The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-07-10
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER COMMISSION
The Bill Creating It Gen. Glib
sons Speech in It's Favor.
from the Congressional Reeard.l
The Clerk read the bill. as follows:

4 $# IA i 4 f Il
from the Congressional ReeardI
The Clerk read the bill, as follows:
Bel snacted, etc.. That q commission is
River Commission, to consist Of seven MEM
berE.
sEo. q. The President Of the United States
shall, by and with the advice and consent o.
the Senate, appoint seven commis Y q an
three OF when shall be selected from the eIi.
gineer corps of the army, one from THO c9 3ss
and geodette survey. and tbree from civil llle
two OF whom shall be civil engineers. anu
any vacancy. which may occur H.. n tne cp az
mission shall iii like manner be filled by me
President OF the United States and o. s aIaal
designate one Of the commissioner appo.,ns,t ~,
from the engineer corps 81 ne , hIniy - III
president OF the commission. ny al,1,s
sioners appointed from ne d fn axaaretic o g,ir7
vey shall receive no other pay Or conpensAI.
lion thur, is now allowed them by law, ana
fhe other three commissioners snhil Ipos ,l
% pay ana Il sso Der annum and the
ssnfnmiasioners appointed under this act shall
remain iii office subject TO removal py tne
President OF the United States.
NM Il Itshal be- the duty OF said commits |
s.,nn 10 direct aud complete such surveys OF
Iii river between the head OF the passes near
IT'D mouth as may now be IN progress, ana 70
make such additional surveys. examinations
aud investigations, topographieal, hydro, !
ssrnrhif.nl ard hydrometrigal, OF said river and
its tributaries us may DO deeIHed HBGssBHI Y ~
said commission to carry out the onlsets oI
this act and to enable said commission 70
completes such surveys, examinations aud III
yestiuntiona, the Secretary Ut War shall, when
requested by said commission, detail from the
engineer corps OF the army such officers and
men as may be necessary, ana small place III
the charge and fof the use OF said commission
such vessel or vessels and suctt 1nachinerya and
instruments as may bio under his control and
may be deemed necessary. And the Secretary
OF the Treasury shall, when requested ~ sald
commission, In like manner detail from
the coast and geodstiG survey such officers
and men as may be necessary, and snail place
In the ellargs and for the use of said conlInls-
sion such vessel or vessels and sllch mashln-
cry and instruments as may pc under MS con- ,
troll and may be deemed necessary. Ana Inc
said commission may, with the approval pf the
Secretary of War, employ such additional
force and assistants and provide. ny purchase
or otherwise such vessels or Goats ana Snen
Instruments and meauS aS may De ueeIheu
necessary.
SEC. i. IT shall be the duty Of said commits
sion to take into consideration and mature
such plan or plans and estimates tls Will cor
rect permanently locate and deepen The
channel and protect the banks Of the Mlssls,,
sippi river improve and give safety ana
ease to the navigation thereof; prevent de-
structive floods: promote and facilitate COM
merce, trade and the postal service, hns',
when 90 prepared and matured. to submit 20
the Secretary OF War full and detailed 70.
port of their proceedings and actions and OF
such plans, with estimates Of the cost thereof,
for the purposes aforesaid, TO pc by MIN trans
mitted to Congress, rrOuided, that The COIN
mission shall report III full upon the. praJiea-
bility, feasibility and probable cost OF the
variolfs plans known as the ietty system, the
leyee system and the outlet system. as we'll
BIB upon such others us they deem necessary.
SEC. +. The said commission may, prior TO
the completion OF all the surveys aud exaIni-
nations contemplated BY this .aet, prepare,
and submit to the Secretary OF War, plans,
specifications and estimates Of costs for such
Immediate works as Id tho Judgment of said
commission, may constitute a part OF tue gen
eral system OF works herein contemplated. to
be by him transmitted to Congress.
SEC. g. Tho Secretary OF War may detail
from the engineer corps of thpi army ct the
United States OH officer to act as secretary OF
said commission.
SEC. Z. The Secretary OF War is hereby a,l-
thprlzed ID expend the sum Of S175.000 or 80
much thereof Us may be necessary, for the
payment OF the salaries herein provided for,
and Of the necessary expenses Incurred IN The
completion Of such surveys as may now BE- III
progress, and OF such additional surveys, ex-
aminations and Investigations as may be
deemed necessary. reporting me plans and
estimate, and the plans, specifications anG
estimates contemplated by this act, rs herein
provided for; and said sum is hereby appreo
priated for said purposes out OF any money II
the treasury not otherwise appropriated
Mr.. Gibson then said
Mr.. Speaker, am persuaded that every
gentleman Id this House who has made him
self acquainted with the vast interests OF tn
Mississippi valley and with the difficulties tt
be overcome ~ The protection and ADVANCE l e
fore he will throw himself in opposition t
this bill.
The Mississippi river ID national river
the grandest highway OF commerce In TIN
world. And yet while the Federal govern
ment has with unstinted liberality made ap
preparations for our ocean front and lakes AM
upland rivers, nothing has been done for on
great inland sea. You have expended enof
NOUS sums for harbors and watergaps upOl
our eastern seaboard and you support nav.
to protect our foreign commerce. upon ever,
sea under the sun. You have establishes
sheltering harhors and piers upon the lake
at the cost OF millions; You appropriate
ten millions to unite the Wisconsin and 20.
rivers, and four and half millions to build
canal around the Des Muines Rapids. Thes
are but d few instances. / believe every dol
lar 80 expended adds to the wealth. comfort
and happiness Of the American people.
But why is it that nothing, absolutely moth
ing, In comparison with the interests involved
has been done for the Lower Mississippi, froI
Cairo to New Orleans, a distance OF 1000 miles
making a coast front OF 1000 miles on on
great inland sea, whose commerce and trad
even now exceed in value our whole fOrelg
commerce? 1t is only within the last thre
years that we have been able to secure dee
Which dl tHe NOUN Oh Inc river. LApoIlmeH
after experiment was made until finally
plan was suggested and adopted that prove
successful. We are to-day confronted wit
difficulties apparently as invincble along til
route OF tn river us those that barred ii
gateway. What arc they?
In the first place. official reports show the
during several months in every year immens
sand-bars and snags close the navigation
the river as effeetually as If artificial dam
were constructed across Its channel.
I'm the second place, official rpDOrtS ShO
banks throughout the alluyial region an
spreads out over the country for forty |
sixty miles-becomes q mighty, roaring to
destructive not only to human life az
property upon its borders, but destructive
the commerce and trade upon its water
The report Of the engineers shows that the:
floods cause changes Of the channel itsel
and the towns of Vicksburg, Vidalia, az
katchez are now, threatened with BENG G.