Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-05-13
THE GREAT QUESTION OF THE MIssIs'
sIPPI VALLEY.


able paper from Colonel Chambers
in defense of the levees. This gen.
tleman is an enthusiastic champion
of the leyee system, but as he pro
poses to abandon his cause if con-
vinced of its unsoundnesS, we will
try and convert him. In doing so,
however, we will not follow him to
his sand-banks in the river channel,
neither will we drift with him in
his cross currents through the ere
vases. We will neither ground on
his sand-bars nor drift from the
subject with eddies or lateral cur
rents. In our article in reply to
the Appeals attack on the Chicago
Tribune, replied to in these col
umns by Colonel Chambers over
the initial &C." we claimed that
the leyees in Mississippi caused the
river to rise twelve inches above
the highest known food at Ohicot
and vicinity. Colonel c., in his
reply, endeavored to show that it
was the sand deposited in the chan
mel of the river below the crevasses
that caused this unprecedented
rise, and, though we pointed out
the a%bsurdity of his position, he
clings toit and devotes the major
portion of his present article to
that subject, the truth or falsity Of
which is not material as an argu-
ment in favor Of the leyee system,
but if true is sufficient of itself tC
condemn their use as the only
means of protection of the Missis.
sippi valley from overflow. Neither
do we propose following the Colo.
mel in his eulogy of the great engi
neers and scientific men who have
advocated the levee system. Mer
of the most profound learning are
often mistaken. We do not pro.
pose defending the Chicago Tri.
bune in its opposition toa Congress.
sional appropriation for levees
The Tribune is able, we imagine, t.
take care of itself, as it has demontra.
ted thatthough 1000 miles from Mis-
sissippi, it understands the leve,
question much better than some ole
journals and citizens living on Thu
banks of the Mississippi. That in
telligent people may live for year
on this great river and not under
stand the laws by which it is gov
erned is beyond question, but doe
not disprove their intelligence. A
few days since a gentleman in Mis-
sissippi wrote thus to the Appeal
ave kaOw, as you ascend this river
the difference between low AM
high water is increased. At Cair,
We see the water has reached forty
six feet this year; yet, 'mirabil
dictu,' at Memphis your reporte
in round numbers reports higl
water mark thirty-four feet tel
inches by the gauge, or twelve fee
below the Cairo reporter. Some
thing is wrong" Now this gentle
man is probably an old citizen an.
an GduOcate Of %leVees, a skillfu
planter or merchant, but KNOWN
absolutely nothing about the Nil
sissippi river. We mean no disr,
Spect in saying this. Inreply to ii
letter above quoted, the Signal 0
ficer at this point WadeS into del
mater. He says: " If the food, as
great whole, rose sixteen feet high,
at Vicksburg than at Memphis, Il
overflow on the opposite lowlanc
at that point would be sixteen feI
deeper than at our Hopefeld an
beyond, which is not a fact" b
ii is a fact. Nor can we a
sume," says he, "that the botto
opposite Vicksburg is sixteen fe
higher than the general level Of Il
lands above and below that poin
for in that case the great rid.
across the low lands at that poi
would seem as a DAM" etc, Ell
Now we assert that the ridge
there, and there is another one
Helena, and we will show co
clusively what caused them befo
we close. 1t is unnecessary
quote further from his reply. '
only use his name as a proof to she
how scientific men may be deceiv
rs well as planters, lawyers and o
newspaper men, and to make Col
mel Chambers feel comfortable aft