Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-08-19
THE FATHER OF WATERS.
FURTHER ACTION OF THE COM
MISSION.
Another Plea for Viekaburg-The
Changes in AilOIments-The Total
Amount AppOrIIOned The Re.
serve Fund.

NEW YORK, August 1S.-At yesterdays
session of the Mississippi River Commis-
sion a determination was reached to recon-
mend the Approximate allotment of the
sum of s4, ,l23, 900, which is for the i'm
provement of the river below Cairo in
the following manner: For the con-
tinuation of the work at Plenn
Point, sixty miles above Memphis.
$500, 900; for continuation of the work in
progress, sixty miles above Vicksburg, at
Lake Providence, 100000; for work at
New Madrid, seventy miles below Cairo.
$500, 900; for work near Memphis and for
the continuation of the work in the harbor
of Memphis, 100000; for various harbor
works In addition and the balance now
available, 1923. 600. and for the repair of
levees by the stoppage OF existing gaps.
81 300, 900. The sum of 100000 also was
left unallotted for contingencies.
The commission decided .hat the work
should begin on the east bank of the river.
some miles above the mouth of the Yazoo,
and should continue upward. The COM
mtssioners recommend that the sum of eight
hundred thousand dollars, which has been
raised by local authorities, be applied in
such way as to secure, in connection with
the work done by the government, con-
tinuitV Of lines Of levees from below
upward. With this end in view the com.
mission, In making the allotment, took into
consideration the amount of work likely to
be done by local authorities. The work at
Plenn Point aud Lake Providence consists
principally OF narrowing the stream so as to
increase the rapidity of the current and pre-
vent the formation Of sand bars, which have
tendency to shift the channel OF the
stream.
One Of the proposed projects is to prevent
by entertainments a flow of the water of the
Mississippi through Atchafalaya river.
When the Mississippi rises it's waters are
often diverted into this channel, and an in
creastng tendency has appeared Of late on
the part of-the great river to shift its chan
mel entirely into the course of the smaller
stream, the result OF which would prove dis
astrous to the cities below.
The Mississippi River Commission met
again to day at army headquarters. Another
appeal was made by the Vicksburg delega-
tion towards securing, II possible, a certain
amount OF money ($200, ,000) to carry on the
work OF improvement there They seemed
anxious that the dredging of the canal and
basin in front OF the elevator and levee
should be carried out. The matter was
postponed for the present. The commits
sion decided to recommend the continuance
and protection of Delta Point,
The allotments made yesterday were re-
considered and few amendments made,
the principal of which are transfer of $780,
600 each from the allotment for New Madrid
and Plenn Point, and $4,000 from that of
Lake Providence to the unallotted balance.
The allotments for these places as they
now stand are: At New Madrid $780,
600, Plenn Point 100000 and
Lake Providence $650,O00 The other allot-
ments remain as before. For Memphis
hsrbor and work, $50.000; closing gaps in
levees, 81, 300 900, and the contingent fund,
$4,000. This makes up total allotment of
81, l23,O00. The commission recommend to
the War Department that immediate prepa-
rations be made to keep open the
mouth Of Red river by dredging as hereto
fore at low water. The next meeting of
the commission will be in St. Louis early in
September.