Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1877-12-14


ing lie course so &c to give II uniform
iiy Of current, 10 remove sand-bar
and prevent their recurrence; this Il
the true way to lower the food line, o.
we'll IS the bed, and give better navi-
CATION at low water.
The present maximum velocity Of
the river, occurring be It does now,
against or neat the sharp bends will be
aifTused, and therefore the present
maximum current will be reduced at
any one place, but being distributed
the main velocity will be increased aud
The discharge more effective, the cross
sections of the channel more active.
aud in train being more uniform, a con.
summation that can never occur under
a levee system, as long as the banks are
permitted TO VI and the deposit drift.
ed to form distractions.
With the food line lowered, the
front as we'll as the back swamp lands
would be alike available for cultivation
and would have tall for drainage which
Is impossible with levees. Then the
local rains would have other channels
of escape besides the present mode,
evaporation, which renders any oun
try unfit for agriculture, and the pOpu-
lalion unhealthy.
From a close attention 10 this subject
and a residence In this valley of seven
teen years, together with many years
engagement on the improvement of
rivers, not one of which now over.
flows, | have long been convinced 81
the proper mode Of relief for this vi
ley, and the one most cOmmendsble 10
the notice Of the Government; more
effective rs III improvement and more
worthy Of The age, equally as cheap,
and above al, more enduring.
lifting the land, as 1t were, by low.
ering the water, there 10 more security,
and a higher state of cultivation is at
tainable.
The climate of this valley also re-
quiEes the lowering system, for our
rainy easou generally occurs when
the river lie high, and seep water from
the nature Of the soil, q deep deposit
opening into seams In the dry season,
interlaced with roofs OF rank vegeta-
lion, infested With crayasb, cannot be
got rid Of -
AT times Of high wafer there is no
onllet for drainage-sloughP, bayou'
aud open swamps are then all full,
Roads at such times r impossible,
tho railroads, except 10 riparisns,
would be inaccessible and navigation
would answer their wants.
The "hardy Irish, German and Dutch
emigrant, with the native from the hill
dlstricts," would sicken aud die Of
%quinine and malaria under the levee
system, were they built as high
as the Pyramids of Egypt. Did We
need irrigation, they woDld be capital
bat unfortunately we want Try land tC
cultivate, not alone the a u ridges, buI
the gum and cypress swamps, If need
be.
II Congress will only investigate
} where other rivers have been mad
n~Avigable without levees, at the SAINT
time lowered the food line, they viii
have M hesitation In adopting th'
EAds plan, and benefit By the expo
rieuce in giving the use OF the SOUL
Pass TO test %jeities 30 oltOn successful
elsewhere. Would It not have beer
better had Congress authorized Capt
Eads to use the large Pass, although |
would have cost mOre2 II would have
been like the wealthy brewer who wa
supplied by q certain corporation will
water from Two pipes, one six inches il
diameter aud the other niue iOches, ant
finding his supply insufficient, sppliet
TO the Board for permission TO lay
down n new pipe in thu
place of the two old ones, who's
diameter waS 10 be twelve inches, thu
, rate OF inclination Of the pipes TO b
; the same the worthy brewer, knowing
, something of hydraulics, gained 06 II
cubic feet OF water per minute by thu
transaction.
; The ingenuity VI "a railroad Oh thu
levee to facilitate repairs and tor pc
lice duty, deserves commentator, 6u.
, with tracks three miles apsr,, as pro
posed, it would be so costly from ex
ira length Of iron, In view Of the dis,
> lance attained that any company de.
I. string to invest in a railroad would fnt
! It cheaper and more profitable TO built
: one on a short line, cay from ten tC
twelve miles back from the river GER,
tainly the traffic would be more. The
: location safer and more central.
| II, however, Memphis is to become
\ n great commercial emporium by rail
y roads, I trust they will be more Judi
= ciOusly placed, aud accommodate PEG
! pie who now have neither railroad MOI
L river, aud not placed 10 the detrimen
J Of the National interest or of rive
:, navigation, nor TO that Of Vicksburg o
! New Orleans.
When Governments undertake
works OF Il National character, as thi
} pre.eminenlly is, the very best result
Y should be attained as a lasting and en-
= during evidence OF National advance
ment, RICHARD a OIIEA,
y Civil Engineer.
The Overdue Steamship City OF Bel
a lin-PassengeTs and CTew-Tnp @
Another Vsssel-Hopes for the Safe
~ Of the Berlin.
NJ NEw YORK, Dec. The City OF BerlI
y LEFT this port on the cath OF November. Sh
u carried lily-twO cabin aud twenty stee.
IA !