The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-05-04
q CuRIoUs PHENoaIEe,oN.
The Gazing in of the Mississippi Banks
and why it IS All on One Side.

The Gazing in of the Mississippi Banks
and rIiy it IS All One Side.
The caving in of all the bluffs on the
eastern side of the Mississippi, from
Cairo to New Orleans, has led TO Curl
ous conclusions. 1t is said that the
motion of the earth on its axis or some
result of some general law of nature
must have begotten this uniform and
constant abrasion of the eastern shore
of the river. Fort Pillow has wholly
disappeared. There is not vestige
of the earthworks erected by General
Pillow, and others, at Randolph. The
river has cut cavernous depths for its
strong currents beneath the eVerlast-
ing hills, and these have slowly crum-
bled and fallen, grain of sand at
time, into the abyss of the mighty
deep. Now and then hillsides have
disappeared in single night, and en-
riously enough this work of desola-
ton goes on mainly upon the eastern
side of the river. Here at Memphis,
as at tYicilsburgh, Columbus, Fort Pill
low and Randolph, the resistless, faith
onless river, whose course none may
anticipate and none can resist, pursues
its appointed tasks with force and
pertinacity which has lessened proper
ty values between Wolf river and
Fort Pickering many millions of dol
lars. Great as is the damage already
done by the mighty river, the calamity
begotten is steadily progressive, aud
none can tell when detection OF the
wiltul current may relieve the ankle
ties of those owning property along
the river shore between the navy yard
and Fort Pickering. The city once
imagined that in the navy yard it had
a basis of credit to be used in the per-
fection of its railroad system. The
Little Rock road at one time was
strengthened in its resources by
mortgage on the navy-yard. The
mortgage subsists, but the property
has been disposed of by a power
against which chancePy may issue its
thunders in vain. Plainly enough,
while the river holds its present course
there is no assignable limitation TO its
destructiyeness. 1t is generally con-
ceded that the direction of the current
cannot be changed or its forces re-
strained by any local distractions
Several miles above the city where
the current turns westwardly,it should
be directed into its old channel with
in the. confines of Tennessee. ssf But
who shall essay The task? No one in
dividual property holder, directly in
terested Will attempt it, and it seems
impossible to effect any combination
among riparian proprietors. Those
interested, lazily look to the city tor
relief, and the city answers that there
is space enough for several cities be-
tween the river and Germantown, and
that it is none of the business of those
unaffected by the flood 10 pay for or
ameliorate the misfortunes of those
who speculated on these very chances
when they sought lots fronting the
river. If this were not true the whole
of Mississippi should be taxed to re-
place the losses of those whose river
plantations have recently disappeared
beneath the flood of The great river.
Woula it not be well for those slowly
ruined by the abrasions of the bluff,
and of the eastern shore to hold a
A small sum levied on each
owner of property fronting on the
river would probably save millions of
money. The plan proposed is very
simple and costs little, and consists
only in diverting the current by de-
vices long used by British engineers
in India and Europe. Shall we have
such meeting? or are these sluggish
people content to sit quietly by and
see the last vestige OF their wealth
from the Navy-yard to Fort Pickering
swept into the Mexican Gulf?-Mem-
1RtS appeal.