Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-12-08


Lieut.. Smith s. Leach, secretsry of the
Mississippi River Commission, talked very
frankly and fully 10 Globe Democrat report
er yesterday about the recent inspecting Tour
made BY the River Commission. About the
most important action performed by the
members of the commission was the ailot-
mept, or rather the confirm stion of an allot-
ment, of $l5 900 to assist in closing the Bon
net Care crevasse. Tne State of Louisiana
has agreed TO contribute out OF its levee
funds, in conjunction with the New Orleans
and Meridian railroad, enough money to Ell
feet he closing OF the crevasse. The railroad
will use the embankment for its tracks. This
will be, for the railroad company, more e1-
pensive, but more durable and cheaper to
keep in repair than treetle across Pass Man
chac. The United States government, the
State of Louisiana and the New Orleans and
Meridian railroad (Which belongs to the
Erlanger system) will promptly effect the
closing of
THE LARGEST CREvAssE
on the Mississippi river. The whole work
Of building a sufficiently strong levee across
the mouth of Bonnet Care will cost about
S55, 900. The allotment of S15,0 900 ms ade by
the commission is coupled with the proviso
that Louisiana ald the railroad company
will complete the closing of the erevasse with
an embankment strong enough and high
enough to resist the river at its maximum
flood hight, the allotments to be paid over
. after the work has been approved by the
United States engineer in charge, Msj. Stick
ney. The railroad company agrees TO main
tain the levee after it has been built.
The commission has met with a serious
loss in the Tetiracy OF its president, Gen. q
A. Gilmore who was forced to withdraw
through severe ill-health. He is suffering
from a complication that il is feared will ne
cessitate dangerous surgical operation.
The election of Gen. Comstock as his sue
cessor is in pursuance of the rule requiring
that a vacancy in the office of president of
the com mission shall be filled by the one
among its military members next in rank 10
the last Incumbent. Lieut.. Leach is OF
opinion that the Congressional Committee
will make report adverse to the work al
ready done by the River Commission and
favoring an entire stoppage of appropria-
tions for prosecuting the Improvements al
ready begun.
In the first place, he said, there was not a
single member OF that committee who had
| the requisite knowledge 10 enable him TO
| pass Judgment upon the practicabiliiy of the
work he was inspecting. In the next place,
| a majority of the committee went on the in
| specting tour with minds already made up
ia condemn any and everything the United
States engineers were doing. And in the
third place, the works were not in as forward
| state render an inspection of them,
on the basis of achieved results, anything
other than imperfect and lacking in thor
| oughness, by reason of insufficient data to go
upon. The bill making the appropriation
was not passed until the I'd of August. The
first meeting OF the commission for the Pur-
| pose OF making allotmenls of the appropria-
ton was not held until the 18th of the same
| month.
THE LONG DELAY
in getting The bill through Congress caused
the work of the engineers TO be suspended
] meantime, and, in many instances the la
| boTers, boats, etc, became scattered. 1t took
considerable time 10 get all these together
| again, and to purchase sufficient "plant" tc
carry out the various works recommended by
the commission. In addition to this, there
was the rule to be followed requiring thirty
days advertisements before any bids could bt
accepted. Then, besides, operations were
commenced in the hight of the contemplating
season, and we couldn't get any negro labor
out OF the fields. On the other hand, whs
few white laborers were willing to brave the
malaria of the swamps along the lower rivel
were gobbled up by the levee contractors
So the 10th of September found
the commission able TO make
start. The necessary "plant" haC
been purchased, but we could no
get one-tenth OF the men necessary to FL
the works. Along comes the Congressiona
Committee, on the Guiding Star; they looi
through the windows of the steamer as sh'
passes the works, and graveIy decide tina
the whole plan of improving the channe
between 81. Louis and New Orleans ia
visionary scheme, ture to result in failure
This grave decision the members of th'
commission supple ement by taking the testi
mony of every Tom, Dick or Harry tha
calls himself an old stea nl boatman, who ha
views; on the outlet plan, and who know
how to
"CUss THEM SCIENTIFIC YELLERs,"
the United States engineers. Oh, of cours
The committee will report adversely to tn,
improvement of The Mississippi river: an,
my opinion is that unless the report is lhrot
tied by the friends of he Mississippi rive
before it gets on the Speakers table, it will
result very uDfavor1bly for any measur
looking 10 a continuance of the appropria q
ton. The breaks in the levees, which th
River Commission have concluded to leav
unclosed, are at Ashton, La, Just abov
Lake Providence; at Dismond Island, La
few miles below Vicksburg, and at MGR
ganza, Just above Bayou Sara. These ar
all old breaks OF several years. standing, an,
they have not been widened by many sue
cessive overfows. II has been deemed ih
wiser policy to mend the more recent break,
whose exposure 10 high water another sea
son would cause the washing away of mile
OF the levee in which they are located, an
10 leave the three old ones meutione,
to the fate of smother overflow and tn
action Of a Democratic Congress. Within
the, last two weeks laborfFs have been flock
ing on the works at Plumb Point and a
Providence Reach. Capt. Miller reports 80
men engaged at the former, and Capt. Mar
/ shall thinks that before Chrietmas he viii
have about 1000 at the latter place.
Much dissatisfaction and anxiety prevail
among tn. people of the Louisiana coas
country on account OF The delay OF some of tn
levee contractors in going to work. One fsl
low By the name oil G. A. Meyer csme In 70
good deal of strong language from tbos
people while the com 10 ission was down there
He had taken the contract for building tn
Bondursnt, Hsrdscrahble and Red Rive
! levees, requiring the placing Of about 600 ,00
cubic yards Of earth. After sending uI
ten scrapers and twenty wheelbarrows 10 tn
works, be ran away and left his bonds
men with the hsg 10 hold. 1t ia the in
tention OF The commission to lei th
work out 10 another party, by letter con
tract, and make Meyers bondsmen pay tht
excess, if any, over their principals contract
The bonds taken by the engineers for leye
contracts are bound 10 be good, because tb
people down th,Fe, who have the deepest in
terest in the matter, have scruiinized ever,
one OF them closely and would report tn
matter to the engineers if there was an,
question about their reliability. The Rive
Commission will meet in New York on tn
18th OF this month 10 prepare their annua
report, which will be laid before Congress
about The 1st of January.