The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-09-28
THE NEW LEVGE.
The Cisy Csuneil On - Tour Of Inspcc
- ~ slOR.

Since the beginning OF the washing OF
the Mississippi lcvec, which has caused
the people OF this city so much trouble
and expense, opinions ms to how the cur
rent of the river could be successfully
changed have been freely expressed by
nearly every citizen. II matters not
how good or plausible any of these
opinions have seemed. our city treasury
was empty. and the government having
refused to help IL. nothing, with the ex-
ception Of building our little lcvce has
been done tn keep us from being swan
away some Of these fine days by big
river.
Our city council having been tor
mentcd by day. aud by night by the
thought OF an overflow, it too has been
utterly at loss to decide a plan that
would put an end to our troubles. 1t
has listened with an attentive car to the
many suggestions offered, but upon
weighing each of them IN their minds, at
the end have found all to be- impossible
for the want Of the necessary funds.
The latest, and what has. seemed very
fair plan, which has been taken under
consideration by the board OF Alderman.
is that of cutting channel through the
strip of land opposite this city In Mis-
souri,.
1t Is well known to all our people, who
have any acquaintance with the way the
land lies in Missouri opposite Cairo, that
the Miss ssippi just back OF the city makes
a gradual bend for nearly ten miles.
Across this neck of land which the river
bounds the distance is not near so great,
and it has been proposed TO cut channel
across it, which, for all time will rid us
OF the trouble that is now upon us.
Across this strip of land the current of
the high water seasons has cut a slough.
the head Of which is about fifteen miles
from this city, and the foot just above
Birds point. 1t is about two hundred
feet wide, and at the mouth ten feet
deep, and it has been proposed that this
slough be converted into q sort of canal,
and that the course of the Mississippi be
turned into it, which would divert the
current from the levec, and thus assure
tor Cairo peace, happiness and prosper
ity.
In order TO gain some knowledge as to
the feasibility OF this suggestion. the
board OF aldermen proposed to
to pay the slough visit yesterday. Ac-
cordingly, at nine O'Clock, the hour set
for their departure from the city, there
was at the wharf his honor, Mayor Win.
ter, and aldermen Halliday, Yocum.
Wilcox, Parker. Rittenhouse. Wright and
Lancaster, and number of prominent
citizens and business men, including Ex.
Mayor John Wood, X. W. Miller, Il. II.
Cunningham, Peter Cuhl, A. Mackie. +.
NJ. Stockfleth and others.
The party boarded the iron steam
yacht Ariadne, and proceeded to Birds
Point, with the intention of 'tooting it,
along the slough, that they might have a
good opportunity Of knowing whether OF
not the plan Of turning it into the cutoff
would be coed one. But at Bird.
Point, when informed that they had 9
tramp Of six miles before them, the al
dermen began to weaken, and after talk
ing the matter over concluded to pro
coed OH up the Mississippi 10 the mouth
of the slough, and postpone their tour o
observation until Friday or Saturday.
Upon arriving at their destination, the
mouth of the slough was thoroughly in
spected by all the board. 1t is. as W,
have said before, about two hundred fee
wide and between ten and twelve feet
deep, and is literally packed with drift
wood. Huge trees and logs are so jam
med and packed together, that it is i'm
| possible for the current of the river, ne
matter how swift it might be, to SWEEP
them away. and in the opinion of some
OF our wisest citizens, this is the only
| obstacle that prevents the river from tax
ing the slough tor its course of its own
accord, while others OF the party were
not so tavorably impressed. This drift
has been accommodating for years, and
in many places is piled up many fee
above the banks. While ut the mouth O
the slough, gentlemen whose name W.
did not learn, who lives in that vicinity
was interviewed. by Alderman Wright ant
several others of the party. lie says tina,
Buffalo Island, which lies directly oppo.
site the mouth of the slough is fast being
cut away by the current of the river, ant
believes that it will not be a grea
while before the whole of the island
is gone, when he gives it as his opinion
the river will take its course through
the slough. However this may be, il
will be long time before the island il
gone, and something will have to b.
done before hand in order to give us re
lief. The party after remaining at tn,
slough about an hour returned to til,
city, arriving here about four o'clock.
| German Citizens.
| IL nnr Rn1ical friapJc onul1 laxr Al N;