Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-01-29

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The Lovoe PlOf nnthe Louisville
Convention iR as National As-
poet.
From thOadvance sheet OF DoBoW's Review
IoE Fcbruay.l
In discussing the project of re-
claiming the nlluvial lands Of the
Mississippi Valley, suggested by
the Louisville Convention, we pro.
pose, a preliminary, to present some
views aud facts not properly un.
derstOod or appreciated by the gen.
era, public.
+. 1t is the object of this plan 10
protect from inundatiOn, and bring
into safe cultivation, q region OF
country covering an aarea of 49,.
600 square miles, Or 20,4S0,0OO acres.
This vast territory has been subdi.
vided into four separate districts
by Two distinguished United States
engineers, who have so carefully
surveyed It as follows:
/. The country below Red River
estimated at 7,6S0,0O6 acres, be.
longing to the Louisiana sugar and
rice region.
In 1860 the products of Louisiana
was:
Sugar, 5OO,OOOOOO pounds.
Molasses, 35,000,000 gallons.
Cotton, $4,000 bales.
2. The area lying between the
Red and Arkansas Rivers, bounded
on the west and North by the
highlands of Louisiana, and Al.
kansas, 10 estimated at .5,800,OOC
acres. This region embraces the
four front parishes of Louisiana,
Concordia, Tensas, Madison and
Carroll, which made in 1861, an az.
gregate of $4,000 bales Of cottoii.
3. Tho "Yazo0 Basin" contain
Ing 100000 acres, bounded on the
east by the Yazoo, Tallahatchee
and Coldwater Rivers, and ON the
south and north by the bluffs OF
of Mississippi and Tennessee.
4. That portion extending from
Cape Girardeau on the north, "a
Helena on the south, and from the
Mississippi on the cast to CRANKY
and Bloomfield Ridges on tho west,
containing over 100000 acres,
and known as the st. Francis Ba.
sin.
Nearly the whole of this vast
space Is annually at the mercy Of
the Mississippi river, and all who
plant there have to do so at the
risk. of inundation. The soil is the
accreliOn of centuries, and is o,
great depth and surprising fertill-
ty. For example:
1t is computed that, In 1860, there
were IN the YazOo Basin 42S 00C
acres In cultivation, which pro-
duced 10000 bales Of cotton aud
100000 bushels Of corn, besides a
great variety of other products,
aud a quantity Of stock Of all sorts,
The white population was 1923.
The colored population was So.
2l2.
The estimated value Of planta-
tons S4l,S00,O COO.
An average per acre Of over 500.
The products of tho cultivated
lands in each of the other alluvlal
districts in 1860 were equaI
to those Of the Yazoo Basin.
These statistics are Of value IN
afiording data as to the productive
capacity Of the region of country
proposed TO be reclaimed aud pro.
tected from inuudation. or this
vast area II is estimated that 7,000,.
600 Of acres, in a short time, could
be prepared and set aside for the
cultivation of cotton, leaving ample
space for oil other productions es.
scntial to a self-supporting plant
ing interest. Ono bale Of 40C
pounds TO the acre Is q moderate
average estimate Of the product o.
the soil.
With the levees up, and secure
cultivation assured, the freedman
will leave the uplands and seek the
alluvlon Of the Mississippi finding
there not only o better reward fol
his labor, but a congenlal climate
and an easy mode Of living, Ia
which he will luxnrate. II Is MOI
stating the proposition too strongly
70 soy Chat, ID the course OF Ton
years, should thaae lands be 70
claimed, half the cOlOred pOnuia