Le MeschaceÌbeÌ. [volume] ([Lucy] La.) 1853-1942, 1878-05-18
CREvASSES, OUTLETS,ETC.
ST. JAMES, May 8, 1873.


ST. JAMES, May 8, 1873.
10 tie Editor Of he Feaymne:
I have read in your Frialay's,umb-
or the letter of Capt. Eada, ard alsu
in former numbers yOnr editOmla On
the levee appropriations. and casual
remarks on the hydrodynaucs Of
the Mississippi River. Havini lived
IN the hanks of the great strem far
forty years and watched its loOds,
some facts have rome under nv oh.
servation which I consider l'eter ar
gun,ents than can be offered l. the
theories Ofthe most eminent pgin.
ecra. Capt. Eads says that dtlrts
canae th. river tO fill up below
them. last snmmer I.ieut. Badbn-
ry, nm officer of the United States
Government, who. with Othe-S was
making a anrvcy of the river coast,
told me the deepest place the. had
fonnd in the river was jnst bslw the
Bonnet Care crevasse tlik he
said 2aO feet. Why shodd the
river fill mp Mt Morgnnxa or l"nnet
Care when the current thr0rg same
was strong enough to wash Dt the
bar Mt Sonth Paasf
These two outlets do M lessen
the current aufiiciently for ~ de.
po.it to he made. Again. aMAe pe.
riOd Of low water, let ua brts into
the Mississippi the muddy w,ers Of
Red River. at food from simmer
rains. Why il not q deposit Drmed
when this meets the slow curnt of
the Missiasippif
In seasons Of great foods th Faith
er Of waters becomes an inlsde ~
from Cairo tn the mouth Of III Riv-
er, extending over = surface a'laces
forty miles wide. This great eserv.
cir IN the natural and only eek to
the inundation Of the delt The
great evaporntion by the sn,md alb
sorption by the earth dimiph BY
nearly One-half the aR,ount water
which passes Cairo. This sserva-
tion has been made by eu,inpt en-.
eineers, whose names ] forg. and
were published in DE Bows 2e~icw
many ysars hack.
The width of the river thregh Tie
whole delca averages ahout s0O Il
9OO yarsls, and ita bottom ~ feet
h~low the level of the Gf. NJ
scouring procrss can take plse there
hy the action ot the upDer waterl
which ran over an inert fuianf sucl
depth. Higher up the occurring
| would take place by leves4g sn'
contracting +; but when CairEcts &
he On q hill, Louisiana, l belive, vii
he under water, becanae NJ lrvee
could stand II such flood awe hat
in 1874 was prrcipitated on le low
CT river. Now for facts with hav
occurred recently. In la, not
witlsstanding the great spreaing q
the waters from Cairo tn RI RiveI
and the check cauaed tl,erey IN th
force Of current. the Miasisppi "a
N high "a to run over all % ,eves
Of the delta. Every plsnte was bu
~ night and day raing an
strengthening his embanksemts b
: weak and Temporary mean \ as"r'
} Of wind at that time wssId has
) eamas,d q general inMndatisa. II vi
at that moment Of ihsmiWOt PEI
that I advocated the cnttisg Of Il
> levee at Bonnet Cairf, ~ n vi"'e
rrmesly for n great evil; hat bA'i'
the point where the creates a'no'.
> of water could be dischxged vi
. least damage TO property. ] had n
. vet sent my communicates to 80
rapes wien the angry weevs bu1
I through that very place flor {
). fourth time in twenty-five yeas
mud alsO anon after ut Morgan
= These twO safety valves l,werrd
VI water at once iifteen irclrs and
!. danger was past. Since slth""
;, the water at Memphis and vicksh.
= has been very high, hero where ! u
}. and all along the c0ast, & has
q reached within i've feet ol the nj
4 of 1874. Lately when the Beard
}, Euginrem asked me tn place . at'
near the top al my levee to mark
Q high water of the annual 60osl,
]. answered that ] Was at q loss VII
= 10 pat th1 stskca, ~ here We ]
4 hich water no longer.
4 The leveeing systsm viii neve'
= Q cafe one. From the looss nat
= eeoar coil the ensbankments ne
b b~coWs s0lid, and thrsr.66arthh
J. ear csevaases are eaused By sneb
, iusigui6eaot anioal ~ the eSaw.l