The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1880-04-17

sugar-houses and dwelling were
everywhere erected. Lands were ! 4
worth one hundred dollars per acre
anil they owed their value solely
to the protection afforded by the G
leyees. The alluvial country was
being so rapidly developed. that
it il fair to assume its wealth
would have been nearly doubled
during tho twenty years that have
elapsed since the war interviewed
to stop its progress. This dsvel-
opment was due to an imperfect
system of lcvees. the maiden efforts
OF q new but rapidly developing
country. Then what might be
done with . complete system tor
substantial levces constructed and
maintained under national super
yision9 Here Is the "tcst Of exper-
imsntatiou." Aud here arc facts
versus theories.
During the four years which fol-
lowed 1850, the levecs were to a
large extent destroyed. by neglect
and the cxigencics Of war. Arxsn-
cas- appears to have suffered INST
heavily In this respect, as The
levccs that wore left between the
mouth Of the Arkansas and the
Louisiana line. Afforded NO
protection whatever. Louisiana
made au effort after the war 70 rc-
build her levcos, having organized
| ! State ssystcn,:" but even this
was imperfect, as shc was
largely dependent for protection,
upon the lcvces Of Arkansas over
/ viii III sho had no control, aud
. | Ark amsas was unable to rebuild.
, While Louisiana protected her
own front tolerably well all Of her
Q interior lands North Of Red River
. Of an alluvinl character, were
open to tho attacks OF water which
, passed through the breaks IL the
/. Arkansas levccs. The same y
} true at the present time. There
. urc 10 this day many thousands Of
/ acres Of as fertile land as tho sun
i shines. upon, lying along the inte-
B rior bayous Of Louisiana, that
/. were once blooming III wealth and !
) prosperity which have rclapsed
I into the original state Of wilder
T. ness from which they wore wrest'
y cd at So h cost and labor, because
o. The Arkansas lovccs have not beer
n rebuilt.
:. Mississippi has . good lcvee
! system, being free from comp'ica
, tioms with othcr States. Her lnnd'
!. are we'll pro tected, and command
y much higher prices than s''nl'a'
!. lands in Louisiana or Arkansas
10 1 conclude TINT the protcctio
!. - Of these alluvial lands ought to bt
y made q matter Of national conccrI
:, US the general government alone
!, ;. has power to afford this protection
!. An efficient linc Of lcvccs, con b'
ha built at much lower cost than
m generally supposed, huving duo n
!. gard for the geographical feature
- ~ OF the country. We will takc Q
=, 1.-THE basis for al estimate, tho repol
Of o commission Of engineers al
m pointed by Congress to conside
,ro this subject u few years a ag'
ion This commission estimated Il
in cost OF a complete line Of levce
he from tho head Of The Dc!ta to u,
Inc Gull, Ut forty.six and q half mi
.cl lions Of dollars. This was upe
ay. an nes.ima lied cost per cubic yal
be. Of City ccnts; while twenty cen
Ind would be high average MOI
Tint difference alone would rcdu
! the amount to say eighteen and
Ae' halfmillions. But they also CO
''"s templatcd a permanent line
10Y leyees, whichis tallacy, 50 To-
'',' 80 the banks continue to cave.
Wy was therefore to be located 80
w. w. back from the river ~ ~ yet up
's"' very low ground, and conscqncn
- the amount Of work estimated
~. G bc done, too great. They conclt
'0e' ed that II should be mAle to
run height which would bring II frs
onV 4lo Ii feet above the high wa'
the plan Of 1858, which was probal
, an in excess Of the real rcquircin
uta. They also provided for repair
ted, and maintaining the old line
,wn front levee IN addition. Aga
Al the State OF Mississippi W.
onl- probably nocd but little mid at {
e.. lime, NOw when the eiyhtccll
half millions are diminished
cgan ali tllcne considerations,
as amount really necessary
arisI, dwindlo down to conparati'
anal. nrOportions, and tho COVE