Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-08-06

the present channel many years ago de-
stroyed the Tennessee channel, as it re-
dueed it to the dimensions of a chute,
only navigable for boats in high water.
The alluVial deposits caused by the
change Of the current made their APP
pearance in front of HopefeId in the
shape Of a sandbar, and bars likewise
formed so as to create what is now
known as the navy yard and Happy
Hollow, the mouth of Wolf reaching out
through the deposit to the point where it
is now situated.
CHANGES GOING On.
Since the war the current has been
taking another series Of changes and is
gradually %enoroaching backward on
Happy Hollow aud the Navy Yard, car
rying away huge sections Of the bluff
Immediately north Of the foot Of Adams
street, and thereby destroying the land
ing in that vicinity and threatening it
down as far as Jefferson street, where
the current impinges against the bank.
Since the war whole acres and lots Of
land in this vicinity have been swallowed
up by the waters; for instance, the land
where stood the Titus cotton shed, etc.
The deep channel which formerly ran
around by Mound City is rapidly filing
up for the same reasons. There may be
some trivial errors in the above histori-
cal statement, but in the main the state
ment is correct, and is verified by the
citizens.
THE PRESENT DANGER,
In the immense bend above the islands
the river has been cutting away the south
bank and has been approaching Hatchie
Lake, from which Loosahatchie river
runs into Wolf river, not far above the
mouth of the latter stream. City engi'
neers, al the instigation Of the General
Council and others interested, have made
preliminary surveys Of the river above
the islands with a view to prevent the
current from cutting away the landing,
and a series OF rip raps," or jettie'
have been suggested so as to change the
channel. The expense attending thii
and other plans, and the unfortunate
financial condition Of the city, owing t.
the late war and its unfortunate results
caused the abandonment of the whole
scheme of improvements,
Some time since the city government
took a trip up Wolf and into Hatchie
Lake in a steamer, and succeeded in
getting out into the Mississippi through
one of the "cut offs" Soundings were
taken and it wal discovered that a chan.
mel a forming rapidly, and increased
by every freshet, extending from the
bend already mentioned into Hatchie
Lake, and but about two hundred yards
of soil prevented the Mississippi from
breaking through by way of the lake
into Wolf river above its present mouth.
A similar expedition composed Of city
officials ard other Argonauts went on a
voyage Of discovery yesterday in the
same direction, and although we have
not seen the report of the City Engineer
on the subject, we understand from sew.
eral of the voyagers who took observa
tions through glasses and otherwise tina
the danger Of the river breaking through
into Hatchie Lake is ever more immi-
nent than formerly. The river, owing
to the present food, has encroached upon
the south bank Of the bend above the
islands, and but a short distance exists
between the waters of the river and
those of the lake. A vide cutoff, with
sixteen feet of water in the channel and
a strong current rushing through, was
discovered, all of which presented to the
members of the expedition the very i'm
portant fact that the river was liable to
break through the barrier at any mo-
ment.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES.
Should the river break through, as it
is believed it will do ere long, the
Navy Yard any Happy Hollow would be
swept away in an instant, and the
channel of the river would be found
where they now stand. The river would
impinge against the Arkansas shore
where the sandbar now exists, or did
exist in low water, and this also would
disappear, as well as the Arkansas point
opposite Fort Pickering, This would
also cut off the Tennessee chute, east Of
Presidents Island, now navigable for
the largest steamers during high water.
Whether or not sandbars and shallow
water would appear again beneath the
bluff below Union street is a matter for