The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-04-17
Threatened Danger to viek.bure.

The Chicago Tribune says: During the
war some strRtegist proposed to go change
the channel of the Mississippi river that the
water would turn from its accustomed he'd
some distance below Vicksburg, and, leav.
ing hat city, several miles to the left. re-
sumo the old channel three or four miles
below. Many months of labor were devoted
to the work, but the water, though strongly
encouraged, refused to take the direct ronte
and continued to flow through the long band
which carried the channel under the bluffs of
Nicksburg. But the war being over, the
river has undertaken the job itself, and, IN
less restrained, will probably, in the next
two years, abandon the eircuitous route by
Nlcksburg, and open an air line to the lower
river. The plan during the war was to cut
O canal to carry the water through the
peninsula, but, for some cause. the ditch
ives failure. Down to 1865 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 900 feet
In 1898 II had been reduced 300 feet. and.
until 1866, the abrasion averaged 65 feet
per snnum. In 1866 there was a preat
change the abrasion ranged from 800 feet
at the canal to 900 feet quarter of q mile
below. In 1869 there was q crevasse. and
at the close of that year there had been over
! 200 feet removed. Levees were built and
much done to reclaim the land thus sven;
away. But in l869-7O, the main body of
the river was changed, and the point of i'm
pact moved further down the bend, the
amount of outing ranging from,2O to 1900
feet. Capt. Suter Of the engineers made sur
vey In the atumn of 1870, and in his report
states that at that time the width ofthe pen
insula had been reduced to $500 feet The
width at the site of the canal is $3.50 feet,
showing, perhaps, that the failure of the |
canal was because it was not constructed at
the proper point. 1t is, therefore, merely |
question OF time when the river will force |
itself through. Behring'S 10 the river will |
give no comfort to the Vicksburr people. |
second layer of clay feet thick ia met 10 |
feet below the upper one, and the space be |
tween these layers of clay is filed with |
coarse sand, made almost fluid with rive,
wAter; aud 9 feet below this second bad of
clay is a third, the intervening space being
filled with like quieksand. These boringe |
show no substance capable of resisting the |
current of the river Captain Suter sug-
gests that the water already finds it's wayunder |
the surface, Should've river break through at
what ID now the nArrowest point, it will |
come &C. out on the other side, two miles below
Elcksonrg, and the present harbor of that
city would be filed with sand. The river
VIII be two miles from the present city
wharf The engineer reports that she most
feasible plan to keep the river in its present
course Is to protect the bank as it stands-
the length of shores to be protected heinz
$1,000 feet. The estimated cost Of tbs
work is 81, 600. In the meantime the
river continues its work, excavating a new
channel, utterly disregardiDg the site and
plan of the engineers in 1863. Should there
be any food in the river this year, the pros.
pect is that the work will be completed, the
river considerably shortened, and Vicks
burg will have to come down from the bluffs
and rebuild itself on the sandy foundation,
~. MaiIn VIII lie between it's present site and
'ne future channel of the river,