The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-04-28
A CURIOUS PHENOMENON.
The Gazing i'm Of the Mississippi
Banks. and Why 10 IL All on One

From the Memphis Appeal
The caving in of all the bluffs on the
eastern side OF the Mississippi, from
Caro- to New Orleans, has led to curious
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 disap-
peared There is not a vestige OF the
earthworks erected by Gen. Pillow, aud
others, at Randolph. The river has cut
cavernous depths for its strong currents
beneath the everlasting hills, and these
have slowly crumbled aud fallen, a
grain OF sand at a time, into the
abysses of the mighty deep Now and
then hillsides have disappeared in a
single 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 Randolph, the resist
less, fathomless river, whose course
none may anticipate and none
can resist, pursues its appointed tasks
with force and pertinaclty which has
lessened property values between Wolf
river and Fort Pickering many millions
of dollars. Great as is the damage al
ready done by the mighty river, the
calamity begolten is steadily progress
sive, and none can tell when detection
of the wilful current may relieve the
anxieties of those owning property along
the river shore between the navy-yard
and Fort Pickering. The city once I'M
agined that in the navy-yard ithad a basis
o. credit 10 be used in the perfection OF its
railway system. The Little Rock road
at one time was strengthened in its re-
sources 10y a mortgage on the navy-yard.
The mortgage subsists, 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 assignable limitation to its destruc-
tiveness. 1t is generally conceded that
the direction of the current cannot be
changed or its forces restrained 10y any
local distractions. Several miles above
the city, where the currents turns west,
wardlv, it should be directed into its old
channel within the confines Of Tennes-
see. But who shall essay the task ?
No one individual property.holder. d.
rectly interested, will attempt it, and it
seems i'm possible to effect any comblna-
ton among riparian proprietors. Those
interested, 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 1t
is none Of the business Of those I'M
affected by the flood to pay tor or
ameliOrate the misfortunes Of those who
speculated on these very chances when
they sought lots fronting on the river.
II this were not ture, the whole Of Mis-
sissippi should be taxed to replace the
losses Of those whose river plantations
have recently disappeared beneath the
flood of the great river. Would it not
be well for those slowly ruined by the
abrasions of the bluff, and OF the east
ern shore to hold a meeting. A small
sum levied on each owner of property
fronting the river would probably save
millions of money. The plan proposed
| is very simple and costs little, and con
sists only in diverting the current by
devices long used by British engineer;
in India and Europe. Shall we have
such meeting? or are these sluggish
people content 10 sit quietly by and see
the last vestige Of their wealth, from
the navy-yard to Fort Pickering, swept