The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-03-14
MOUTH or RED RIVER.

To the Editor Of the Democrat: ..--5.
/ see by your valuable paper OF the sixth In
stRnt you are kind enough 70 offer your col
umns for the expression and opinions OF river
men anu engineers on the above subject. Now
] am no river man. aud not much Of an en-
Gineer. but have studied the overflows or this
valley between the Mississippi and Ouachita
rivers. and ind out this valley is what is termed
q double inclined plane. inolining both south
and west: also that the west bank OF the Mis-.
eissippi river Is higher than the country west
OF II for some one hundred miles or more. Now
for proof for the above assertion:
M First-All the tributaries Of the Ouachita river
from the east rise or head nearer the Mirsis-
sippi river than when they empty In the Qua
, chita on n parallel line.
Second-There is no outlet into tho Missis-
sippi river above the mouth of Red river.
Third understand that the engineer In his
report tof the survey made for the route OF the
old vickshurg. Shreveport and Texas Railroad)
says that he found the bank OF Ouachta river
at Monroe to BE- some twenty feet lower than
the bank of the Mississippi river at or near
Delta.
\ Fourth-Oapt. A Aiken. In his communication
published In your issue of the sixth instant.
states at the time Of his writing that an i'm
Atchafaaya river fr. m The Mississippi river.
through the mouth of Red river. So The above
i Is sufficient proof that the country west Of the
Mississippi river for some distance IL lower
than the bank or the Mssissippi river. as
water flows westward. Now the next question
W. to pT~eeh that can,rny n ht rmm annual eyer
think Cait Aiken is wrong twhen he says, the
outlet Of the Mississippi river into Atchatnlaya
river benefits Pointe Coupee pari. h1. Tor this
reason: The fact familiar TO every one who
observes tha course uf brooks or rivers. is
this, whenever the bed OF y river eontrnets the
current bscomes more rapid. and. on the Con-
trary. III 1t wicens. the stream becomes more
sluggish. For rroof We will tnke Capt. Eads's
el'es a. M oua bar ap 81 dd no
to raise the surface Of the Mississippi river ~
that point 70 enable vessels OF large sizs TO
enter without trouble: on the contrary. his oo;
ject was to contract the bed nf the NJ Mlssissipp
river at that point. knowing II would increase
the velocity OF the current and thereby wash
We know that the force Of currents are more
or less resisted and their velocity retarded oy
ne h Whfh apa ad h sod
In contact. and this explains q fact WHICH may
be observed In all rivers: That the velocity OF
near the bank. and the velocity At the surface is
greater than tue velocity. at the bottom: there's
fore, II the. mouth Of Red liver % closed it
that point which would Increase the velocity Of
the current Of the river. thereby causing 1t to
wash out at the bottom Of the river. II il works
satisfactorily III one place. why not In another:
For no one doubts the success Of the jetties
Now. Tor further benefits ob.alued III the mouth
of Red river was clio ed 1t would certainly give
the Atchatalaya river less water to carry o3tf.
all the waters of the ked and Ouachita rivers
and tributaries. which would be great protec
ton for the now over1owed districts
Of the Ouachtta river and Its triputaties. for we
all know that If you make the outlet as great or
greater than the inlet of all streams the water
Will be confined 10 those streams which would
1n tbs instance protect very large amount Of
the finest cotton lauds Id The Stat--I may say
10 the world-and as the Atehafalaya river
carry off 1t Is certain the country on both sides
Of said stream would be benefited. As to the
dame2e to navisation that Capt. Aiken speaks
OF know nothing about. but do know If this
country. is drowned out by over ows and moth
ing made. We will not have much use for navi
cation. And furthermore II viii d. away II, d
the complaint Of that ererlasti,.s bar at the
mouth OF Red river.
Yours res pectfuiIy, E. 2. HARRISON