The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1880-03-25
By corresponding deposit OF silt NJ the desp
placps. and conssuu uently greater uniformity Of

Uniform depth Joined g uniform width. that
IN plies uniform velocity. and this means tina,
ranis. aud ead 10 no great aud sudden tiastaation. ii
TIM siltAranHporttnR power of tho current
There WILL therefore, .be lees. erosion from
of shoals and bars produeed by ailt taken w
from one part Oi the ehnnnel and dropned in
anotber. Az tho friction .of ho ted retard. the
ton viii promote tho tlaehar9o Of neods. Tho
frncfional surface u greater IN proportion 70
yelnma Of diarhafga whato the river IL
md deep. H. follows. therefore. that after the
Wide. ehoal places are suitably narrowed, md
tho normal sectional arna y rant"red by deep
II was before, This will reeult ln more easy
and rapid discharge OF the flowing water.. and
consequently n = lowering q ofthe food aurfaoe,
,nent mnat nomnrae ne l's essential features
re continuation q w. Waterway o. r." rlyer to
uyatem." Il is known from observation oi Tho
ys ssSw " 2ny o
width oxeeedinu 1000 feet, but that wherever th,
channel. In other words. bad navigation inva.
riabY accompanies 4 wide. low river water
way: and good navigation narrow one
oui al aud maintain % ehenne through tho shoals d
aud bars exciting IN those portions. Of the river
where the width la excessive. and 10 build up
TO estanish Ms far as rrae,cebia. the rcauisits m
conditions OF uniform velocity for all stages Of
II IL believed that this Improvement can be
accomplished below Uairo by contracting the
low water channel way tn an approx imately
uniform width Of about 5000 fect. for tho pnr-
shoals and bars, and BY ealains. through the
action 0f appropriate works constructed NJ
suitable localities. the deposition o. sand and
water upon The dry bars and other portions 81
tho present bed not embraced within The limi,s
OF tho propoaed low water channel Tho ulti-
deposite IL y comparative uniformity In the
width nf the high water chanAei pf tho river.
II y believed that tho works estimated for In
thia report Will create and establish depth OF
at lanat ton feet. ~ extreme low staEee of the
river. oyer all the bars bcow Cairo whore they
II ID tho opinion of thta CONN mission that. a.
general rule. tho channel should be fixed and
maintained ~ tta proacnt location. aud that no
attempt should he mai: to straixhton the river
The borlngss. which were made IN 1870 nt New
Madrid md Plum Point. by direction Of tho
lizard cf Enxnacers a ior the M lmnrovnment M OF the
Memphis and Helena. made under tho orders
i.orxno, reported by. the. leves oommiaslon 81
la1s, and others made along tho proposad line
of tho Fort ~, Philip canal. and tho nrteatan
rent ovidcnce OF tho yieldnx nharaoier OF tho
atrata forming the river bed This evidence.
taken IN connection with the fact TINT deep
where Tho width not esseasivc. ana that hat these s
henda have. by their shlftin9a, ut one time or
another. probably occupied and covered nearly
Ia width from Oairo 10 the. duli. point to thc
conclusion, n n does not indeed inattfy II, that
,here "a no sx!ensive stratum nt material capa.
river from Deepening ils own bed. ia e1cep. Ias
tionAl loaalittes. where the material IL too
tough. or tho gravel too heavy for removal by
nu nuxiliary. tho depth secured by thia means bo.
Ing mnintatned BY the works erected for mar
rowing tho stream.
rope. justices the belief that the requisite cor
rcation aud equalization of tho trnnsvet 30 pro-
file OF the stream. by devaopsng new shore
chiefly through the instrumsntnlitios OF light
ileSihla and comparatively inexpensive CON
structlon OF poles and brush. ana materials OF
monty be- open or permeable to such degree
thnt. without too Violently arresting the flow of
wafer. thereby unduly !ncreasing tho hcad. and
clenily check the current to induce Il deposit Of
silt In selected localities.
The works which have been used In similar
vices. such as tho hurdle. composed Of n line of
stakes or light piles, with brush interlaced the
open dixie. formed OF stakes. with waling strips
on both sides. filled In loosely with brush the
continuous brush mattress. built or woven on
fixed or floating ways. and launched a. fast IN
az q revetment 70 Y cAving bank. the
mattress used "A d vertical or inclined curtain.
placed In the stream to check tho current: the
same laid fiat on the bottom M tho foundation
for such u curtain. or M AN anchorage for other
brush devices: curtains OF wire or brush net
ting placed vertically or Inclined In the stream:
and various other forms OF permeable brush
aises. ,etttes or rsyements. YETI; en Some q these
Mississippi and Missouri rivers with increas.
Ing satisfaction and SUCCESS. although they
cannot yet BE- regarded rs entirely boy md the
atR1e. In some. perhaps In many
localities. works or q much more solid chRrnc-
tor than those above indicated may DO neces-
The closure OF deep channels or low water
ehutes. with ny View Of combining the how to a
single passage. may require substantial dana
of brush and rip.rap stone or gravel. but 1t is
believed the lighter and less costly work will
generally suffice.
BY . permeablee dixie. located upon the new
shore line % hs developed. connected With the
ike character. or BY jsittss ot hurdles Or other
permeable works projecting from the the bank
With their channel ends Terminating on tho
n arRln OF the proposed water way or by any
,ther equivalent works. the area to be reclaimed
md raised will be converted into series Of silt
wS
iepositing Its heavier material pass of and
stv6 place 70 . new supply. In this manner the
l0Cretlon Will 20 on CONTINUOUSLY through the
ligh water season. or through two or more
reasons II necessary. the work being renewed
~ the higher level as occasion requires.
Wherever necessary the new bank must be
protected by mattress. revoment or some
equivalent device.
That these methods OF Improvement are prac-
icsbls IL shown by the works already executed
~ the Mississippi and Missouri rivers.
The plan submitted by the board OF engineers
or the Improvement Of the low water naviga-
ion Of the river below Cairo. In their report
lated January 2b. 1879. tsee House Ex. Doc
No. A. Forty Fifth Congress. third session } In
which 1t is recommended that &6OO 900 be asked
or the improvement Of the Plum Point Reach,
md that the improvement be effected by mar
owing the shoal and wide portions OF the low
Vater river to about $500 feet and by protecting
,avtng banks where necessary is substantially
Idopted for the initial works submitted for con-
In this report.
An accurate estimate OF the cost OF properly
the entire river below Oatro canno
,e made until after the completion OF the sur
,eys now In progress. Moreover, estimates
,ased upon the latest data from those surveys
vill doubtless require modification In some
,ar ticulars to meet subsequent changes In the
iver and will. perhaps. be considerably re-
luced In the aggregate amount by improved
Methods Of construction developed during the
,r0urasa ~ tho w0rk