The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-05


tude.
Fotlrth-The western section. drained nv the Ar.
kansas and REQ rivers, with tnelr trlbutarles-tne
w hlle. NeOshO, ClnarUn aud Canaan rivers aud
Tue Wlcnlla RIVER. respecuvely-and By the minor
sLesins tnat now through the territory imme-
olaiely adjoining the west bank OF the Mississippi
FUlh-Ine southern or Cur section, wnIcR IS
the smallest, ana IS drained OY the ldzoo and tho
smaller streams OF Western Mississippi.
Reference Is made to this subdivision of wafer
shed area as II Will be necessary TO examine each
section separately, both 10 It's geological and
meteoroioeica relations 10 the general question
OF tue physics OF the Mississippi. Before doing So
however. II WILL be proper 10 glance over tne gen.
eral plan OF The main watershed, IN order ~ de-
ternine It's history ana character as a whole, and
the causes OF the rapid and important changes
taxing place over It's area, and the Influence these
exercise In producing or modifying IN any degree
the inundauons that devastate The low lylng
lands along the Lower Mississippi ana IT'S tributary
rivers
"rHR MISSISSIPPI BAsIN.n
The peculiar conformation OF the great basin, It's
irregular outline and general physical character,
istcs suggest that prior 10 or during the period OF
Encouragement or the DIVISIONS OF land and water
over this portion OF the earth's sur
face the Mississippi Valley was vast
lake or Inland sea, extending over
immense area and marked in It's deepest
portions by the depressions whlch nave since be-
come valleys through WHICH the rivers dow. The
gradual subsistence OF the waters caused oy the
various changes Incidental to period OF active
geological movement. or by the evaporation OF
the waters OF tne inland sea, or by the nlling up
process which was necessarily n active operation
a thousand hillsldes was detached by the wash
ings OF the rains and the melting OF SHOWS ana
borne Gown by the innumerabe streams ana
rivers, soon caused the outlines OF the Watery
area assume contours conforming 10 the dlrec.
lions ana Irregularities Of the natural elevations
ana depressions OF the surface slowly emerging
from the waters, ana when these were further
modified so AS to form lakes AID rivers the pres
ent system or natural drainage was developed,
aud combines, In the shape of river systems ana
their respective watersheds, TO form wat Is
known as the great basin OF the Mis-
SIsSlDDl, Particular importance must L
tached TO the process OF "nlllnH upn IN connection
WITH the physics OF the Mississippi River because
10 this phenomenon OF deposit l. due the alluVlai
plans that form such marked feature OF the re-
gion. The process OF denudation sets In directly
elements, aud every RAIN crop falling on the earth
aids IN detaching some particle OF matter from
the general mass, so mat IL may he borne away
by any transporting power That SEXES II. his
wearing away or the earthly covering or hllsdes,
or the decomposition or rocks, furnishes the
muddy sediment that Is held IN suspe nsion by the
waters al rivers aud streams, especially during
PERIODS OF mood alter heavy rain storms, and Is
carried downward with the current until de-
posted at such points as may be favorable for
sucn an operation. These occur where the force
or The current Is not strong enough 10 overcome
the tendency or the particles TO SINK.
The accDmulatlons OF miscellaneous matter on
deltas or the Mississippi ana Nile furnish lllustra-
lions OF tue laws OF denud2tlon, trans porLation
ana deposit, because they represent tAe results
OF the operation OF these laws through untold
centuries.
THE POWER OF WATER.
