The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-03-11
Abstract OF the Report Of Mississippi
River Commission.
WAsHrNGroN. D. O.. March ,.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., March 2.
er Commission is an elaborate doc
ument. 1t has performed its duties
under the act of June 49, 1873, to mature plans
for the Improvement OF the river so as TO To-
cate and deepen the channel, protect banks,
and give safety to commerce. Afterreference
to previous scientific labors, and work now
in progress By the CoastSurvey and officers
of the Commission, the Board discuss various
systems of improvement. They are not pre-
pared TO submit a full and detailed report,
with estimates upon the final cost of any gem
erai system of river improvement. The gem
eral principle kept in view has been the plan
which would concentrate rather than dis
perse the waters of the river, as
the principal agent in securing the needed
Improvement in navigation The famous out
let system "being of diffusion and waste, and
not of contraction" is examined and con
demned. The Mississippi River is not con-
sidered as possessing phenomena different
from other turbid streams flowing through
alluvial deposits. Its waters carry large guam
titles of sedimentary matter. This sediment
is borne along by the current in such a man
ner that a l,lrge part of it is held in more or
less constant suspension in the water while a
portion is rolled or swept along on the bottom.
Observations show beyond question that
when, on any given reach of the same stream
velocity, usually measured by meters or
floats, is increased, the vertical motion, and
therefore the sustaining and transporting
power OF the stream, is also increased. 1t is
held that, if the normal volume of a silt bear
ing stream, flowing in an alluvial bed of its
own formation, be increased there will result
an increased velocity, and consequently an
erosion and cross section, and an ultimate
lowering of the surface slope; and, converse
ly, if the normal flow be decreased in volume
there will ensue decrease of velocity of silt
transporting power and mean sectional area
and an ultimate raising Of the suface slope
The Cowdon plan is recited, and condemned
in all its parts.
In respect to the levees the Commission say
that they do exert a direct action in deepen-
inkr n NIL crfrlsr had f@l,1
river during the periods of rise when thew
cause the water to rise to q higher level than
ii dispersed. During the period when the
levees were in their most perfect condition
from 1850 to 1855, the channel of the river was
better for purposes of navigation than it has
been since. 1t is argued that the immediate
effect OF the levees would be to increase the
volume and accelerate the velocity of
flood water, resulting in an erosion and
deepening of the river-bed; and that a clos
ure of the crevasses might be expected to ac-
CELEBRATE the removal of the shoals which have
been produced by them, and if their closure
be accompanied by a contraction of the chan
mel. cause lowering of the surface slope to
such an extent as viii renderthe maintenance
of levees above Red River as an aid to navi-
CATION practically needless. The repairs and
maintenance OF extensive lines of levees al
ready existing will hasten the work of chanel
Improvement and promote and facilitate
commerce.
The Commission propose to work to scour
out and maintain a channel through shoals
anu Dars tAlStilg IN portions OF the river
where the width is excessive, and build up
new banks and develop new shore lines, so
as to establish the requisite conditions of n
uniform velocity for all stages of the river.
This improvement can be accomplished below
Cairo by constructing low water camel
way to uniform width of 1900 feet, for the
purpose of securing out a channel through
shoals and bars. 1t is thought that this plan
will secure a channel of ten feet
at the extreme low stage of the
river, over all bars below Cairo. The
Commission favor the general rule
that the channel should be fixed in its pres
ent location, and that-no attempt be made to
straigllten the river or shorten by
cut OILS. The works of channel construction
and bank protection recommended during
the fiscal year, and confined to the length of
200 miles, embrace New Madrid, Plum Point,
Memphis, Helena, Choctaw Bend, and Lake
Providence The estimates for this year are
4,ll3,000 for closing gaps in levees 81 900 600.
and checking the enlargement of the Atchafa-
laya outlet $4,000.