The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-03-07
MISSISSIPPI RIVER COMMISSION.
The Levse System Strongly Endorsed -The
Appropriation Needed for Deepen
ing the River.

WASHINGTON, March 1.-The report OF the
Mississippi River Commission is On elaborate
document. 1t has performed Its duties under
the act of June az, 1879. to mature plans for
the improvement Of the river 30 as to locate
and deepen the channel, prOteet banks. and
give safety to commerce. After reference TO
previous sclentiilo lebors and work now in
progress by the coast survey and officers Of
the commission, the board discuss various
systems Ut Improvement. They are not pre-
pared to submit full aud detailed report,
with estimates upon the final cost Of any gem
eral principle kept In view has been the plan
which would concentrate rather than dispense
the waters OF the river, as the principal
agent In securing the needed Improvement In
navigation. The famous outlet system
"beiDg VI diffusion and waste, and not OF con.
traction" IL examined and condemned. The
Mississippi river is not considered 10 possess
Ing phenoE,ena different from other turbid
streams flowing through ailuvial deposits. Its
waters carry large quantities OF sedimsDtary
matter. This sediment lie borne along by the
current Ia such manner that large part Of 1t
is held In more or less constant suspension In
the water, while portion is rolled or swept
along on the bottom. Observations show be-
yond question that when, on any given reach
Of the same stream, velocity, usually meas
ured by metres or fioats Is increased, the
vertical motion, aud therefore the sustaining
and transporting power Of the stream, ls
an alluvial bed Of It's own formation. be In
creased, there will result al increased We
locity, and, consequently, an erosion and
cross-section, and All ultimate lowering oil
the surface slope; and, conversely, X the
normal How be decreased In volume there
will ensue decrease Of velocity Of Gilt trans
porting power and mean sectional area, and
an ultimate raising OF the surface slope. The
Cowdon plan Ia recited. and condemned In all
Its parts.
In respect to the levees the commission say
that they do exert direct action Ia deepen
Ing the channel and enlargiDg the bsd Of the
river during the periods OF rise, when they
cause the water to rise to higher level than
II dispersed. During the period when the
levees were IN their most perfect condition,
from 1850 to 1868, the channel Of the river WAS
better for purposes Of navigation than 1t has
been since. IL is argued that the immediate
effect Of the lsvees would be to increase the
volume and accelerate the velocity Of flood
water. resulting In an erosion and deepening
of the rlver-bed; and that u closure OF the
crevasses might be expected to accelerate the
removal OF the shoals which have been pro-
dueed by them, and IL their closure be &C.
companied by contraction OF the channel,
cause lowering Of the surface slope 10
such an extent as will render tho maintenance
Of levees above Red river az al aid to naviRa-
| tion practically needless. The repairs and
maintenance Of extensive lines OF levees al
ready existing will hasten the work Of chan
mel Improvement and promote and facilitate
commerce..
The commission propose to work to scour
| out and maintain channel through shoals
and bars existlng in portions Of the river
where the width Is excessive, and build up
new banks and develop now shore lines, SO
| as to establish the requisite conditions of a
uniform velocity for all stages Of the river
| This Improvement can BE- accom- plished be-
low Cairo by constructing low water chan
nel way to q uniform width Of 5000 feet, for
| the purposeof securing out a channel through
shoals and bars. 1t Ia thought that this plan
will secure channel of ten feet ut the ex-
treme low stage Of the river, over all bars be-
low Cairo. The commission favor the general
rule that the channel should be fixed In its
present location, and that no attempt be
made to straighten the river or shorten by
cut-offs. The works Of channel construction
and bank protection recon mendJd during
| the fiscal year. and confined to the length 81
| 200 miles, embrace New Madrid, Plum Point
Memphis, Helena, Ohoc NV Bend and Lake
Providence The estimates for this year are
| S4.113,00O, for closing gaps In lev6es 81 0oO,.
600. and for checking the enlargement Of the
Atcbafaiaya outlet $4,000.