Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-05-05
CURIOUS FACTS ABOUTTHE MIS-
SISSIPPI RIVER.
Memphis Being Undermined.
From the Memphis Appeal.

H'""' snc 1nemPuie appear.
The caving in of all the bluffs on
the eastern side of the Mississippi
from Cairo to New Orleans has led
to curious conclusions. 1t is said
that the motion of the earth on it's
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 entirely disappear
ed. There is not vestige Of the
earthworks erected by General Pill
low, and others, at Randolph. The
river has cut cavclnous depths for
it's strong currents beneath the ever
lasting hills, and these have slowly
crumbled and fallen, grain of
sand at time, into the abysses of
the mighty deep. Now and then
hillsidcs have disappeared in sin
gle night, and curiously enough this
work of desolation goes on mainly
upon the eastern side of the river.
Here at Memphis, as at Vicksburg,
Columbus, Fort Pillow and Ran
dolph, the rcsistless, fathomless
river, whose course none can resist,
pursues its appointed tasks with a
force and pertinacity which has
lessened property values between
Wolf river and Fort Pickering ma
ny millions of dollars. Great as is
the damage already done by the
mighty river, the calamity begotten
is steadily progressive, and none
can tell when a DETECTION of the
willful current may relieve the anx-
ieties of those owning property
along the shore between the navy
yard and Fort Pickering. The city
once imagined that in the navy yard
it had basis of credit to be used
in the perfection of its railway sys-
tenn. The Little Rock Road at one
time was strengthened in its re-
sources by mortgage on the navy
yard. The mortgage exists but the
property has been disposed of by a
power against which chancery may
issue its thunders in vain. Plainly
enough while the river holds its
present course, there is no assigna-
BILE limitation to its destructiveness.
1t is also generally conceded that
the current cannot be changed or its
force restrained by any local OBJ
structions. Several miles above
the city, where the current turns
westward, it should be directed into
its old channel within the contiues
of Tennessee. But who shall essay
the task? No one individual prop
erty-holdcr, directly interested, will
attempt it, and it seems impossible
to affect any combination among
riparian proprietors. Those inter-
ested lazily look to the city for re-
lief, and the city answers that there
is space enough for several cities
between the river and Germantown,
and that it is none of the business
of those unaffected by the flood to
pay for or amcliorate the misfor-
tunes of those who spcculated on
these very chances when they
sought lots fronting on 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 disappear
ed beneath the flood Of the great
river. Would it not be we'll for
those slowly ruined by the abra-
sions of the bluff, and Of the eastern
shore to hold meeting? A small
sum levied on each owner Of prop
erty fronting the river would prob
ably save millions of dollars. The
plan proposed is very simple and
costs little, and consists only in d.
verting the current by devices long
used by British engineers in India
and Europe. Shall we have such a
meeting? or are these sluggish peo-
pie 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?