The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-06-12
Iencs g. Paul Pioeeef Pr%.

Correspondence e. Paul Pioneer PrNI
The Missouri Is remarkable river, I'M
like any other / ever saw. To be appreci-
ated it must be seen and heard during the
April or June rise, when its waters are red
and thick with the powdered soilthsy
have brought from the mountains and sto-
len from the farms In the valleys. Then
it pours, and swirls. and eddies along with
treacherous sound between a ehuckle and
half-suppressed whisper, that rebels
while it fascinates the listener. 1t has
made millions of acres of rich black depos-
its, on which it still holds mortgage, the
foreclosure of which no man can foresee.
Some of these fertile acres may sustain for
ests that have been growing for hundreds
of years. but not a rod Of the vast level
bottom lands which lie on either side OF
the muddy monster, varying In width from
two to twenty miles stretching all the way
from Yankton to ST. LOUIS, and covered
with the finest woods and richest farm
produce that land can bear up under. Is
exempt from the possibility OF some day
being deyoured by its hungry and tickle
mother. Hundreds of farmers after clear
ing away the heavy timber and raising hne
crops year after year on their eighty or
more acres of deep. inexhaustible river bot
tom, have seen their entire possessions
swept away in a few days by sudden and
unexpected change of channel during
an April or June rise"
These changes of channel have different
causes. Sometimes a giant cottonwood
tree that has been uprooted where the nv
err has raised upon the forest above, Is
borne down by the current and lodged In
the mud, where it will gradually become
imbedded in the yielding bottom, and per-
haps lie in wait for months, or even years,
without giving any particular sign of ex-
istence At last an unusual rise takes
place, and this hidden ''snag" creates a
diversion In the strong current, which be-
gins to circle round the spot, and which
eliminates in boiling eddy. The eddy
increases in depth and force, gradually d.
verting the water from its former course
until new pathway is formed in the
| river bed If the eddy is located near the
| shore at the upper edge of a promontory,
| and if the water is sufficiently high TO
overflow the fats, a new channel is some
times carved straight across some valua-
Die farm or timber strip, and river town,
where steamboats, took freight and pas
sengers last year, may be from two to SIX
miles distant from navigable water next
year A few years ago. Forest City, Mo-,
was kissed day and night by the dirty lips
of this Western firt. To-day the river
sports miles away. out Of sight of the old
cave. and is whispering soft things tc
White Cloud, on the Kansas side, which
has gained a river, while the State has
lost several thousand acres Of productive
cotton land that now supports cattle and
hogs in Missouri.
| When the Missouri River begins to IN
dulge in its semi-annual free lunch II
| frequently devours strips Of bottom land
several rods in width every twenty-foul
hours At such time 1t is dangerous &c
drop to sleep near the waters edge. There
lives in Rulo, a river town in Southeastern
| Nebraska. venerable physician named
| Thompson. One warm June day the
Doctor cast his fsh-lines into the river
close 10 the timber, and lyIng down in the
shade TO watch for catfish. dropped off &c
sleep and to pleasant dreams. He was
awakened quite abruptly by neighbor
who told him he was sleeping on the wrong
| side OF long, narrow crevice that had
formed about rod from the rivers brink
He did not wait TO save his lines, but
instantly gut up and got. The next IN.
stont strip of cottonwood had parted
company with the main land forever: and
with its freight OF trees dissolved like Sc
much sugar in a cotfee-cup, leaving thu
Doctor TO thank the river for stealing III,
fish-line and the land. and his neighbo
for saving his life. Missouri River town,
are never safe. except wnen located oil
bluffs. or table-lands, like Omaha. Whit,
j Cloud. ST. Jnseph and Kansas City.