The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-06-04
SOME IMPORTANT FACTS.

1t seems that a necessary prelimi-
nary to the determination of the question,
as to the remedy for the accumulation of
water within our levces in periods of high
water, is the ascertainment Of the sources
from which this water is derived.
II is, uncontested that there
are strata of sand and light earth under.
lying our city, which admit Of the passage
OF the water through them from the rivers,
and when this water meets an opening
through the more solid earth above it
within the levees, by the operation of the
principle of natural philosophy that water
Will find its level, the flow of water from
the rivers into the basin within our lcvees
through the openings, will continue until
the waters within the levees and the riy-
ers becomeof an equal height.
But there Is more fruitful source
of supply to this accumulation of water
within the leveesl The entire area within
the evees is 1886 acres, or 52,OS3, $50
square or superficial feet. The records of
the l. ). signal Office here show that the
rainfall in Cairo for the months of Deem
Der, 1881, and January, February and
March, 1882, was "a q inches. This rain
fall for the months on this 1,19G acres will
make LOG, $50, 4l9 cubic feet of water, equal
to 1874, 1903 barrels, of 80 gallons each,
deposited within the levees within that
time.
Of the 1896 acres within the levces, it
is assumed that ards were covered by
water at the time the sewers were opened
the last of March, to the average depth of
A feet; in some places the water being deep
er and in more places not so deep Two
Thirds of 1876 acres will be about 797
acres, or 34,722,35S square or superficial
feet; and an average of feet of water over
it will give 13S,SS9,432 cubic feet or 25,-
on, 1853 barrels of water within the leyees
at the time of opening the sewers. Take
from the whole quantity of water existing
as estimated within the levees at that
time, which, as stated above, was 25,077,-
25S bbs.; the quantity accumulating from
rain, l9,184,103 bbls., and we have $685.
100 bbls., as the whole amount of water
accumulated at the time specified from
all other causes than rains. From
these figures it will be observed that the
rain water was about 3l5 times greater
than the water accumulated from all other
causes combined. This 5,S93,155 barrels
of sipeage water would cover but about 100
acres to the depth of feet, an area in ex-
tent of about one sixth only of the whole
area within the levees.
While the above calculation as to the
amount of water arising from rainfalls are
quite correct, those with regard to the guam
tity existing at the time of opening the
sewers are but conjectural and approx
mate, but can be accurately aScertained by
a careful Typographical survey the ground
within the levees.
These suggestions are made with view
simply to direct attention to one of the
ceuses of our late inconvenience TO which
but insufficient attention, it appears
has been given.
To show how important an element the
rain water would seem to be in any ar.
rangement for rcmedying the troubles we
have lately been subjected to, a statement
obtained from the gentlemanly and oblig.
ing signal officer at this station is herewith
given.
Monthly rainfalls from December 1st,
1881 to May 3lst, 1882;