The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1880-03-25
Report or tho N mississippi River
Com mission TO the Sec
rotary OF War.
Plan of Improvement Recommended ~~,
Estimates OF Cost. Etc.
WAauraaron, February II, 1889.
Hon. Alexander Ramsey. Secretary OF War

of the MI Risalppi river between tho head Of the
pessea. near lta mouth. and Its headwatsrH. ~
were then In progress: and TO mako such addi-
tonal surveys and examinations of aaid river
and its tributarIes M might by Il be deemed
neeessary,
Second 10 tahe Into conaideratIon md ma
ture euoh plan or plans IN will correct, perma-
nently looate and dsepsn tho channel aud pro-
teot tho banks 0f the Mississt tppi river improve
md give eafety and eaae to tho navigation
thereof prevent destr uetve foods and promste
and facilitate commerce aud Tho postal services
and with Huoh plana 10 prepare and submit ss-
Inmates oi The cost Of executing tho work,
Third TO report pscincaily uuon the prae4
tieability. feasibility aud probable cost Of the
plans known as tho ietty system, the lovee sys-
tenn and Tho outlet system.
by section OF the uCt authority was given 10
the CON mission. prior to tho eomplsion Of Au
the anrvsya and EXAMINATIONS. to prepare and
aubrnit plhna aud estimates OF cost for such im-
IN. iiate wot ka ns In tho Judgment OF the COM.
mission may constitutes n part Of the genera
eyetem of works contemplated.
Tho com mission met for organization In the
city Of Washington on tho nineteenth day Of
August. all tho members being present. and
G0nsj dsration the surveys OF the river alreadY
In progress" and ''euoh additional surveys
examinations aud Investigations. Topographic
oal, hydrosraphical and hydromstrlcal. as
&c, "i oooxress establishing the eommisson. nu 10 a
,ns . " "bovs IH tho mouth oi the Ohio had bssn
essentially covered BY the several shore line
anrveys al,ssady eomvl9.a of s., drawlnx to
.iser. between o.'ro and ,he hssd 81
msaaarinx @ about lieo Hos along tho channel,
hnd been tho scene 0l numerous detached
surveys. tho data from which vii! 30 avail.
cover aud IN providing for ths connection and
e1tention Of these tho commission decided TO
s1as s'sssG nios%ssn es 1ns sss raaaYrsd
should be obtained By systematic methods. use.
u' not only to th9 prcsimssts ,H snds In View but
that must nlti m ntsly be necessary.
i waa considered impo rtant that the triansu-
sa u as y
mediate .impr ovement might be. should be 80
executed aud permanently marked TINT It
"f" was 9he4e g re- a aecded ,hat iine sec
ondnry ,riapRulntion should be run. It's tri-
oosss w'h sa
eirnble TO exscut, no detailed or widely extend
I'd topography but 10 develop as rapidly ~
possible tho hhore lines and the forms OF the
Il was furthermore decided that physical In
auirss extending to all ths recognized phenonl.
enA likely TO have bearing Hpon prOulems Of
Improvement should DO instituted at once, and
hat hsy should be based u0on the experiences
pro9reas In these studies.
Provision WINS mad, for running lines Of pre-
else levels along he river bank and for main
tniniug mod increasing tho number OF the sta
tiona at which tho elevations of the river are re-
corded so ns to trace In Iutnre the. progress Of
sioprs % Without. It Is hoped. my further inter-
ruption.
Provision was also made for physical exam
nations Of sesctei reaches Of the river. dis
tnnt from each other. but preeentinR locally
and relatively tho most wldsly-contrasted ele-
men'a OF width. depth and curvature: that the
conditions most favorable and those most In
iniGal to navigation might thus bs traced back
20 their cnnsss lndnHlvely.
adopted embodytnR the sense OF the comrnis-
sion rs to the, oxtent and character of the sur.
a majority, Of the membsrs, was epoointed to
carry out the views thus recorded.
Inanriea were made Of the Secretary ol War
and Of tho Secretary Of the Treasury rs TO the
aid they could render In these surveys. free OF
OK penss 10 this commission. and the COMMITTEES
replies to tho above Inquiries. to direct the sec-
rotary Of tho com mission TO- employ the neces-
anry Dersons. and make al purchtnsses : Oh In
out tho provisions Of tho resolutions already
adopted ns to surveys. stH.. to be made at once.
aYBTEMs or IMPROVEMENT.
This commission is not prepared nor is 1t
init a full and detailed report. with estimates
| OF final cost upon any general system OIL river
imDrovement It seems proper. however. thas
the comprehensive aud distinctive LANGUAGE
used In the act 30 far as they apply TO or have
pI1ed therein should be defined. AM. that the
general principles which have been kept IN
view In adopting plan which VIII goncsntra.e con 70
rather than dlgpereo the waters Of the river. a.
the principal agent In securing the nepded I'M
provement In It's navigation. should DO briedT
stated; st,, aoo,,. nooa,,, - ba .o,d unon the
outlet system, which being one OF diffusion and
waste aud not Of concentration does not com
mend itself to the judgment OF the commission.
will be- embodied In this report. ,..
The MiseistiDpi river. aside from its greaas req
nnK.n ana a1n,tn1s ana u the eneray Witn
| which It malntains ita tortncus aud ever.
changing route to the sea. ranging over broan
appear to be characterizad BY any Dhenomens
d culiar 10 itself. or by any physical features
10 aTor or thsone luva VI
poslta It's waters within the limits Of the alln-
Vial district constantly carry large. although
| ter. This sediment or silt. derived from tribu-
tary streams from caving banks. and from its
own bed By erosion and seour. IS porne along
| by the current In suon manner that large
part OF It is held In more or less constant sus.
pension Ia the water. while portion is rolled
1 or sw.pt along upon ths bottom.
An exact relation bet tween the quantity OF SILT
transpo, ted or moved along by stream ane
tho longitudinal velocity Q, rs carlent aet mas noI
ever is always accompanied by motion Ia other
| directions Without upward motion OF the
water there can be no continued suspension OF
| sed,menrery matter in it.
When on any given reach Of the same stream
the velocity as usually 20 measnred by meters OF
A1afe. is Increased. the vertical motion. and
therefore the silt sustaining and transpnrstnG
power OF the stream, is also increased. II does
not fol ow from this, however. that In different
reaches cf tho same stream. or even IN tne
same reach through varying stages OF WaIea W1,e =.
different Seasons OF tEe year. tbs same yeioclsy
OF current invariably sustains ana trans @ Ools
The came amount or proportion OF seuaImenLa.xx
matter, No fixed relation has bean di-cove1o1