The Evening critic., 1882-03-27
Tho v,..,ss,,p, Overflow.

10 TIE Editor Qf The Ece1lag critic.
In my letter TO you OF the 23d Inst. adverted
10 n fact which should ever be steadily kept In
view in every consideration connected with tho
improvement OF the Mississippi River, and
am gratlncd 10 find in your Issue OF Saturday
that my views are indorsed by Mr. Hicks, "a
Mississippi River boatman, n gentleman hav-
ing practical experience In regard TO the great
water course. The factI allude 20 is the abso.
Lutte necessity OF n wider vent for the flood
within Its embankment and n deeper one to be
brought about by the construction OF 1ettfes.
This is, "boiling down" the entire plan for
successful Improvement. The two proposi-
tons go hand and hand-neither Is complete
without the other. The policy OF the Govern
ment heretofore pursued OF extracting snags
and sawyeis and sand bars, on which millions
have been expended, are mere temporary ex-
pedlents to al1ay the disease-if may use the
expression-not to remove IL. II the channel
OF the river is bordered at proper intervals by
jetties Its current will be so accelerated as 10
prevent trees which have fallen into the river
from fastening themselves, and, though bars
to some extent may perhaps ever exist,
there Will be always deep and safe channel
on the eastern or western shore. The policy
OF making "cut-offs" should be entirely
ignored. Tho Mississippi and all other western
rivers are obstinately more or loss serpentine,
and you must consult their fnclinations II you
wish to win favors from them. The great
work should never be undertaken ON the
make-shift, patch-up, cheap-John plan, but be
carried out, year by year, mile by mile, In the
most thorough manner until completion.
Within twenty years, by adopting this plan,
the Mississippi may berendered as secure in It's
embankments, as safe and reliable Tor freight
commerce of the great West may pass to the
sea, untaxed by monopolsts, free as the air
we breathe. The amount OF cotton, corn,
wheat, flour, pork, etc., which one steamer
could be the means OF transporting, would be
measured only by the number OF barges she
could control, for the current of the river is
the moving power. This is no Utopian idea.
II can be realized readily, II only the means
are provided for the work. The river can be
dyked and jettied the entire distance from
Kpolxnk. tbp month of tho Dps MOinpa. TO
New orleans, on an expenditure of less than
S10,O00,OOO per year, for ten years. our
plethoric Treasury will scarcely feel these
payments. Let me advert to another fact.
Most OF tho unoccupied, overhowed lands be-
long 10 the States In which they are located
they having been ceded by the United States
but / doubt not they would be retroceded,
upon the condition that the Government
should make the proposed improvement. 1t is
that the overflown region upon the river COW
ers an area as large as the State OF Vermont,
which contains 4,52S,000 acres. II three
fourths of these swamp lands are owned by
the States and would be transferred to the
Government here would be 3, ,396, 900 acres OF
land, the richest In America, permanently
rescued from the water, which could be sold
and there would be an active demand there-
tor-for cotton, corn, rice and sugar culture.
The sums realized therefrom would 60 far
toward remunerating the National Govern
men for Its expenditures. Again, railroads on
either side of the river should be permitted Ia
be laid, the result Of which would be more
| rendering 1t polite and essential that the
companies should keep them in good con
| dition-of course they would not always
| follow the meanderings Of the river. Here Is
| the path for the shortest safest, most beauti
| full road from ST. Louis to Now Orleans a road
| which in time would be travelled as much al
that from New York to Albany, along the Hud
| son. These, with many other suggestions
| might present, have arisen and believe de
| serve the thoughtful consideration of all cti
| zens interested in the general welfare of
| common country. Yours truly,
| CHARLES ROWLAND.
| WASHINGTON, d. c., March 49, 1882.