The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-09-06
The Mississippi Improvement Commits
sion.

military and civil TO examine and report on
the operations necessary for the improvement
of the navigation of the Mississippi River at
its mouth, and by which the bar, that at
present forms such an obstacle to the safe
and free ingress and egress of vessels, may
be reduced in extent and, if possible, re-
moved permanently. The Importance OF the
Mississippi River as an outlet for the COM
merce of the Western States warrants the
most lavish expenditure on the preservation
of its navigation free from natural and artifi-
cial distractions and we view with unquali-
fed approval any efforts made with that
object by the general government or by the
authorities of the Mississippi Valley States.
In view of the magnitude of the undertaking
and the large outlay involved in the opera
tons projected we would urge the utmost
circumspection in determining the plans for
the proposed improvement; for we are deal
ing with one of the mightiest of natural
forces when striving to curb and regulate
the flow of the turbid waters of the Missis-
sippi River. The scale Of our labors is so
great that irretrievable errors may not be-
come apparent until vast amount of harm
has been accomplished; indeed temporary
success may crown the efforts of the
engineers at certain points on the
sphere of their operations only to
render the evils sought to be abated more
irremediable than they are at present. The
mud-laden waters of the Mississippi River
have formed at its mouth vast delta of allu-
vial deposit, which is yearly, daily, hourly
increasing in area and height. This muddy
| plateau is gradually advancing into the
waters of the Gulf of Mexico in direction
almost perpendicular to the northern edge of
the Gulf Stream, which flows eastwardly
across the mouth of the river and along the
coast. The pud held in suspension by the
! river water is deposited when the gravity of
the particles of earthly matter overcomes tho
motion of translation impaired by the river
current. In this way deposit takes place
at the mouth of river when the velocity of
the stream is checked by contact with the
sea; but when the force of the river current
is strong enough to overcome the resistance
offered by the sea water we find that the cur
rent penetrates seward for a more or less
considerable distance Now, such is the
case with the Mississippi. The current
strikes seward with force enough to carry
with it a large amount of earthly matter held
in suspension. 1t is Immediately acted on
by the eastward bound Gulf Stream, the two
forces acting nearly at right angles to each
other from northerly and westerly points,
respectively. The resultant, or direction
tbo nd 1o1a riv
after its contact with that of the
Gulf Stream, will be southeasterly. We
therefore find general eastward bending
of the mouth Of the Mississippi River
and a southeasterly extension of the delta,
with an ever-increasing eastward tendency.
The further the delta extends into the Gulf
of Mexico the stronger will be the influence
of the Gulf Stream on the river current that
supplies the material for its growth, and
gradual closing up by deposit may be ex-
pected of the southwest and south passes of
the river, which will in time open on an
area of slack water between the Gulf Stream
and the shore line. This process of closing
up is illustrated by the condition of the
streams and bayous lying parallel to the
formerly constituted its subsidiary outlets or
passes, but are now scarcely navigable In
planning the improvement proposed forthe
mouth of the Mississippi River the engineers
are compelled TO devise a means of removing
the bar or shoal formed across the navigable
entrance of the river, and which is, in
reality, but the foundation laid for the extern
sion Of the delta. Dredging or any ordinary
mechanical process Of removing this natural
obstruction is out of the question. All the
dredging machinery Of the United States
would make no impression on a de-
post that accumulates at the rate of
half million of cubic yards per day.
An attempt is being made, under the direc-
ton of a very skilful officer, to concentrate
the force Of the current of the river itself on
this accumulation, in order to dredge it away,
or, in other words, to tear it up and wash it
further seward, so that a greater depth of
water can be obtained on the bar for vessels
entering or leaving the river. BY means of
wickerwork mattresses and piling, which
are arranged TO form artificial banks on each
side, it is hoped that the river can be mar
rowed so as to create a scour Of its bed, and
a consequent deepening of the navigable
channel This plan WILL if properly carried
out, secure an improvement, but it will also
create the necessity for an almost constant
extension Of the works so as to preserve the
scour; it will also compel the gradual narrow
! ing of the channel as the river extends into
the Gulf of Mexico, because every yard
loss must be balanced by more direct con-
centration of effort of the volume of wa ter
coming down the river. There are two fixed
factors in the calculation for every plan con-
sidered for the improvement of the Missis-
sippi River mouth which must be recognized
and provided for These are the quantity Of