The Evening critic., 1882-07-12
THE COST OF THE LEvsEs.

what the Mississippi Lcvccs VIII
Cost-Facts For Taxpayers 40 Con-
slider.
Mr.. Plumb yesterday introduced tho Lake
Dorgne outlet plan of Captain Cowdon In tho
Senate as an amendment TO the River and
Harbor BILL but IL was ruled out on point OF
order. II Is unfortunate for the country Mt
large, and the residents Of the Lower Mlssis.
sippi In particular, that the Chair so ruled
for, sooner or later perhaps after spending
some millions Of dollars In the old way tho
Congress will be compelled to adopt Captain
Cowdon's plans. This Is certain TO como to
piss, for his plans are based upon the very
simple and familiar fact that
Water Runs Down Hill,
which fact seemed TO have escoped the atten.
tlon Of the River Commission and its cham.
plons among the engineers. Just what Is
going on In tho Mississippi is very happily
Stated by Mr.. Plumb,
who said.
81 desire to say that tho general proposition
which we have proceeded upon in this bill Is
TO carry out the theory upon which the cham
mel Of the Mississippi was closed by the Eads
1etiies. In other words, We made tho mouth OF
pouring into that funnel about Ave
or six times as much water
as the mouth Will carry. out In so doing We
are submerging the lands that lilo above, wo
are increasing tho height OF tho natural
channel OF the river, and compelling this Gov
eminent In point Of fact TO create ioyces along
the bank Of that stream. While the effect OF
that is not going TO be so immediate rs some
might suppose, within short period OF time,
calculating the life Of this countryus the life
Of n milton, we shall be compelled TO con-
stanty increase the embankment OF that
stream In order to prevent tho overflow
which We have invited by n contraction of tho
mouth OF the stream. Sooner or later we shall
be compelled, as something which Will DO re.
quired OF us TO meet an emergency, TO mike
an artificial outlet for the waters Of tho Misss.
il would be the part Of wisdom to moot this
emergency before IL rises, on the principle
that one ounce OF prevention Is worth pound
Of cure.
A few
Facts i'm Regard 10 the River,
applicable TO lovees, may not be amiss;
Tho river, with a fall OF $50 feet, In going
100 miles to the Gulf, does not How on
straight line, but has what we call sag.
Starting with . feet elevation Mt Cairo, as
claimed by the Board of Engineers OF 1870,
tho differences from straight line VIII be as
follows
At Cairo, 3 feet.
At Point Pleasant, 100 miles below, 80 feet.
AT Memphis, 200 miles below, So feet.
At Helena, 800 miles below, "a feet.
At Napoleon, 400 miles below, so feet.
AT Vicksburg, 600 miles below, 81 feet.
At Natchez, 700 miles below, "a feet.
At Mouth Rue Run, 40 miles below, 81 feet
Al Baton Rouge, $50 miles below, 80 feet.
At Donaldsville, 900 miles below, 81 feet.
AT New orleans, 1000 miles below, II feet.
At Head OF Pass, LOO miles below, 2 feet.
The average divergence from straight line,
bers, 81 feet. The usual rule for the dimen-
sions OF levees Is 10 feet base for each foot In
height. Two levees would of course be re-
CURED, ono on each bank OF the river. Those
leyees would have TO have an average height of
~ feet, and would, therefore, be $40 feet at
base.
one mile of such leveo would contain 65i,-
TO cubic yards, which, Mt twenty-five cents
per cubic yard, would make the levce cost
S321,71O. per mile. There would DO 1,100
n 1pyQnQ al ha ri 70 pt.
1900 miles OF levees In all. Tho total cost OF
building those levees would aggregate tho
enormous sum OF
s7I4,l8l,OOO.
Now, this Is tho first cost only. 1t does not
take any account OF the annual expense of
Keeping up such levees. Nor does 1t take any
account Of the tributaries, which will also
have to be leveed, and the cost of these levees
Will, probably, be double the cost of the levees
on the main river.
This is the folly, 50 costly as to seem to a
plain man 10 be insane, that this Congress is
about to commit tho General Government to.
How like you the picture, Msesieurs states-
men?
Wouldn't 1t be we'll to let Cowdon and his as
sociates experiment little at their own ex-
pense, before plunging into this system which
will end only In bankruptcy to the Treasury;
shame TO Its advocates, and desolation and
death TO the valley and It's people?
Divorce Suit Dismissed.
Justice Hagncr, in the Equity Court yester-
Cassidy for divorce from Henry II. Cassidy
the grounds alleged for the application being
drunkenness and cruelty. Tho bill was nled
py Mrs. Lockwood in April last 1t rec!tos
that tho parties were informally married In
May, 1877, and sets forth various acts OF
cruelty with drunkenness. Justice Hagner
held that neither of tho allegations were
supported by the proof, proof OF "habltual
drunkenness for period OF three years OF the
party complained against" being required.
He held, also, that there was no proof suiliclcnt
TO support the charge of cruelty, and that
the evidence of the complainant herself Is
inadmissible. She stated that defendant
having promised TO lead n new life, and she
not being satisfied with her marriage, they
were remarked on June 20, 1881. There was
| no proof Of tho informal marriage, and no adj
| Missile evidence OF the remarriage, the GER
tlfcate not appearing In the form prescribed.
IL the irregular certificate could be accepted 1t
| would show q marriage which occurred only
ten months before the bill for divorce was flled,
which would render 1t impossible for the
| drunkenness, which was mado the subject OF
| complaint, 10 have continued three years.
| Another Monument for George.
The Father OF HIS Country Is to have another
4 Nc. F al...