The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-07-28
THE WONDERFUL VALLEY.
VIII the United States Government Aid in
the Redemption Of the Mississippi Valley
From the Yearly foundations Of the Mis-
sissippi Rivers

The following we'll considered article il
from the pen of Mr.. A. B. Cook, prominen
planter OF this State, and will be found ex
tremely interesting to all who have an inter
est in New Orleans and in the improvement
Of the Mississippi:
This question can not be properly answered
from casual or hurried investigation 1t il
q question of too great and vital interest t.
the prosperity of the whole country, to b,
hastily or slightly passed upon-wealth O
untold millions, the subsistence of future
population, approximating to aim ost fabul
GUS lumber, depends upon the prudent deci
sion OF this great question of true poltica
economy
That political right and duty is vested ir
every people of any government to appeal te
and expect the aid of the General Govern
ment in all advancements in internal improve
ments, when the enterprise is of SO stupen
dous character as to preclude the idea oil
private corporations or individual States
accomplishing the great object, is an assertion
which no one, I imagine, will undertake te
| contradict In fact, precedent has but re-
Gently been set by the General Government
| by the construction of the Northern Pacific
| Railroad, which enterprise every true pollti
Anterior to the emanci patton of the slaves
of the Southern States, the States bordering
on this mighty river were able almost success
fully to control the waters within the channel
by system of levees, a system which, all
who know, was attended with large disburse-
ments of money, and daily and anxious vigl.
lance This capital, whion enabled these
States to protect their lends from inundation,
was swept away without one dollars compen-
sation in the abolition of the Southern slave
system. eve do not stop here to attack
the seeming injustice of such q law,
for, generally, the people of the South
ern States have accepted the result
in its true spirit, believing that the Southern
philanthropist's record is yet to be developed
in future history.) The fact, then, is ap-
cially. are utterly helpless to stay the power
full currents which yearly devastate one of the
most extensive and fertile valleys the sun has
ever shone upon. A kinder spirit would have
shielded US from the untrue aspersions of
Senator Morton. "That New Orleans was
dead city; that 1t had lost its opportunity;
that ST. Louis, Galveston and Chicago have
reached out and robbed it of its former trade
privileges, and that no amount of good gov
eminent can restore il"
But aside from this DEPRESSION, if the ques-
ton be viewed in no other light than merely
dollars and cents, it cannot fail to meet ap-
proval, for it will require no mathematical
skill to demonstrate beyond doubt that the
revenues arising from this valley, after re-
demption from yearly ovelfows will in
comparatively short time amply repay the
government for any subsidy which it may see
fit to bestow. Basing the demonstration upon
q given area, say four hundred miles in
length, and an average breadth of fifty miles,
or from the confluence of the Arkansas and
Mississippi to the Delta, we have an area of
20, 900 square miles, or IL, 800, 900 acres which
before the war was worth from 500 to 500
per acre, in proportion as it was free from
overflow.
In lengthy, sound and pra ctical argu-
ment published recently in the Courier Jour-
nal, OF Louisville, from the pen of DR.. Graham
of that city with whose opinion l fully coin-
eide as to the best method of controlling the
Of the Mississippi), this position is
well taken. that the levee system, notwith-
standing the former temporary protection
which it gave, is not the best method, but q
series of canals running parallel with the
river and at best suitable distances, with
others crossing these perpendicularly, FORM
ing one continuous checker work of canals to
the coast.
These and the opening of the natural out
let's would provide conduits sufficient always
y guarantee safety, and the work once COM
pleted, the expense would cease. Now, as
suming that at given istances.there were deep
and capacious canals, the most fertile portions,
he lakes and lagoons, would be drained off, |
md cotton and corn fields bloom in their
stead. The poisonous malaria would be pre- |
vented. In fact, it would be an agricultural |
paradise; a vast valley of emerald green in |
summer, rivaling in the fall in beautiful |
wilderness the snow banks of the far North.
It is correctly estimated that one hand will |
gather nicely and in good time eight bales of
cotton year. Six would be more liberal
estimate, and would give ample time for his
,ther farm duties. We are now prepared to
how the almost fabulous resources of this
'alley. Then, let US take IL 500, 900 acres as
he area properly secured from overflow by
hese canals, acting as arteries effectually to
Train the country, aud estimating the produc-
ion at the amount which was actually pro-
luced before the war, two b.les per acre, and
urther dividing off this area into forty acre
arms with one laborer to each farm, we have
30, 600 laborers.
Allowing this one laborer to possess fam
ly of four, inclusive, we have total popula-
ion of ], $3.50, 900 souls. Then take the esti-
nate as before sta ed, at six bales per laborer,
nd two bales per acre. we have three acres of
be forty in cotton, summing up an aggregate
otton production of /, 1920, 600 bales, which,
alued at fifty dollars per bale, will return
$50, O00, 900. Next estimate that each laborer
lanted in corn ten acres of his forty, which
70 shall average at forty bushels per acre,
1913 600, 900 bushels, worth fifty
ents per bushel; this would net $64, OOO, 900.
me acre planted in sweet potatoes to each
lborer, would at 200 bushels per acre. yield
T. 600, 600 bushels, which, at fifty cents per
ushels, would give s32, 900, 600.
Allow, further, that each laborer has in gar
en- vegetables one acre. valued at 500 per
ere. and we have 49,, 1000 more This,
le reader will see, takes up the number of
,res usually allotted to one hand for cultiva-
on (ffteen acres,) producing grand ayr 9
ultural aggregate of 1924, 100000. Accord
u to this estimate We have, of the whole 9
rea T. 800, 600 acres in cultivation, and twenty
We acres to each farmer, untitled, aggregat- !
lg 5000, 600 acres. Now, further, it will
Of be deemed an exaggerated estimate to say q
lat each laborer, on this twenty-five acres of 8
asturage, can rear stock rs follows, for it has G
sen fully proven that the pasturage in this
,lley, where attempted, is of the finest and I
ost nutricious character; it is not even ex- q