The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-05-29
THE LEVEES.
REPOKT OF THE COMMITTEE ON TnF
MISSISSIPPI LEvEEs.
wubmitted to Congress by the Hon. r.
John Ellis.

oat,,rai drain Of that vast area Of our territory
lying between the Allegheny Mountains on the
{ reaching from our most northerly boundaries
10 the Gulf OF Mexico in the south. and embrac-
ing not less than fifteen States and Territories;
and over 1.20Doo0 square miles. The delta Of
this vast drain extends from twenty-nine de-
grees TO thirty eight degrees thirty. minutes
north. or across eight and one half degrees OF
latitude. il is about sOo miles in length. b, ~
average width of sixty miles. 1t embraces within
its confines portions o1 the States q Missouri,
and Louisiana. and contains about ~ 700 square
miles or in acres allowing Gao acres 70 the
square mile; the enormous aggregate oi 81 s, isos,
1000 square niles, or 2.5coooo acres. OF
500 marsh. and irrscamabci Leaving Leaving ;., 2a:-
acres n oil IA Inc of nsxn"se vsry Iear o q
tho richest valley il the world. wholly idle use
less, and being rapidly deserted because y " an
nually inundated by tho waters Of the MissIs.
sippi Divided into farms OF 100 acres each, II
would give Us lj.oso farms. ~,
The soil of this region Il of the richest aliuvial
deposit and isinexhaustibIe. ia More favored plan
tations peculiarly tuated SO a5 to be free from
the invasion Of the floods. without artificial fer
sugar rice or corn when redeemed from tho
forest ift years ago. u value. IRON f3.O0o.ooo
nnder ltiyation and by being protected by
isvees had increased up TO 1861 to nearly $50
100000. Containing at that time rot exceed ny
100000 popu alton. 1t was capable. anl y re-
claimed is amply capable OF sustaining in com
fort even In luxury not less than s,oeo,ooo
people.
Its productions arc the richest IN the Worin
ono and half bales OF cotton to the aero. 1000
pounds or two hogsheads Oi sugar tbesidcS mo
asses. syrups etcD To tho aero. rory bushels
Of corn to the acre are easily prqhuced on ,ne9s
lands Rice grows In its southern portion in
great luxurianee and tbs yield Is eG nj to any
rice lands Of the world. otexcepting the regions
Of the Nile and the Gsnges. Other cereals. n well
~ vegetables of every Kind. fruits OF the most
delicious character. grow IN that favored region
in ondlees profnsion The soil Is Tree from ron
tion and never fails to respond to the husband
mans touch The forest growth OF oaks OF all
kinds. including the magn9iias pecan: ,h p2PlaL Hs
OF trees, are Of the granuest and most usefu,
character Rivers and creeks the tributaries ot
region in every direction. and afford ample high
ways for the transportation Of Its products In
fine. your committee have the highest authority
for asserting that II e tho largest ana ilnest re-
gion OF country in the world.
In 1861 produced ~ 900 hogsheads OF sugar
Or one-fourth Of what is now needed , 10, our
nearly 2,3Oo. 900 bales Of cotton. worth the enor.
nous sum, at low prices. OF sl3s 100000 Last
sugar and fraction over 600 900 bales Of cotton.
Its value from e34o, 900 oo0 s now less than slo0.
100000. Fully developed, 1t will produce 100000
hogsheads Of sugar and 10000 900 bales OF cotton,
worth in round numbers. with sugar at seven
cents ana cotton at fifteen cents per pound the
enormous sum of TeoWo,W u ls q mine q
tho aggregated val uos OF oil the mines In the
Union are but as dust In the balance; They may
the delta lands OF the ississippi valley con
sisting Of its soil and climate and natural pro-
ductiona is exhanstless and ndtnexhaustiblo.,
The cmateO Of this favored region is mild and
salubrious II Is free from the extremes OF heat
aud cold. The temperature varies from 81 to #
degrees; The rainfall + well distributed and
and varying according 70 latitude, from sixty
six to forty five inches per annum.
