The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-01-15
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
Humphreys and Abbstt's Estimate of
the Value OF Lands ReeIatmshIe In
Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana
It is safe to assume that every citizen
of the Mississippi valley south of Cape
Girardeau, and, indeed, of the whole
southwest, is closely Interested IN the
question soon to come before congress
relative TO the Matchmaking of the Mis-
sissippi Ievees. The conviction that
this work must be taken in charge by
the government or finally abandoned
has become universal, and the report of
the commission to congress, and the
action to be taken thereon, are now live
and absorbing topics.
Although the board of engineers have
not vet made known the nature OF their
forthcoming paper. or the specific char
acter of the recommendations they con-
TEMPLATE making, which may be inferred
from the previous expressions OF the
more eminent members of that body,
and of the leading engineer officers OF
the government, Gen. FL. l.. Abbott, for
instance, who, in conjunction with Gen.
A. H. Humphreys, computed that great
work on the "Physios and Hydraulics"
of the Mississippi River" has COM
munication now before the house, which
communication appeared simultaneous
IL with 'Morey Bell, for constructing
the Mississippi leyees; and SIS Gen.
Abbott is one of the commission ap-
pointed to recommend plan by which
the general government may take charge
of the Ievees, an extract from his letter
of February Is. 1869, Will prove inter
esting, not only as regards its intrinsic
qualities. but also as q f0reshadOwiDg
of his course in the matter now pending.
In the communication referred to,
Gen. Abbott wrote thus:
The cost of the Mississippi levees, as
indicated in the for going table, would
not be trifing, but it should be re-
membered that the figures are based
upon present inflated prices. The prof
eGt can hardly be considered as beyond
the limits OF judiciOus Investment when
it is remembered that the amount actu-
ally expended upon the Erie canal ex-
ceeds $50, 600, 600, and this, too, mostly
paid in gold. A slight idea of the
profits which may be anticipated with
the necessary outlay, can be formed
from the following facts The total
area of the bottom lands is about 30, GOO
SQUARE miles, Of which q mere narrow
strip along the main stream and its prln-
cipaI tributaries and bayousFhas been
heretofore given TO cultivation. Pro
tec5ed against the river and properly
drained. this would render available at
least 2, 800, 900 acres of sugar land, or
moro than double the amount hereto
fore planted, about 1000, 600 acres OF
the best cotton land in the world, oapa-
BILE of yielding q bale to the acre; and
not less than 1000. 600 acres of corn
land Of unsurpassed and inexhaustlble
fertility. An expenditure OF about
three dollars to the acre (presen5 Prices)
OF land actually made cuitiyatable by
tbasIevees would thus be sufficient to
reclaim them from overflow. SuppOs-
ing the cotton lands alone to be under
cultivation. 8 tax of one cent q pound
for one crop would nearly pay the cost
OF the levees for the entire valley.
And with reference to the area and
value Of the land which viii be rs
claimed by 3 permanent and effective
Tevee gysten1-such IS is contemplated
by the g0v8Tnment-TTe find N the work
Of Humphreys and Abbott, page 42l,
the following:
It nav be we'll to exhibit, in connec-
ton with this approximate estimate of
the cost Of leveeing the allUvial region,
the extent and probable value Of
the advantages of a levee system, lands
which thus protected from overflow viii
be rendered available for cultivation.
The area of those lands from Cape Gil
rerdeau to Red river IS 40, 40 square
miles. Il may be assumed tna5 one
half Of this area viii be rendered Gull
tivable, and SIS Tia value per acre may
be set down At $50, the total will amount
20 800. 900, 600. The area Of alluviai
land under cultivation below the mouth
Of Red river is not less shan l,UOO,OOO
acres, which, at 500 per acre (by no
means an eXtravaEant estlmate), gives
800 OOO, 900 for the value Of the planta-
tions in that section, making total OF
$3.50. OOO, 900 for the land that will be
rendered perpetually culIyataoIe Dy
the expenditure OF ST. 900, coo,
There is another aspect under which
this part of the subject may be pre-
scented. The number of acres thus pro
tected is ST 900, 600. Each Gcr6 Of aim
vial land viii produce che bale OF cot
ton. worth on the average S45. We
thus have for the value q the annual
product Of the allUviaI lands 1915, 00O,-
600. The loss on the A2nS&s b0LtOn,
from the food OF 1850, furnishes an in
stance Of the injuries resulting from
iuuuda5i0n, Il WIS., estinl ted that
the loss thus ocoasioned exceeded
SIS, 900. 600.
inns it will be seen that, with two
such powerful friends at headquarters
Gen Humphreys Is the present chief
Of the engineer bureau-there is
every prospect of prompt and favorable
action by congress in our behalf. OF
the urgency Of the case and the magni-
tuda of the benefit TO b9 derived there