The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-05-04
RECLAMATION or The MISSISSIPPI
BOTTOM.

The prospect OF another food in the M:sss-
Sipp similar TO the one Of last year gives
peculiar interest 70 the "report aud plan for
the reclamation Of the auyial BASH, OF the
Mississippi rver subject 20 inuudation y
made b. me commission OF United States en-
1iAeers, and now published IA full. The
commission consisting Of Mslo. u. X. Warren,
Ma 9r II ury l.. Abbott, Capt. w. II. H. Ben
nanrd, Nj. Jackson +. Sicklos, Mr. Paul D.
liebert, aud Mr.. Charles II. Faant!croy vas
appointed ~ the President, IN compliance
viii an act Of Congress passed in 1914.
1t allotted rart mar parts Of is general
tax 10 il ltnlbers respectively, and this
elaborate and instructive report IS the result
cf ihcir & donations, surveys and recoul:lel-
cations Ii ir5t treats Of cutctl5, diversion
of tributaries and reservoirs, as mems OF pro-
teeting the allavial region from overflow, ana
finds that neither Of them j, worthy Of con-
siderAton. Cnt.ofs are Objectionable, BE-
canae exact observations upoa the 70, the
Nitsiesip4i and other streams LaIe established
ine fact that their effect il 70 rato fhe food
1--we! of tie river below, and reduce il above
them, and also 10 increase tle clvlns IN Q.
tie la1ks.
the diversion Of tributaries of the grea,
river is imprac.icable except At enormous e1-
pe-se. The proposition for reservoirs 10
Liza The surplus wa.er IN times Of hood, ana
iat6nIis,iLe .rr the reason that tha resey-
voirs themselves would overflow ana inun-
date the surrounding country. Al these
projects having been found unsatisfactory
tho commission next addressed itself to an
examination OF others, and fDaliy came to
th conclusion that the mos: practicable and
efficient method is a compound system of
lCvees and outlets-levees TO c1ntine the
swollen stream within its channel, and out
lots to bear the redundant water through
subsidiary channels to the gulf.
Tie report reiutes the argument that re-
duction OF tho food volume BY outlets pro-
ducos dcposi in the channel which ultimate
~ raise, instead Of lowering, the height of
floods Dy careful observations and measure
ments which sd DIV the contrary. Two Other
theories, one Of which has long been enter
tanned by experienced steamboatmen and
pubic IIen ii the South Jefferson Davis
among them, are similarly treated. One OF
.a,se il that the eff ct of l9yeeiEg is to raise
lho led OF the river by its deposits ana thus
to gradually elevate the stream above the
s44iUulding country building the river up
il. he air, is It we're, and mourning the danger
oi !. great creyasse that would deluxe til g
Whole delta region
The Italian engineer Lom5ardipi has
proved that there is no ground whatever tot
believing that ieyees have produced the
si zt.tes. elevate OF the bed OF the 20 ard
olssrva.ons upon the Rhine, extondcfi
throngh g period Of eighty year,, have
tti!ed 10 detect any filing 81 It's chaunel by
loyces No change OF the kind can be proved
IN Tho Mississippi, and the commission there
i9re dsmisscs the theory as destitute of foun-
dati9n.
TAe contrary theory, that the confinement
OF Tao river by ieyees viii cause it to pillow out
IT, bed aLdtaus avoid any permanent Increase
"a the higiI-water mark, is 0isprovei by tle
discovery that the real bed Of the river is
composed OF Il hard, blue clay which resists
tAl action IF the current almost like marble.
The practical effect Of lcyee5 is limited to
Z sing the high-w4ter mar. and slightly in
crossing tie c,lying and ]. i, the object Of
ou.ets III connection with levees to disarn
tia,e results Of their danger by dec9yin. the
hGpardoRs water into side channels.
III II important that these outlets shall not
themselves be suhjcct 70 overflow or lbraslon
ot the bAuls, and hence the commission Sc
iests three natural objects, Which have good
blAks ana a clay bottom, for tha work. viz:
The Atchata!Aya, tie LafoCrche and the
p,a3t;ri4;Ac, all Of which should be cleaned
OFT, enlarged, aud, when necessary, lev5cd 50
Il. - ..ot.c. The adj tceut country iIon over
dow.
'I4c rtnor. therefore concludes with recon-
uealing tbs Improvement Of thssr three out
Irt5 and il general levse system extending
ttgn the head OF tbs aluyisi region to the
cult, including the valleys o. the tributary
streams. The ievee system II proposes divides
Emo ailuvial basin into Six districts tho ST.
t.lllcis bottom lands from Cape Girardeau TO
Helena; the White River bottom lands from
,ia.ena to the mouth of tie Arkansas; the
'ters,s bottom lands extending from the Ar
kansas Il Red River, the Naaoo bottom lands |
living between tho bluffs below Mcmphis and |
NItLs6urg; the west bank Of louisiana below !
led River, and tho east bank Oh Louisiana |
below Baton Rouge.
All the existing lcvee5 on tho Mississippi |
are declared 10, low and liable 70 be over |
lowed ID high water unless relieved by Gre
Nasaes. Tno leyees advised by the commits
sioa are q he high enough to restrain the |
hoods anl wide enough 70 resist tho action |
q the water; and it recommcn Is ,nr-
ther, for tho pro,ection Of tie
laNces after they are bu4i', that each |
section be placed in charge OF an engineer
WilA authority 70 compel the Attendance OF
every able bodied resident within !, reasoua- |
Bio distance III time Of danger. Such a sys-
tenn us THIS the commission believes would |
effectively protect tic country from over
flows. ana largely increase the productive |
capacity OF the cotton and sugar lands OF tie
Lower Mississippi. IS. L)tis Rcpu,lieup.
GESGrtL STATIONERY Law BooAs, ETC.
Messrs. Bloomfield 4 TO-, A. Char,ros street,
hty3 been 50 long in the business that they
know precisely what the wants OF this com
iIuuiiy are in the matter OF stationery ant. al |
articles Incidental 10 The trade. TGeir spIen-
d.d establishment cow contains a very ex-
tansiyo and really splendid Stock, which VIII
richly repay the trouble OF ,xlmin alton, en-
bfAeins, as it does, an endless variety Of
paper aud envelopes, fancy note paper, suit
able ior soirsss. balls, parties and wedding;
a complete assortment Of drawing materials
lot Artists, builders ana civil en- neers steel
Iens from the most famous manufactures
besides every article in tie stationery line
that > required for the counting room banks,
insurance companies, lawyers. clerks of
courts steamboat clerks civil err;,,aarS