Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1877-09-28
SHAH We Brldge lake vicks
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There is . very good channel up
Lake Yicksburg 10 the WbAriboat set,
and We hope there win continue 10 DO
a sufficient depth Of water in The Lake
for the largest clas' Of steamers all
Winter. Sooner or later, however,
there will not be water enough, and
the channel will eventually Oil up IN.
less Il is kept open by artificial means,
What Is best TO be done under the cir
cumslances? This question our citi.
zsns must answer as soon aS possible.
AZ q starting point we believe il 10
agreed upon BY all hands, that the
landing for steamers should not be
moved any further south, II there Is
any way TO avoid II. At this time Mr..
Dabney is making q survey Of the bar
Dor, and finding out the correct topo-
graphy Of the surrounding country be-
tween the lake, the mouth ofthe Yszoo,
and the head and mouth Of ChickasAw
bayou. His report will be embraced
In the report that will be made TO Con.
gress by the Government engineers,
who were sent here a few months ego
by the Secretary Of War. What effect
that report will have upon Congress
we are unable 10 say. We hope and
believe II will secure Ne Government
aid, for it will certainly be endorsed
and backed up by the whole Missis-
sippi delegation in Congress. But our
situation is such that we cannot afford
to depend entirely on what we hope to
get from Congress. We must try 10
help ourselves, and II Congress does
help Us, It will be so much the better.
Since Captain Dabney hss made
his survey, another suggestion has
been made to US in regard to our har-
Dor diff :ulties. Captain DAbney re.
ports that from the southern point of
the island, opposite the city, OUT into
the channel OF the river, there is q good
depth Of water-not less than forty
five feet at any point. The river is now
about seven feet above extreme low
water, and there will therefore be at
extreme low water thirty.eigh! feet Of
water from the south point Of Vlcks.
burg Island 10 the channel of the
Mississippi river. This Is ample for
oil purposes, aud Captain DAbney Is
sure there is no deposit there as yet. 1t
has therefore been suggested that a
bridge be built from the city to the
southern point of Vicksburg Island,
and that the landing and whariboat DO
moved to that place. A bridge could
be easily built from the foot Of Jack
son, China, or Clay street. 1t could be
built on piles, as the Elevator was
built, and II made OF cypress would
last until the Lake fills up under it. II
it was built, the city could encourage
the filing up Of this end Of the Lake
by driving willow piling all across the
mouth Of II. Willows driven down
green would grow and catch all the
deposit. There are young Willows
Springing up all aiOng nj Lake front
already. By this means II is argued
that nature would assist US to keep our
harbOr opposite the center of the city.
or course if We build this bridge, we
would first get Louisiana to cede the
Island TO Mississippi, and incorporate
g part Of II within the city limits, so as
to have full control o: T.. W. DOM
cay that we are in favor Of this plan
We merely present 1t to ouT citiz.ns fol
their careful consideration. We b.
lievs that some Of our largest properly
holders would favor H..
Qua city government has kept the
streets repaired almost wholly with