The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1881-12-24
The Mississippi River Commission.

WASHINGTON December Is.
The Senate to-day received from the Secre.
tary of War the annual report of the Nissis-
sippi River Commission. Ii covers the prog
ress made in surveys and examinations from
the date OF the last report January :. ls,i up
to October 20, 1851. During this period the
triangulltion Of the river has been Completed
from Arkansas City, Ark, TO Grccnvile. Miss,
where it joins the Coast Survey River, now
triangulatcd from Kcokuk Iowa, % the
Gulf of Mexico. The lines Of precise levels
are complete between Kcobuk and New Or
leans. With the remainder of the present APP
preparation it is hoped during the coming
year to complete the final topography and
photography from st. Louis to Nicksburg and
complete the work of ascertaining the lines
Of levels across the alluvial bottoms Of the
Mississippi
The Commission report they have expended
$4,000 for surveys from Deccgber II, 1880
to November 10, 1881, and have a balance of
Sill, 900, which it is thought will be expended
during the remainder Of the current year end
ing June 80, 1889. The estimates of the next
fiscal year for surveys, etc. call for 100000
The works Of improvement contemplated un-
der the existing appropriations include channel
between Cairo and Memphis, a distance of l45
miles, and the second between Skipwith's
Landing, La, and Island No. IS, distance of
twenty-five miles.
1t is the unanimous opinion of the Commits
sion that the improvement and navigation of
the Mississippi below Cairo, upon the general
plan recommended in their report of February
Il, 1870, Is entirely practicable, and that the
cC-..y.cO!vn Of the work for which partial esti-
mates were then submitted will establish a
continuous low-rivcr channel not less than ten
feet deep over all shoals and bars between
Cairo and the head Of the passes with posi-
bility of attaining practicable depths consd-
erably beyond that limit.
The Commission estimates the total cosA of
the improvements needed i'm the Mississippi
at S33, 100000. OF the 81 100000 appropriated
by the act of March 3, 1881, $3.50, 900 had been
expended up to Nov. %, 1881, and the remain
der, $3.50 600 will, it is thought, be expended
during the present fiscal year. For the next
fiscal year 50, 10000 is asked to contract the
channel and protect caving banks on six
reaches of the river, 1874 miles in length, and
! 100000 for closing existing gaps in the
| levees.
The Commission renew the accommodation
contained in the former report that provisions
be made by law for appropriations of land or
material when needed in the improvement of
the river and not otherwise obtainable. 1t is
recommended that authority be given the
! Commission in charge of the work to apply TO
! the United States Courts for condemnation of
! land or material and assessment of damage to
owner, In addition to such legislation it is
recommended that Congress declare to what
! extent the river shall be under the control of
! the Commission during the progress of the
! work, and under what circumstances and to
! what extent the material found on bars or
islands within the banks may be used without
| compensation to owners