New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-12-07
The Delta of the Mississipui.

| Not the least important OF the measure
| likely to be brought to the attention Of tn
| present Congress is one for the improve
lnent of the Mississippi river and the per
fectlng OF the levee system tor the reclama
| ton and protection of the vast and fertile
region known as the delta Of that river
This large tract of country, according tc
the recent calculations of Professor For
shey, of New Orleans, as set forth in a
paper read before the American Association
for the Advancement Of Science. contains
LII $40 acres. This estimate includes the
aliuvions of the several atfluents below
Cape Girardeau, at which point Professor
FOrshey contends the true delta Of the
Mississippi begins. The fertility, the eli
mate and productiveness of this large area
of territory are such that its rescue from
submergence by the annual foods becomes
matter of the very highest moment to
American wealth and civilization.
If We subtract from the total acreage
given above 2,3l4, 240 acres as irreclaimabe
marsh land, there remain still - 900
acres of the best and most fertile land on
the continent, which, it is believed. compe
tent engineering skill and liberal expen-
diture of money might protect and place in
condition to be brought under cultivation
As this land now is, 81 per acre on an aver
age would be high estimate Of its value;
u
submergence and brought into market, $40
per acre would be very low estimate on
its value. This difference in the value of
the real estate of IS per acre amounts to
Sis, 6J6. 600.
The question, then, from an economical
point OF view, presents strong claim for
1t is not. perhaps assuming
too much if we would say that $50 per acre
would be low valuation for the lands en-
braced in the delta within ten years after
the completion Of levees projecting them
from overtiows: thus increasing the value
from the present estimate Of $449l4, 900 to
s349. 10000. The increase in value OF prop
erty Is OF itself very important considera-
lion. But we have said nothing of the vast
Increase of wealth in the production of the
oil
Suppose this vast acreage of fertile land
in the cotton growing district, and nearly
Io,000,pG0 OF acres are the best cotton
ands in the world, were to be cultivated in
cotton, the lowest estimate necessary to
make would give one bale to the acre,
which would be 9000,000,000 pounds, reck-
ming the bales at 500 pounds each. This
enormous cotton product. at only five cents
Der pound, amounts to the enormous sum
II Si5O. 100000 annually. We have not in.
luded in this estimate the vast capacity of
he other 100000 acres to increase the |
ugar, rice and indigo crops of the southern
art, or the grain and tobacco production of
he northern part
Now. it is plain from the facts here pre-
ented that the reclamation Of this vast |
nd fertile tract is a subject of national i'm |
'ortance. and one that at least merits care |
III con sideration. 1t is more than prob |
bic that an effort will be made during the |
resent session of Congress TO bring the |
natter up in an effort to secure government
i'd to inaugurate system Of levee i'm
rovements. Such measure possesses
luch interest to the inhabitants OF the
hole valley.-S. Louis Republican.