Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1882-09-23
The Levees of the Mississippi.


In Louisiana the levee system is of
comparative antiquity, having had its
beginning in the earlier years of the
eighteenth cenSry, and the embank-
ments long ago came under the jurisdic-
ton of local and State Government aud
assumed the dignity of public works. In
Mississippi and Arkansas, however, the
reclamation OF the swamp was an enter
prise of much more moderate date, hav-
ing its origin almost within memory of
persons now living. and at tirst--and,
indeed, for long time--it was exploited
solely by individual effort.
The earlier settlements on the river
between Memphis and Vicksburg-Gen-
orally wood-yartls with small appurton-
ant corn tields-were made upon rnusu-
ally-hiSh spots, which, although really
formed by antecedent in,lndation, OBJ
tanned, absurdly enough, the reputation
of being "above overflow" because, for
a number of years, they had not been
actually submerged. They were priced
accordingly, and the corn fields of the
wood choppers were gradually trans
formed into cotton plantations, at first,
Of course, of worry limited dimensions.
Similar elevated spots were sought ont
and subjected to culture, and, before
any leveeing operations had been at
tempted, the river bank Oh both sides
WAS dotted with settlements of pioneer
planters, who sought to utilize the fertile
soil by cultivation. A very few years,
however, sutiiccd to demonstrate the
fallacy of the "above-overriow" preten-
sion the planters mind relinguished
the delusion that land should be- high
it was sufficient that it should be dry
and the proprietOrs deemed it expedieht
10 fortify against their common enemy.
The water-marks left by the flood upon
trees, stumlS and fences were as plain
Us paint these indicated the level OF the
water and supplied the want of engiu-
eering science. A make-shlit levee OF
primitive style was constructed, very
near the river bank, because less land
was thereby thrown out, and because
the ground is always highest upon the
margin OF the river. sloping thence IN
land. AS the plantations increased in
number and approAimated each other,
the principle OF co.operntion appeared;
leyees were built across unoccupied
lands until there were disconnected
strings ten, twelve or fifteen miles long.
The cons ruction of these was fur from
satisfactory. The operatives were gen
orally the plantation negroes. At that
time the Irish ditcLers and levee build
ers had scarcely made their appearance
in the country. The colored people are
not usually distinguished for their skill
in the use Of the spade, anu cannot at
all compete with the Hibernian. Some
years there was high water, carrying
dismay to tho planters heart; some
years there was low water, inspiring
confidence and carity occasionally
there was no "water at all-the river
did not get out Of its banks, and was,
therefore, held in contempt. In 1874,
however, the Mississippi, having appar-
emily lost all patience with this persist
cnt intrusion upon its domains, "spread
itself, to use vulgarism singularly de-
scriptive of the operation, and treated
its unbidden guests to tirst-cluss "big
overflow" the like of which had not been
seen since 1928. The river rose early
aud went down late it overflowed the
whole country, und filled up the entire
swamp ruined al the lesees, great and
small remained at or near high-water
mark week after week and month after
month until late in July, aud did not
finally retire w thin its banks until
nearly the middle OF August. IPiltium
l.. MuJrec, ST., an Scri6ncr.