The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-05-22
RESTORING THE CHANNEL OF
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT
VICKSBURG.
SPEECH OF LAMAR TONTAINE BE
FORE THE PLANTERS CON-
VENTION.

At the meeting of the Planters
Convention, at Vicksburg, last Tues
day, Mr.. Lamar Fontaine, of Yazo
City, was invited to explain the system
of jetties, by which the channel of tn,
river could be restored to Vicksburg
1t is known that his father has prepar
ed a very learned and scientific wOri
on Hydraulic Engineering, which was
so highly esteemed by the Govern
ment that Congress authorized the
printing of several thousand copies
The elder Fontaine has established &
national reputation, as one of the
foremost scientists of the country
His son, Lamar, is emphatlcally Il chip
from the old block in the field OF
science. In fact, we would probably
be justified in saying that he is really
an improvement on the parent stock,
has more of the faculty of utilization
than his father, and the benefit of his
fathers researches, added to his own
wonderful quickness of perception.
We regard him as q remarkable man,
and his speech before the Convention
was clear and lucid. 1t is to be re-
GREETED that we cannot accompany
his remarks with the diagram which
he was kind enough to furnish us, and
which is so necessary to a full under
standing of the subject.
MIR. FoNTAINE'S ADDRESS.
MIR. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN-The
plans that shall present to your notice for
the controlling Of the current of the Mis-
sissippi river, and preventing the caving of
its banks, and the deepening of its chan
mel, are not mine, but they were concocted
and brought to light by my tather-Edward
Fontaine; and in presenting them to you |
claim none of the honors, for they are his.
That they are feasible, no sane mind can
doubt. They merely assist nature i'll do
ing her work; and my father has spent
half lifetime in perfecting these plans.
The subject that will most interest the
planters of our great valley will be his
plans for controlling the current and pre-
venting the overflow of our rich alluvial
valley lands, remote from the shore of the
mighty Mississippi, yet within reach OF the
surging tides that dissolve, disintegrate and
destroy the frail levee chat unscientific
engineers erect upon its caving, friable
shores,) and sweep with mighty force over
their cultivated lands, carrying ruin in
their paths.
And those who live upon its crumbling
shores will hail with hearty welcome the
plan that turns the powerful erosive u0der
current from their trail sand stratitied
fronts. And you, citizens of proud old
Vicksburg, will extend hand of hearty
welcome to the engineer who throws a
naylgablc channel again to your shores.
Now, gentlemen, l propos c to Use my
ather's plans, and give you constant
channel of 200 feet in width and 20 feet in
lepth, that shall be as immutable as your
own hill-clad shore, and tbs, too, at less
cost than that estimated by the United
'toles Engineers MY Pi'hS' "s i"'u oo"h
~ my father, will not only restore Nicks-
1urg her channel, but if properly applied
from the mouth of the Mississippi to St.
4Ouis-will so deepen the channel of this |
great rlVer' th"t steam vessels OIL f'ooo IONS
'urtheu' can surely san lroin LNel Po"i "
Vt. Lo'.is III 'i'e io"e'' ''"Se' ., ""''i' -,
"oi''t'''i'n' '''' - nv 'oi' ''in' NV Wv
heoIelic1l selelie Is W"e'I'"0'e' p''in
'hu ie"sioie' nature hefse'l uoes IL Win
human AID. IL Is perfectly ABSURD 10 say
nat the engineers OF the nineteenth cen
ury-a century replete Win wonderful III
ehuons-are not aDle TO control ana direct
lie current OF any river that laNes the
horeS OF any cline. we nave chalheu inc
ghtnlng's hash, ana made IT, WIN us
Wit wings, the carrier OF our 'houshts'
We stem the mlghtlest currents. we 1--WE
hrouSh the bowels OF the earth' OH merry
'eeds, Sulued ny the Soltesl 'oucn oi Che
ana, safely ana pleasahtiy. Ana one CEN
lry ago, nay less thah Il century, the man
mo should nave even dreamed OF such
ing pelhS dohe-saVe by the mana Oh the
uprelhe h'ller-Woulu nave peeh thousn'
0" comP0S MENUS OF III ail carrier PerIou'
QUIZ nave Dceh Dllrleuas WlIch' Inc CHI I
Vi .o"!' s'0' " s"!' i' "' "
p drov from his hroin our sunerior Iooo-
,+bu,s vat wa foo oo, ord win od,,onoo
mr. whole country domords If The Grand
# valley on tho oloho i, Ioolina with
,xious ewes 70 MS for relief. and propose
wv to give it to them speedily and cheap =,
and tbe plans have adopted are those
ed by the most skilltl engineers known
nature-I mean the beayers-thev are y
uoht and euided bythe hand of Him who
les and governs the universe. Iassist
ture. I do not oppose if. For those who
pose nature will fail. and there is no
oh word in nv vocnbulorv. INT r;ono. an o
liam. .ayt faciaD. And it is made, and =,
.tv wears have been spent by NV father =,
finding and making the way. :.
Now. gentlemen. protect your banks =.
n DroDey1y aagulated ietties, placed in :,
ri1lt places. These ietties are made of :,
IIov brusb crib york. caisons foscines .