American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-03-13
Abstract of the Report Of Mississippi
River Commission.

.wAsHINeroN. D. G., March ..
The eom report of the Mississippi. BY
under the act of June %, 1879, to mature plans
cate-and deepen the channel protect banks,
and give safety to commerce After reference
to previous scientific labors, and work now
in progress by the Coast Survey and officers
of the Commission, the Board discuss various
systems of Improvement. They are not pre-
pared to submit full and detailed report.
with estimates upon the final cost of any gen
eral system of river improvement. The gen.
which would concentrate rather than dis
n %a er,nt the water; OF the river. az
I an nseasa
let system "being of diffusion and waste, and
not of contrsction," is examined and con
from, other tnrbid streams Moving throueh
tes Of matfer 4hi sf ssaiIaens
is borne along by the current in snch a man
less eonstapt Suspension in ths Water While
portion is rolled or swept along on the bottOrn
Observations show beyond question that,
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. II &
held that, If the normal volume of a silt bear
ing stream, flowing in an alIuviai 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 I'm volume
there will ensue decrease of velocity of silt.
and an ultimate raising of the suface slope
The Cowdon plan is recfted. and condemned
In respect to the levees the Commission saw
that they do exert a direct action in deepen,
ing the channel and enlarging the bed of tho
river during the periods of rise when they
cause the water to rise to a higher level than
If dispersed. During the period when the
from 1850 to 1885, the channel of the river was
better for purposes of navigation than it has
been since. It is argued that the Immediate
effect of the levees would be to Increase the
volume and accelerate the velocity Of
food water resulting in an erosion and
ure of the crevasses might be expected to ac-
celerate the removal of the shoals which have
be accompanied by contraction of the chan
mel; cause a lowering of the surface slope 10
of levees above Red River as un aid to nayf-
CATION practically needless. The repairs and
ready existing wiIihasten the work Of esan a.
Improvement and promote and facilitate
The Commission propose to work to scour
out and maintain channel through shoals
and bars existing in portions of the river
new banks and develop new shore lines. SO
as to establish the requisite conditions of a
This Improvement can be accomplished below
Cairo by constructing a low water camel
purpose of securing out q Channel thron ,n
shoals and bars. 1t is thought that this plan
Will secure channel of ten fees |
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 |
straighten the river or shorten by |
cut offs The works of channel construction |
and bank protection recommended during
the fiscal year, and confined to the length Of |
700 miles, embrace New Madrid Plum Point
Helena, Choctaw Bend, and Lake
Providence. The estimates for this year are |
,ll3,000 for closing gaps in 1evees 81, 600 OOo
and checking the enlargement of the Atchnfn
lava outlet $4,000