The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-04-21
THE RIVER IMPROVEMENTS.


has for months threatened this State with
dire calamity. Tho States In the upper val
Icy have roured down upon us their Hoods
md our planters have been trembling behind
tho fraII esrthern barriers thrown up by
tho State, lest their fortunes should be swept
away In n day by tho inrush of water from
the Missouri tho upper Mississippi. the
Ohio, the Cumberland, and the many other
tributaries to tho giant stream. which
although tho commercial artery Of the whole
country. Is permitted by the government
each year to work trreparable rula
to those who dwell upon It's lower
banks. Millions Of dollars have beer
lost IN this State alone by reason of this fall
ure on tho part of tho government TO assume
tho control of this purely national work. and
to-day the agricultural prospects, of Louis
lana arc larkened by tho constant fear that
whole parishes may be submerged and theil
crops destroyed by tho giving way Of the In.
sufficient Ievees which have TO some extent
kept the enemy Mt bay. The closing oil
sharpe's crevasae. just opposite TO Carrollton
fortunately preserved the parish OF Plaque.
m,pe from ruin, but In Northern Louisiana
the productive bottom lands OF several of our
ricbest cotton parishes are inundated by
water from the Mississippi and the Arkap-
ans rivers Were the levees on the Missis-
sippi in proper repair these parishes would
| bio uninjured. because the water from
tho Arkansas could readily be carried
of by the numerous large water courses
that empty into Red River and
ultimately find its way TO the sea through
f,I, hn nj mat
speedily recede the damage to tho State will
be enormous. as the parishes affected produce
the most of the cotton raised In Louisiana,
and the crop for this year will be ruined.
In view of these facts It Is most important
that our Representatives In Congress should
exert their every influence to have speedy
and favorable action taken on the report OF
tho Mississippi River Commission. which
recommends an appropriation of about S.
100000 for tho construction Of such initial
works IA are most urgent. These works, IT
undertaken at once. would enable the com
mission to achieve very important results
before the next high water season, and would
almost certainly give our State relief from
overflow The object of Congress- was not to
protect the alluvial lands on the NJ Mississippi
but to improve the navigation OF the river
for purposes of commerce. 1t 30 happens
however, that tho same system which Ia
absolutely essential to the Improvement Of
the river as N commercial highway-the CON
struutlon of levees, contraction Of the chan
mel, and protection Of the bank-wll, by con-
filming the stream TO It's proper bed,
and deepening that bod. result In pre-
venting the disastrous innundations to
which we are now continually subject. As
soon as Congress- supplies the neoess airy
funds the commission are prepared to under
take works below Cairo. aggregating about
400 miles of the shoalest water. principally at
New Madrid, Plumb Point. Memphis Helena.
Chootaw Bend and Lake Providence and
these works would not only deepen the chan
mel In the interest Of commerce. and to the
great benefit Of the people of the whole eoun-
try but would also prevent the intimidation
Of the richest cotton lands in the world and
the consequent loss to Louisiana planters Of
millions Of money.
The commission In their report very justly
and pertinently say;
Il Ia obvious that lavees are upon large ror |
tton of the river essential to prevent destruC- |
ton to life and property by overflow. They |
give aaiety and ense to navigation. aud propote |
and facilitate commerce and trade by establish |
Ing banks or landing places above the reach OF |
Il ,od,, uuon which produce can be placed |
while awaiting shipment. and where steam
boats and other river craft can land In times OF
high water
In restricted sense, IA auxiliary to n plan OF |
channel Improvement only. the construction |
and mant nance OF n levee eystem Ia not do |
manded. But In u large sense. as embracing not |
only beneficial effects upon the channel. but ~
Il protection against destructive floods. n levee
eyatem II essential: and such system also pro |
notes ana facilitates commerce.. trade and the |
postal service.
A levee system aida aud facilitates tho postal
service by protecting from injury and destruc-
ton by fraahets and floods the various common |
roads and railways upon which that service Ia |
conducted TO md from tho river bank. and gen
subject to owe, flow. Moreover. the permanent
below Cairo OF connected laveee |
system, n system OF sufficient strength to iu-
spire confidence In itS efficiency. or the demon
stration by the achieved results of an improved |
river, that overflow need no longer be seriously |
anprehended. would act as a prompt and pow
eriul aimuant In rapidly developing In gely |
Increased trade and commerce In oil the pro-
ducts Of agricultural industry Indigenous TO
that r. gion, and In those branches of mRnufao-
turing enterprise related thereto.
1t Is shown also that while levees are neces-
sary now for purposes of improving the
channel OF the river, that. ultimately. when
the bed of the stream has been sufficiently |
ieepened by the action OF the Increased vol
ume Of water Il will be possible to dispense
with levees almost altogether above Rod
river and to greatly reduce the height OF
hose below that point.
Louisiana Is perhaps, more deeply inter
'sted In these great national works than any
,ther State In the Mississippi valley, or In
Tho country, because In addition to her COM
nercial interests her AGRICULTURAL interestS
ire vitality involved. While the West, and In
Iced every section OF the country, will be
benefited by the increased facilities for trans
Louisiana will be enabled to cult
rate her productive fields free from the fear
If floods and the resultant ruin.
The bill introduced by Mr.. King, regarding
he appropriation Of lands In accordance
With the suggestion In the commissions re-
bort, is step in the right direction, and we
rust our representatives will push with all
heir energy the measures necessary to the
of the initial works recommended