The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1880-03-25

q. relstive issssrse oi difisrens Tributaries,
IND rainfall. altsrnsti Ions 81 ireesiuE. and
thsw!ns, !hs hind q crops cultivated IN the
ANY reduction of velocity by laasentnw the
sustaining. and transporting power OF tho
ssatclcs % @ which AZ the s SininsHsa current i un.
MbAe 10 move along npon the ttom. Will teud
no sause deposit of aollh earthy mattar n an., I,
"a raleing tho he'd Ia 10 taiao tho surface elope
Tho aurface plepe may alao be- iiereaaed BY re:
as,tion Of the rivers length by cut,ofTa and
ptitar aRnanH Conversely. II the velocity be In.
eTsAseh from any cause GreAter amount 81
mil& will ba thrown Into nuapenelop, which will
hN Hnppliah by nrcai0n, A lowering OF both tho
Nod al the Htream and tho surface slope will
Theae general principles may be briefly and
aomprehenaively atatpd NJ follows, viss II the
streafn, lowins Ia M ailuvsl BOD ot III own
formation, he permanently Increased. there
wiz rseult an increase q velocity and aonse. g,
hnprsaap Ia area OF average croaH. Heotton, and
m ultimate loweIing 81 tho aurfaeo slope;
and. conversely. u the normal now be deeresaed
an volume. there will cnnNe decrease of valoc.
aty. silt. lt.transporting power ana mean sectional
areA. s.. and an alttmgte raiainx of the surface
rus LRvEE HvnrEM.
banta Of tho Mieaisaippi river except f9r the
epeelal purpose gl protectinv tho alluvsel lands
from overflow. They have, therefore, always
ss degree stes te Which evsss @ sG sa pradeats be
relied upon TO improve and Hivo safety 70 navl-
gsalen. promote aud facilitate oommerae.
antsre.i Into the question of tho construction
and nAlntcnAnce Or n levee ayatem.
There II no doubt that the Ieveea exert d.
le,slns sbe bod Of the riyer during those re-
gioaa ct rise or "nood.r when, " prevent
ma The aispersion Of tho flood. waters over TIE
or through bayeus and other. opentnga, they
!sva within the river bed Than Il would a;taia H
X would aeem to follow. from the law that
she volume VI water flowing Ia the bed deter.
nainea tho aise that prior to the construction Of
Ss tha Miatisaippt river muat have becn leea
ehAn 1t waa after the leveea had reached their
Maost efficient condition. assuming. what y BE-
ossnsed with tho iast huad md rod fss years.
esss 1 .; sxifSss fSs. "a and ps .s
Arsinaslon os 1891, With later surveys. that tho
width n the river haH increased sinee that date.
ase ennnnsy u m ha asash
HNAnhe# cfosa.aecliQhH which nt~ ARCS OF cir
alur. and In the bends curves 81 deeper forms.
rysr % RESULTING from rom c cencentrStion or Increase d
of valnme. whicn may have taken place. would
~ rule be- accompanied by q general and cor
ssnerai enlargement, although local shoaltnra.
tamperarily Injurious to navigation. might
Decur,
Theye Il reason to believe that durinu the
acrlsa when levees we're In their most perfect
0aitlon, from 1890 10 1853, thc channel OF the
river waa better generally for purposes Of
II Il known that during tho laat twenty years
tho iesee system has been continuously inter.
Eapsed by gseat number of crsvasses between
Rasore the lavees were built largo portion of
fhs hood waters epraad out over the banks OF
ahr river IN thin sheet, Of which tho average
aat,ca iid nov probably exceed . sew inches. or
At most foot The Immediate effect Of tho
aeycea would be 70 increase the volume and
WATERS between them, resulting IN an erosion
And deepening OF tho river bod, and ulti imntelY
hn q eorresponding lowering Of tho nood,alop.a.
aueted. thai an increase Ia the normal volume
nf discharge IN u scdtmentary stream flowing
shrongh alluvial deposits results ultimately In
therefore. that d closure OF the crsvasses might
oe expected 10 accelerate the removal Of those
ahola which have been produced BY them. and
uuntrnctfon OF tho ohAnnel to u more nearly
nniierm high water width. q lowering q tho
M aood ,,' evnl may he expected 70 such 40 extent
asedless above Ned river. and greatly lessen
ihe necessity OF their permanent maintenance
While Il Il not claimed that levees In them
.c are necessary ~ means oi securing NJ
lines alreadv existing viii hasten tho
ana aspS q river Ssa Ss @n
they would produce during the high. river
They are regarded r
ssssam q api mprovsmsnt sasm.ted ed 'ne general
II IA obvious that levees are upon a large
nnriion 81 the river essential to prevent de-
Thay give safety and case Is navigation. and
PROMOTE and facilitate commerce and trade BY
banks or landing places above tho
slaoed while awaiting shipment. and where
and other river craft can land In
tsfnes OF high water.
In N restricted sense. as auxiliary to a plan OF
ahannsl Improvement only. the construction
md maintenance OF a leveo system Ia not de-
mAnsiet- But IN q large sense. as embracing
but ms n protection against destructive Hoods d
aevee system is essential: and such system also
promotes and facilitates commerce. trade and
A ievee system aids aud facilitates the postal
service by protecting from injury and destruc- |
don by freshets and floods the various common
20 and from the river bank. and gem
nraSlY within that portion OF the alluvial region
aahsecs 70 overflow. Moreover the permanent |
kyssena. q system 81 sufficient strength to in |
Ipirs confidence IN its efficiency. or the demon
ptEatton by the achieved results Of an improved |
rivor that overflow need no longer be seriously |
would act as q prompt and pow |
ssful stimulant In rapidly developing q largely /
Increased trade and commerce IN all the pro- |
ducts Of agricultural industry Indigenous to |
AAt region. and In those branches OF manufac-
arlnN enter prise related thereto.
The foregoing is submitted as the opinion of |
MS commission. with regard to the attributes |
md functions. Of leyses and their general |
af4aaty and value. The views OF the several |
aeInbers. however. are not In entire accord |
with respect to the degree Of importance which |
ihoaad attract TO the concentration OF flood |
waters by levees "a factor In the plan Of In |
preyement OF low water navigation. which has |
'cceised the unanimous preference OF the COM
Mission.
The breaks In the levees were estimated In /
January, 1875 BY the commission for the recla- |
nasion q the a.luyial basin Of the Mississippi
seliered that the repairs done In Louisiana and |
since that time viii fully equal the |
Of the openings In Arkansas and |
Missouri. The estimate Of the oSst OF closing /
h8 breaks In the existing system OF levees to |
be former heights based upon this hypothesis
The want OF completed surveys and the
limited supply of labor. would render difacult |
hs construction Of more than one-half Of this |