New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-31
The Mississippi and its Lower Country,

i The President has submittnd to Congress
report OF the board of engineers appointed
| to recommend plan for the reclamation of
that portion OF the alluvial basin of the
mississippi which is subject to overflow.
This board consists of Geaerals G. X. War
engineer corps; Major w. II. Bengaud, of
the same corps; Ex-Governor Hebert. of
Louisiana. and Colonel jackson f. Sickles,
OF Arkansas. These are all able men, and
have undoubtedly performed the work
assigned them well. They recommend a
thorough hydrographical and Typographical
survey ct the section indicated, which will
cost about $500, 00O-$l60,O0O of which
| should be forthcoming at once, in order to
| com mence operations without delay. They
| also urge the immediate appropriation of
$3,00O,0OO to repair existing breaks in the
| ievees OF Louisiana, $500, 600 for the same
purpose in Arkansas, and $500 900 for Mis-
sisippi. 1t is stated that unless these
appropriations are promptly made and
properly used, tho disastrous overflow of
previous years are liable to DO repeated
| the first high water.
Judging from the previous action-or
rather, inaction-of Congress in this matter.
these recommendations will only meet with
partial approval, if any. The national leg
lsiature has heretofore treated the subject
Wlththat peculiar species of contempt which
proceeds from neat combination of pro.
found ignorance and profound Indifference.
a million can DC readily procured for the ben
coast, where possibly fifty fishing emacks
may enter In the course of year; and an
equal amount can be had for some insight
cant harbor on the upper lakes, touched
occasionally by q passing steamer or
weather bound lumber vessel. But when
money Is asked to improve the navigation
OF the mighty stream which sweeps from
the Tar North to the far South, bearing upon
Its broad bosom the commerce Of the great
valley, or to save from destruction the most
fertile portion OF the cortinent-then the
assembled wisdom of the land is content to
drlbble out few hundred thousand under
protest! One would think that the Missis
sippi was nothing more than a country
creek, navigated only by crawfsh and
canoes, and the lands along its southern
banks tit only to grow paw-paws and per
simmons.
:, Congress should long ago have approached
this important question in the right spirit
anu WIN at least decent amount OF knowl-
edge OF the vast interests involved. The
mississippi and its tributaries do not belong
10 any particular section or any partclar
CLASS; they are the common property of :he
whole nation, and should be regarded and
treated as such. They should be kept in
suitable condition for traffic, regardless of
expense; for upon them depends, to q very
great extent, the prosperity of the com
munities in their immediate vicinity, and
to scarcely less extent the prosperity Of
the country at large. These are facts which
need no proof, and vet how completely have
they been ignored! Even stronger argu-
ments can be adduced in favor of protect
ing the alluvial lands Of the southern Mis-
sisslppl. These lands cOnstitute-in proper
ton to their extent-the richest part of the
national domain. They produce certain
indispensable articles which can be raised
nowhere else with the same ease and in
the same abundance, and the money de-
rived from the sale of these articles is q
powerful reinforcement Of the national
wealth. Yet a territory which is worth
almost as much to us as the borders of the
Nile are to Egypt is literally allowed to
run to waste tor lack Of suitable embank-
ments to resist the encroachments Of the
river. Hardly twelvemonth passes with
out an inundatiOn somewhere in Louisiana.
Arkansas or Mississippi, which renders
yaluelees scores of plantations
and directI y and indire city destroys millions
of dollars in the shape of property. 1t is
quite within the limits of truth to assert
that, if the damage done by overAows in
tie lower Mississippi region during the last
twenty-five years could be reduced to cash,
the sum would be sufficient to build stone
from Memphis to New Orleans.
And We insist that. if there is no other way
If doing it, the nation can afford to line the
bank Of the Mississippi with solid granite
or thousand miles rather than permit
hem to lapse into an uncultiyated swamp
Is they soon must do unless permanently
edeemed from the floods.
The report above mentioned is move in
he right direction, and it's recommends
ions-lf promptly and wisely carried into
ffect-Wl!l do lncalculable good. We
arnestly hope that the Western aud South
IN Senators and Representatives will unite
q urging the matter upon the attention of
congress and push it through to a success
III termination. Delays are proverbially
engerous. but delay In this case 10 crime
gainss the public welfare for which