u
al have upon the interest Of the eli
we are unable to venture an Cpl
10 ion on the hasty examination '
,r- were compelled 70 make. We q
:. of opinion, however, that the gu
ject Is Of so great an Importance
to merit q thorough examinatil
by a competent engineer, ct
NO early q day aS practicable.
., GORDON GRANGKR,
nc Brevet Maj. Gen., US. A.
Of
nj While / fully concur with Gene
Granger in the above report | Il
H. that the emergency demands sol
he present action. At Wales q
ro. house a small distance aOOve Gran
canal where the current Of the RI