And yet thiR favored region. for which God has
done so much. IL dcraying. dying, becoming n
waste and n wilderness, because of the annual
unrestrained foods Of tho great river which d.
yides its centre.
Your com ,nittee are OF opinion that no other
civilized govern mont OF the world would permit
20 magnificent Q domain 70 be wrested from the
aud desertion. They believe that 1t Is the solemn
and Immediate duty Of the General Government
to put forth Its hand. and. with its skill and
treasure. 70 restore he delta Of the Mi slssipui
TO The hands of its husbandmen and the peaceful
sway Of the pow. for the following reasons -.
/. The work IL one essentially national in Its
character. The Mississirpi river is the drain ol
tho inner Watersheds q the Union. of the two
ward. and from the hlsghapy Mountains west
ward. 1t IL but lust and right that the Govern
mont should control ite Hoods, 40 that the natu,
raj seryitude owed by the delta regions should
not operate injury to it's citizens because Of their
location In that region. TO control its sewerage
SO thatt people inhabittng the lower portion
of the country through which the mighty sewer
passee in its performances OF the useful and
necessary functions devolving upon it may b.
free from danger and destruction, seems to your
committee most proper and reasonable duty
of tho government.
d The work. Is national IN ts character be
cause IL directly affects tho fortunes and safety
Of a.poniou Of the, people of six great States OF
the Union, and indirectly but powerfully affects
the prosperity Of the people OF the entire Missis-
aippi Valley. II cannot be called or termed n
local or sectional Improvement. 1t is designed
at once 70 confer benefits and blessings upon the
people who live In the delta regions. to render
their lives and their property. and to improve.
reclaim. and develop region which, in q few
short years. will repa tenfold. yes. an hundred
general wealth II shall add to the whole Union.
3. II is national. because. by the highest au-
thority, II W shown that the most perfect levee
system OF one State is useless and valueless un-
less there are equal and uniform levee systems
in the other exposed States.
Gen. Humphreys. Chief OF Engineers. was
kind enough To come before your com mittre, and
lie was especially asked for an opinion upon this
point. With map before him he pointed out the
with those OF Louisiana and Mississippi and
tracing thsm to those OF Illinois and Missouri;
showing the weak points and natural outlets OF
the levees and the river and demonstrated that
the system, TO be SUCCESSFUL. must be uniform in
NIL the exposed Staies. OF what avail would
Arkansasa The outlets in the latter State, in
Hood-time pouring their immense volumes OF
water down upon the former State. would deluge
all her territory In rear Of her evees and render
them, however effective and well constructed.
but narrow thread of island in the midst Of an
inland sea Professor G. u. Forshey. q distin-
guished engineer and scientist who has made
the currents and levces OF the Mississippi a
study for more than thirty years, agrees per
fectly with Gen. Humphreys in this view. He
says: NO State alone can build its levees be-
cause OF the interdependenee OF its Topography
A system 10 b. efficient in one must comprehend
them all The interior is a basin or series OF
basins. The water. wherever let in. submerge-
the basins alike These States, then must share
a common fortune. and hence it must appeal 70
power that comprehends many states in Its
operations Congress alone has that power"
The work Of rebuilding the levees be ng. then
a national work in its character and design. what
constitutional Dhiertj0n urged n
propriation by the Government for that pur-
pose Even Dir. Calhoun. the strctest of con.
structionists. and opposed. upon constitutional
grounds TO internal improvements by the gen
eral government. declared in substance that
when the work was national in its character. and
a large portion OF the people were to DO bene-
hted BY improvement congressional aid In its
bshalf was clearly warranted by the constitution
Vide his celebrated letter.
Congress can provide for the general vel
fare" This power is clearly given. Further on
your committee will show that In rebuilding the
isvees Congress- Is providing for the genera
But this work il constitutional upop anothe,