New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-12-10
rmnroremenr Of the Mt.slsstprt.
From the st. Louis Democrat

I
| A great deal has been said about the ne
| cessity Of improving the Mississippi river
! with view to making it safely navigable
| by large steamers throughout the year, and
| the general government has shown fail
| degree of liberality in making appropri
ations TO carry forward the work OF deepen
ing the channels at the mouth and remov
ing Instructions at other points in the river
Thankful for past favors. the people of the
Mississippi valley will probably soon unite
in an urgent appeal to Congress for perfect
ing the great work that has in reality but
just begun.
Two things should be accomplished, il
possible viz: the Improvement Of the chan
neIs and the reclamation of the fertile lands
in the delta for agricultural purposes, and,
if we rely upon the Judgment Of scientific men
who have made the subject special study
for many years, the Improvements neces-
sary for the accomplishment of one of those
objects will secure the other. 1t has been
ascertained, beyond question, that good
EN- bankments. combining the volume Of the
river to narrower channel, deepens the
bed By the constant wearing away OF the
bottom, and that the average weight of the
water during the time Of foods is less with
in he entertainments than it is at the same
place without them. This is contrary to
the generally received belief, and many
A1VA ant POI SsLo DPPCSCSA Wv 3
of levees for the reason, alleged by them,
that they increase the height and destruc-
tivenesa Of the floods. Careful observation
has exploded this idea.
1t Is one thing, however, to know how to
accomplish given result, and quite another
to provide the meaus to bring It about. The
individual enterprise OF the land-hOld6rs
along the river can never do what is neces-
sary to the realization of so grand a scheme
Hundreds Of miles Of expensive enbank-
ments have been constructed by indiVidu-
ais and swept away by the resistless force
of the mighty river, and the exigencies OF
war compelled our government to destroy
many of the finest plantations beyond the
hope Of reclamation by their owners. 1t
is clearly impracticable for the States Dor
dering on the river to project and com
plete, unaided, go great work, as
it will Involve an expenditure which,
if added to their present Indebtedness,
would bankrupt them. Scientific gentle
men, who have made careful surveys, ex
press the opinion that the proper and only
way to accomplish the desired result is by
a system of leyees extending along both
banks Of the river from point near Cape
Girardeau, in Missouri, to the mouth of the
river. A little patchwork done here and
there along the banks in the different States,
without any view to a comprehensive Plan
covering the interests of the whole delta,
amount to nothing. An unusual food, or
the carelessness of a few persons who may
neglect the first breaches in the banks, is
emo Ugh to destroy the work of years. and
place it out of the power Of land owners to
r9stl r. or repair their works.
State and individual effort combined will
not suffice for so great q work, and the ma
ton must undertake it in the same spirit
that has led it to improve the magnificent
harbors on our sea coast. Every inhab
liant of the United States has personal in
terest in the security afforded to vessels
coming to and going from the port Of New /
York, and they are no less interested in the
grand work that is necessary to make the
greatest of our rivers the safe and obedient |
servant of our people.
1t is urged as an additional reason why |
the general government should undertake !
this work. the waves made by the steamers |
passing from the upper Mississippi and its |
down the river are destructive |
to the artificial banks; and Colonel For |
3hey, OF New Orleans, in an elaborate adj |
dress delivered before the American Scien- |
-itic Association at Dubuque, in August |
asst, submitted the results Of some eIabo- |
rate calculations, showing that the leyees |
were subjected to a great servitude by this /
means.
We hope that Senators and Congressman |
rom ali the States Immediately concerned !
will give earnest attention to this business, |
and that when they have once agreed upon
plan Of action, they may act vigorously |
md tremendously to put it in the shape Of
PRACTICAL legislation.