The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1879-05-23
OUR CREATE ST INTEREST
IKE Starting oAnt OBJ
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The readers Of the Hickman
COURIER, as we'll as the entire pop
ulation of the Mississippi Valley,
are Interested in every step taken
lbv theGovernment to Ssrd improy-
ing the Mississippi ger, Hon.
| Oscar Turner, membey6f Congress
from this District, is lember of
the Committee on MisAI lppi River
Levees and Improvem ) and will
watch the interest Of immedi-
ate section on the greas 4. ssissippi.
The friends Of this grSN&,k are
growing more hopefal' GIby day,
and have got an initiaf & by al
most unanimous conses aat Is to
say the Reprssentatias s.s,-sile
Republican and Demoa ssrties
on the committee, have anmops-
/ ly agreed upon bill int4pduced by
I Mr.. Randall Gibson, establishing .
commission to prepare plans Of q
comprehensive system Of improve
ments for the river from the head
of the passes at the mouth to the
headwatcrs OF the river. The COM
mission is 70 consist Of FIVE persons
three from the Engineers corps Of
the army and TWO from civil life
tall to be designated by the Presi-
dert. 1t shall be the duty OF the
commission to direct such surv eys
( Of the river between the head of
( the passes near its mouth 10 its head
waters as may now be in progress,
and to make such additional surveys
and investigations, Typographical,
photographed and hydrometieaI,
of the river and its tributaries, rs
may be deemed necessary to carry
out the objects of th;s act, and to
enable the commission to complete
such surveys and investigations the
Secretary Of War shall, when re
quested by the commission, detail
from the Engineers corps Of the
army such officers and men as may
be necessary, and shall place in the
charge for the use Of the commia-
sion such vessels and such mathinc-
ry and Instruments as maybeunder
his control and may be deemed nee
essary. There having been a ques-
tion OF threatening proportions
raised regarding levees -a2d Tue re
clamation OF lands, the bill Is made
to read as f1llows: at shall be the
duty Of the commission 70 take into
consideration and mature such plan
or plans and estimates as viii cor
rect, permanently locate and deepen
the channel and protect the banks
Of the Mississippi river, improve
and give safety and ease to the navi-
CATION thereof, prevent destruction,
promote and facilitate commerce,
trade and the postal service, and
when so matured to submit to the
Secretary of War a detailed report
of its proceedings, Of such plans,
with estimates of the cost, to be by
him transmitted to Congress. Pro
vided that the commission shall re
port in full upon the practicability
and probable cost of the various
plans known as the jetty system,
the levee system and the outlet sys-
TEN, as we'll as upon such Others as
they deem necessary. There IS also
"a section providing that the com
mission may, before completing all
the surveys, report specifications for
immediate works necessary. for the
general system contemplated. One
hundred and seventy-fve thousand
dollars are appropriated for the nee
essary expenses Of the work of the
commission. Gen. Gibson says the
bill will be reported at the irst call
of the committee, and hopeato pass
it in the House at this sess1n. Of.
course this means a repoI n the
next session, probably mex Gem
Der, in favor Of the jettyE Estem,
levee system, or the outlet ssstem.
With either system successfully ex-
ecuted the country along thsbanks
of the great Mississippi becomes
the garden spot Of the world. It's
now dreary "bottoms" ot.forests
becomes cultivated fields, iensely
populated with industry and wealth.
For years and years the penetrating
minds of this country have seen
that the accomplishment of this
great work was only question of
time, but it was regarded as so far
in the future that the present gen
Grafton could gather no hope in the
prospect. Now it is growing near
or and n favr, x-oa..- ,,,o,, ,r,,+nos. Al