New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-05-14
The Lower Mississippi Problem.

Some years since the Legislature of Lou
isiana referred TO the State Engineer an in
vention designed to stop orevasses desiring
an examination thereof and report there
on. The report was sent ill., and is one of
the briefest and best eXtaat, running thus:
The undersigned has the honor to report
that crevasses must be prevented: they can
no. be stopped" And il is this problem of
prevention which is now engaging the at
tention, not merely of those States most di-
rectly interested, but of intelligent and
patriotic citizens all over the country
How can the fertile regions which lie along
the banks of the lower Mississippi be
guarded from the periodical overfows
whose consequences are so ruinous and fire.
quently so fatal to the further production
Of the great staples which the South alone
can furnish! Our suggestion may not be of
much value except by way. OF stimulating
inquiry, but it shall be, at least. practical
aud easily comprehended. We base it upon
"A tact which is now conceded by all-that
Tho present levee system is failure.
These levees are nothing more or less
than futile attempt on the part of man to
repeal the laws of nature. The gigantic
stream which drains half a continent, seeks
and must find an entrance to the ocean. In
addition to the immense volume of water
which forms the Mississippi say at Memphis,
below that point several rivers of consider
able size lend their contributions to the
torrent, which of course requires ampler
space than it has before enjoyed. But the
alluvial soil is valuable, and the proprietors
are 10th to waste ! single foot of il: so in
stead of giving the room demanded, artificial
barriers are thrown up which narrow the
channel of the river and seek to transform
it into u grand canal. The bed of the stream
Is gradually raised by the continual deposit
OF torel9p matter, until now the traveller on
the passing steamer actually looks down
upon the real shores instead of up to them
Such an anomaly must necessarily produce
the result which takes the share of
crevasses. The river bursts its letters and
inhicts appropriate punishment upon those
who seek to hold it prisoner.
The remedy, to our minds at least, appears
perfectly plain. The Mississippi can not
be compelled to flow into the gulf through
one outlet alone-it must have two; three,
or half dozen, if necessary. Nature has
provided these outlets in the bayous, which
may be found at different points along what /
is called 1.-THE coast" and which have either
been closed by the hand of man, or OBJ
structed by various causes These obstruc-
tlons. whether natural or artificial. must be
removed, and when they are, the Mississippi
will drain itself Of course the system of
drainage may be regulated, and the largest
amount of land economical by ski1lful
engineering; but we believe that every
project for the protection of the lower Mis-
sissippi valley must fail which does not
recognize the Indispensable necessity of
giving such river as this a sufficient num-
Der of gateways to the sea. The Almighty
did not intend it for canal. and if the
levees were hundred feet high of solid
granite, sooner or later the Mississippi
would break through it.