The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1876-05-26
OYERFLOWS.
The Future OF our Bottoms.

The terrible uncertainty OF farming
in the Mississippi river bottoms for
the past year or so, has very justly
depressedthat portion of our Agricul
tsral population on both sides the
ah'yer from Cairo to New Orleans. The
i 60 of Hickman, and the general
, !, VI os perity of this immediate section
.ighk been visibly effected by this uufor-
.ns1sannate change in the river usages. The
time was when our river farmers could
with reasonable certainty upon
crop prospects after one spring over
flow and feel degree of safety for
| the balance of the year. What are
the causes of these ruinious changes
the scientific world dose not explain to
the common understanding, although
Prof. Tice predicts that this state of
the river is liable to recur every year
up to 1885. Tice has proven himself
ridiculous in most of his predictions.
but in number of notable instances
has hit the mark precisely Be this
as it may, the interest of the entire
United States demands protection
from these overfows. The losses
each year to the cotton and sugar in-
terests of the country, to say nothing
of the immense grain interests, is APP
palling to commerce and to the mate
rial interest Of the United States and
aof the world. Congress is actively at
ef'sssssfaps s.s,s~..,. 80
sccompIish the end Capt lsads. the
protector and contractor of the Missis-
sippi jetties at New Orleans, has subs
mitted plan, and supports it By his
great reputation as an engineer, by
which the whole of the ovelfowed
districts are to be drained or rather
by which the Mississippi is to be divi-
ded, and one half of its great volume
of water, directed gfrom its present
course. The plan is to commence by
system of canals from some point
this side of st. Louis, through Nilsson
ri, Arkansas and Louisiana, connect
ing certain rivers for that course by
canals to the Gulf of Mexico, and to
regulate the supply of water in said
course by gates, etc. The engineering
world is now attracted to this plan in
preference to the old levee ideas. 1t is
asserted that it can be executed at far
less cost, that it redeems more land,
and by the more perfect drainage re-
lleves this section of all malarial infu-
/ ences so conducive TO bad health. The
/ leading minds Of this country are
thoroughly convinced of the practica
bility and feasibility of this project
and are sanguine that its beginning is
only question of very short time.
We say to the bottom farmers that
the darkest hour is just before day,
aud the present misfortunes under
which they are afflicted, is the imme
date cause of attracting active atten-
ton to this great work. The whole
business world is interested in it, and
the more ore will think Of the plan
proposed the more hopeful he will
grow about it. Relieve this section Of
overflow and the malarial diseases in.
cident thereto, and it is the garden
spot of the world. Add to this the
great International interests to be ad
vanced by the jetty plans at the mouth
of the Mississippi, which viii insure
direct European trade from ST. Louis
and all intermediate points on the riv-
er, and the Mississippi Valley has the
richest prospect in the world. The
great interpreter Armageddon proph
esied that here was to be fought the
great battle of Cog aud Maygog but
whether this be true or not, if the views
now in project be ever realized in re-
gard to this great valley, and it is rea
sonaoie ana only question OF time,
our section will rival in wealth, mag
nifcence and splendor anything ever
known on the earth. To bring the
thing down to common place view,
European steamers will pass Hick man
daily precisely as the Memphis pack
/ cts now, bearing the freiChts from our
farmers direct to European consumers
and bring in return European articles
of trade. The whole trade interests
will be revolutionized, and the old
river advantages, the great highway
formed by the Almighty, will super
cede as in old times, the tyranny and
discriminating influences of railroads.
Coming Together.
The General Conference of the