The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-02-26
MUD.

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wide and forty yards in average depth, flaw.
ing past this city at the rate Of four miles an
hour, there would pass by US about two hun.
dred millions Of cubic yards Of water eacl
hour. If only one-twentieth part of this water
was muddy solution, the earthly solid sub
stance carried down by our great river each
hour would be ten millions of cubic yards,
| or enough to build an embankment five yards
deep, forty yards wide and fifty thousand
yards long. In twenty-fonr hours this float
ing real estate would be sufficient to cover to
the depth Of five yards an area OF 1900, 900
superficial yards.
We leave it to OUT enterprising young
arithmeticians to calculate how long it would
require to raise the level Of this city fifteen
feet il all the sediment carried down by the
Mississippi could be arrested and deposited
within the boundaries of the parish Of Or
leans. Or, if they choose, let them Gale ulate
the number of acres Of land, now unavailable
because overfowed or subject to annual over
fow, which could be raised beyond the posi-
bility of overflow by the deposit of the sedi-
ment borne by the Mississippi in the
course of a single year if it could be
arrested, separated and diffused. Or let
them consider what the effect would be if the
Father of Waters should cease from the task
Of filing up the Gulf Of Mexico to the extent
of many square miles of surface and of great
depth each year, and leave his burden of sedi.
OF ri NJ Ian oh hovnL
miles in width, for the period Of five years.
Or let them calculate the products of the
20. 900 alluvial square miles of most fertile
lands which would thus be raised above the
danger Of floods.
The time will come when the earthly bur-
den Of the turbid Mississippi will be turned
to some good use. The great inventor is yet
to appear who will utilize the vast weight of
fertile soil that now goes on its idle errand to
the Gulf The force to be employed for tn is
purpose is the stupendous momentum Of the
greatest current that flows from any CONT
nent to the sea. There is strength enough in
the mighty river to propel all the engines
new used on earth. The problem to be solved
is to prescribe the method BY which the foros
Of the current of the Mississippi can be ap-
piled, SO as to raise its own waters above the
land, where being held 10 tranquil suspension
they will deposit their sediment, and then
flow off to give place to new food freighted
with new deposit.
The power exists in the greatest plenitude
Of wealthy abundance. The problem is SIM
ply to make the force of the mighty current
elevate small fraction of its volume few
feet above its natural level. The result Of
successful solution of this problem will be the
arrest, deposit and utilization Of the soil now
carried uselessly away to the blue water of
the Gulf.
The great engineer and inventor who finds
out and applies this mighty fuvial power will
be able to do almost anything he pleases. 1t
was the boast OF Michael Angelo Buonarroti,
that he could hang the great Paral Ca
thedral, the architectural pride of
Rome, in mid-air. 4 MAJ with genius |
Of equal boldness and vigor, in command of
he titanic power which Tvs by us perpet.
nally in silent majesty, would compel the
Mississippi to build its own levees, to raise
up millions Of acres of rich lands, elevate our
,ity above I'll fear OF floods, and even 20 set
,ur city cpon hill. just as the eminent