Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-04-14

gress to take the work in hand, and tsunt
| iugly bid the States along the river, if they
wanted river improvement, to MAKE
] that improvement themselves. What ;
clear and accurate representation o
| facts failed to secure, the overwhelming
testimony afforded by the food OF tht
| present spring has accomplished. In ano
out of Congress the question IL no"
restricted to how the work shall bt
| done Some Of our distant contemporaries
are expressing the strongest possible ideas
and evidently entertain the most mistaken
! notions as to the Mississippi river and the
peculiarities it exhibits. Several OF them
under the impression that if we would ex-
cayase reservoirs and, where favorable, dam
up low grounds, and into these allow the
surplus waters of the foods to flow, then let
those waters out in the dry season so as TO
prevent low water during the fall, the whole
problem would be solved. II we were TO tell
such advisers that their specific is as useless
a. a receipt would be to keep the green
cheese of which the moonis made from mold
ing, we have no doubt they would think they
know better, But their prescription will do
no harm, which is more than can be said oil
some other nostrums offered. The one most
likely to mislead those who have not given
the subject ample attention is what is called
the "outlet system" To those unacquainted
with the principles that underlie the phenom-
ena OF the Mississippi river nothing can look
more plausible than a proposition to have
certain openings so arranged that when the
river rises above a safe hight the surplus
water should flow off and find its way to the
sea by some other channel, just as when the
cup ia too full The difficulty that ensues is
relieved by pouring the superfuous portion
into the saucer. Plausible as this looks 1t is
an erroneous solution of the problem, for
the reason that the Mississippi stream III
cludes suspended sediment as well as water,
and this suspended matter is what comPlI-
Gates the question. That outlets are lnsuf-
fcient is proved by the fact that, with all
the outlets provided by broken 1evees, and
all the reservoirs offered by overlooked
swamps and low grounds, the flood has still
prevailed, and surely there never could be
more outlets than there are now. In his
evidence the other week before a congress
,ional committee, Captain Eads was asked
whether, leaving the natural channel of the
river untouched, and having outlets only at
points above the level OF that chan
mel, the surplus water would not
low off without injury to the channel
itself. That gentleman answered mo" The
reason is that the water carries sediment IN
and the amount SO carried at any
lime or place depends upon the rate OF the
When that is quickened from any
cause it washes up more sediment from the
bottom and carries it onward; when from
obstruction or other cause the current be-
comes slower, it drops portion of the sedi-
ment 10 the bottom If the reader will put
a spoonful of clean sand into glass he will
zee that when the water is stirred 1t takes up
some of the sand, the quicker it is stirred
he more sand is taken, the slower the less |
sand nothing can be more simple. During
4 food the large volume OF water In the river
increases the speed OF the current and it
carries large amount OF sediment accord
ngly. Now suppose an outlet to be reached !
and a certain part of the water to flow of by |
A side opening. The decrease 80 made in the
volume of water decreases the speed of the
in exact proportion to the loss OF water,
and the amount of sediment held by the water
would decrease exactly in proportion to the |
loss of speed. The sediment no longer car |
led would fall to the bottom, and in time |
he bed of the river would be raised so that a |.
hoal would be formed there and navigation |
,e INSTRUCTED. On the other hand close the |
outlets, shut in the food by levees, and the
waters would rush forward with increased |
peed and take up more sediment from the
,ottom and carry it out to the sea. This
ction would deepen the channel, and in pro-
portion as that is deepened navigation is
improved and the danger from floods is
diminished. If the reader is at the trouble
o comprehend the explanation here given, he
will understand the principles upon which
be River Commission propose TO work, and
ie will comprehend the folly and unreasena-
leness of the outlet system.