The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-06-04


AN ADDITIONAL COMPROMISE WITH MA
TURE,
and should be effected. Engineers have
differed and will continue to differ, in
their views as to the practicability of this
measure in connection with the levee
| system; but the writer is fully impressed
that no great advantage has been proven
to be gained by their closing, and that alb
solute good promises to be derived from
their opening.
There are two points to which special
attention should be directed One of
these is the Bayou Manchac, through
which the water would waste itself into
| the Gulf through Lake Maurepas, on the
eastern side of the river and the other,
the Bayou Plaquemine, which would per-
form similar service on its western slope
These bayous could be opened and so
protected with wing levees that little, if
any, damage to present interests would
necessarily ensue.
The idea recently advanced of making
an artificial channel from Bonnet Care to
Luke Ponchartrain, and as advocated
many years ago by Ellet in his admirable
work OH the physics of the Mississippi, is
not now desirable, nor under the circum-
stances, practicable. When Ellet adj
vaneed this theory, the jackson Railroad
was not thought of; and to carry out his
idea at the present day, with that great
commercial thoroughfare connected so
intimately as it is with the business inter
ests of New Orleans, would be to wipe it
out of existence, and this consideration
alone is sufficient to stamp it as impracti-
cable
Any engineer acquainted with the to-
biography of the country on the Jackson
Railroad, including, especially, the Trem-
bling Prairies which would be most affect
ed by such a channel as is proposed, could
not hesitate to pronounce that it would
cost the company millions to be fully pro-
tected against the annual visit of such
an enemy as would march irresistibly
through it; and at best, it is problemati-
cal whether any works could be construct
ed which would remain secure or perma-
nent and defy successfully the powerful
attacks thus directed against them There
fore this idea should be abandoned and
attention directed to the Bayou Manchac,
which is a natural outlet, and the opening
and cleaning of which would promise near
ly as much relief as this Bonnet Care pro-
iect.
One of the first considerations, to which
the plans herein proposed are
ONLY AUxILTA FIEs,
is that the old levees should be repaired
and the new ones so constructed that when
completed and fully settled, they should
show at least two feet above the highest
water mark known. The present season
has demonstrated that
FOUR-FIFTHs OF THE LEvEEs ARE EN-
TIRELY TOO Low,
and more than half Of them scarcely as
high as the water mark of 1871. There is
also great fault perpetrated in the con-
struction of levees by not resorting to some
mode of
ARTIFICIAL SETTLING
as the work progresses. In the most cases
the work is done with wheelbarrows, and
the mass Of loose earth which is thrown
up, allowed to- settle as best it can by the
slow processes of nature. When works
so constructed are finished on the eve of
the high water season, it is evident that
they are not as strong as they ought to be,
to withstand the pressure of water which
is SO soon to come against them. There
have been several eXpedients resorted TO
by the writer for artificial settling, which
would insure a compact mass ms the
work progresses, at very little additional
cost; and there can be no question as
to the absolute necessity for some such
mode to be adopted in the building oflev-
ees, 50 as to give them the greatest amount
of
IMMEDIATE STRENGTH AND EFFECTIVE
NESS.
But with all the expedients resorted to,
and with the most perfect system that can
be adopted, there will still be dangers to
encounter, and
CREvAssEs WILL CONTINUE TO OCCUR
from local causes, such as the bOrings Of
crawfish and the insidious musk rat, and
which cannot always be prevented by the
utmost vigilance; but the problem to solve
in this regard is to devise the most perfect
system of
POLICE REGULATIONS UNDER THOROUGH
ORGANIZATION,
by which the danger of crevasses will
be reduced to a minimum, and under
which
THE CLOSING OF CREvAssEs
when they occur, will be rendered most
sure and speedy.
The question arises, then, how can these
desirable objects be best attained, and most
effectively sustained?
The answer is, by the
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT BECOMING
THE PROPRIETOR AND GUARDIAN
of the whole levee system, including con-
struction and maintenance The prDpri-
etorship can no doubt be secured by some
arrangement with the States interested,
or through proper negotiations with those
who may hold vested rights under previ-
Gus State legislation, and the whole accom-
plished through necessary Congressional
enactments.
The guardianship could then be effec-
lively maintained through and by means
of the regular army organization. A reg
iment of one thousand men, organized
something after the manner of sappers
and miners, and drilled especially in the
study and practice of preventing as we'll
as closing crevasses, would be worth, in
time of emergency like the present, one
hundred thousand such Iaborers as are
now improvised for similar work.
They should be distributed, during the
high water season, in companies of one
hundred each, at suitable points selected
as stations or depots, where transportation
and all necessary material and outfit
should be kept ready at hand, so that with
the aid of the telegraph the required force
could be concentrated at any endangered
point in the shortest possible time. With
such . system once established the dangers
of crevasses would certainly be reduced to
a minimum. and their closing rendered