1t has been observed by the Gblest writers in
the seGFlCe Vi BeOlORJ LHdb the power Ok WAFER dS
an agent Of denudaton and suoseQuenC trans
portatlon OF matter l., without any doubt, tue
greatest now III operation. The smallest streams
carry with them proportion OF the SOIL through
which they now, and when union OF their waters
increases the volume and velocity and consequent
powers Of erosion and transportation OF river
tne effects on matter through which the channel
is formed Will be very marked. Lye estimates
the quantity OF SOLID eartny matter brought down
annually by the waters OF the MISSISSIPPI 10 be
7O2 1885, 400 cubic feet and THIS Is exclusive or the
vast Quantities OF noating timber and other
raj al
being borne on the uplands by the tributary
streams. vast quantity OF tnis aliuyium
finds Its way to the Gull and is deposited
on the SUBMERGED plateau OF mud at the outer
euge OF the della, there form ng tre foundation OF
the extension or that great aluvial PLAIN sea-
ward. But u vast quantity also Is deposited IN
tne bed OF the great river ltSei ana this process
OF filing up mas Tor ages assisted IN the oi nation
or tae great aluVlal plains or bottom lands that
stretch southwark from ST. Louis Tor 900 miles
along the river, and are III width rom thirty TO
eighty miles. ana represent those lneXhaustiDy
Ter lie LANDS OF WHICH the London TIMES corre-
spOldent wrote III 1865 -"rhere is system.
The farmer scratches the ground aud throws IN
AFTER year Without furtner thought or trouole.
Thousands OF centuries nave made tue son for
him. and II denes him TO make LOO heavy demands
upon Ii. IL gives hln ali ne asks, ana Is never
known TO disappolnt or lall.n
THE FILLING UP OF THE RIVER BED
There cannot be any doubt whatever that the
filing up process constantly gong along Lne
line OF The Mississippi furnishes the hey 10 the
difficulty as regards the disastrous lnundatlons.
The bed OF The river Is In many places little lower
tuan the general ieYel OF the ADJOINING country.
Where the ievee system has been long IN use the
persistent efforts OF the planters have been
cesslul IN combining the river 10 lis channel aud
lt Is only when disaster occurs Ike that or last
year tnat Tue great river cOnquers the levee
builder and takes IL terrible revenge Tor It's I'M
prlsOnment. the difficulty Increases every year
assuming even that IL is possible 20 build levees
substantial enough TO eslst all hoods that may
rise during the coming decade. yet II must be re-
memOersd that these leVees VIII in years become
worthless ana must be replaced Dy nIgner dykes
III order TO counteract or rather 10 compensate
for the increased height or the wafer caused ny
the raising vi ths river bed. When the limit is
reached, when II Will be Impossible to raise higher
dykes, tnen breach WILL bring irremedIaDle dsas-
ter, Tor The conditions OF drainage VIII be re-
Versed ana the river VIII be nIgaer tnan tue land,
as IL Is now Ia many places
Another very Important fact bearing on the
subject OF the filing up VI the river BED Is, that
natural deposits Oulid up aluval land bordering
on MYERS ON Il certain level, when will b. the
ordinary or mean level the stream. The ten
dency Will DC TO wash tffls new maze surface
OF any accumulation that rises higher tnan this
Level. should flood or freshet occur. Tne dykIng
on OF such alluylal area would be the sdrest
way OF preserving and increasing Its level over
the water unless DIVISION OF the Channel leaves
II intact.
the dJ king OF a considerable length OF the Mis-
EisslpDl which was begun win the FIRST settle
ment Of the country by tae Spdniards and french,
and Al the lower end OF the rIVer--the part where
TIE largest volume OF water would necessarily
acc Emulate during periods OF Hood and c,
previous to the dy king, the river had deposited
Considerable portion OF It's LOAD OF earthly matter
that did not rsacn the Gull, as may be seen nom
the character OF the deep alluVlal plans on each
slde-nas limited she area OF storm overflow at
these parts Oi the rivers course and Increased
the amount Of matter deposited In the river bed,
raising H. and with II the volume OF waters II car
RED seaW ard. Every inch the river bed Is raised
by deposit at any point south OF Memphis de-
creases tue velocity Of the current and increases
the possibility OF deposit, that the evil really
ITSELF and, as already suggested, may
irremedlaDle.
Leaving Tor future examination the other facts
bearing on this a-lmpOrtant question OF the con-
eition Of the Mississippi, mad In this one alone
an illustration OF the difficulty Of mai's task to
fctter aud subdue the giant forces OF nature.