The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-04-12
The Mississippi Cutting a New
Channel.
Chicago Tribune saws:

The Chicago Tribune says:
puring the war some strategist proposed
to so change the channel of the Mississippi
river that the water would turn from its
accustomed bed some distance above Nicks.
burg. and. leaving that city several miles
to the left, resume the old channel three
or four miles below. Many months oil
labor were devoted to the work, but the
water. though strongly encouraged, re-
iinued to flow through the long bend
which carries the channel under the bluffs
of Nicksburg. But the war being over, the
river has undertaken the job itself, and,
unless restrained, will probably, in the
next two years, abandon the circuitous
route by Nicksburg, and open an airline
10 the lower river.
The plan during the war was to cut q ca.
nal to carry the water through the PENN
sula, but for some cause the ditch was a
failure. Down to 1868 the abrasion of the
shore of this peninsula, formed by the bend
in the river, was gradual. In 1928 the width
of the peninsula was 9,1Co feet. In 1853 it
had been reduced 1909 feet, and until 1865
the abrasion averaged 66 feet per annum.
In 1866 there was q great change; the abra-
sion ranged from 300 feet at the canal to 900
feet 4 quarter of q mile below. In 1869 there
was n crevassc, and at the close of that year
there had been over 200 feet removed. Le-
wees were built and much done to reclaim
The land thus swept away. But in 1s69-'7o
the main body of the river was changed,
and the point of impact moved further
down the bend, the amount of cutting
ranging from 900 to 1900 feet.
Captain Suter, of the Engineers, made a
survey in the autumn of 1870, and in his
report states that ut that time the width OF
the peninsula had been reduced to $500
feet. The width at the site Of the canal is
G,S33 feet, showing, perhaps, that the fail
ure of the canal was because it was not con-
>tructed at the proper point. 1t is. there
fore, merely n question OF time when the
river will force itself through.
Boring in the river will give no comfort
to the Eicksburg people. A second layer
Of clay 4 feet Trick is met 10 feet below the
upper one, and the space between these
layers of clay is filed with coarse sand, made
almost fluid with riycr-water and IS feet
below this second bed of clay is Il third. the
Intervening space being filled with a like
quick-sand. These borings show no sub.
stance capable of resisting the current
Of the river. Captain Suter suggests
that the water already finds its way |
under the surface. Should the river break |
through ut what is now the narrowest
point, it will come out on the other side |
two miles below Nicksburg, and the pres
cnt harbor Of that city would be filled with |
sand. The river will be two miles from
the present city wharf. The engineer re.
ports that the most feasible plan to keep !
the river in its present course is to protect
the bank As it Stands-the length of shore !
to he protected being 81, 900 feet. The esti-
mated cost of this work is s., 745, 900.
In the meantime the liver continues its
work eNcavating 4 new channel, utterly
dlsregarding the site and plan Of the engi-
ncers IN 1868. Should there be any flood in
the river this year the prospect is that the
work viii be completed, the river conside-
rably shortened, and Vicksburg will have
TO come down from the bluffs and rebuild
itself on the sandy formation which will
lie between its present site and the future
channel of the river,