National Republican., 1882-12-15
RIVER SERVICE REFoRM.
Gen. Wright Believes I'm the Plan Now
Being Worked.

The examination of Gen. Wright, chief of
engineers of the war department, was con-
tinued by the special committee on improve
ment of the Mississippi river yesterday morn
ing. The general, as in his replies yesterday,
adhered to the opinion that the theory and
plan upon which the river commission is now
conducting the work or protecting the banks
and contracting the width of the river ia tho
best of any to which he has given any attcn-
tion for the Improvement of the navigation
of the river. Among tho interesting facts
developed were the following:
The effect of a cutoff was always disastrous,
Gen. Wright said, and nothing was ever
gained by it. If the length of the river were
diminished one-half by cut-otls the amount
of slope would be the same of course, and the
velocity of the water doubled. When asked
if he Thought there would ever be q time when
the bed of the river would be so worn down
by crasion that at high water the surface
would be below the natural banks. Gen.
Wright said he would not go on record as re-
plying to thatwithout giving IL more consid-
Grafton. He said he thought levees wcro
necessary at certain places on tho banks to
prevent the destruction of life and property,
but did not think levccs essential to secure
the desired aid to navigation. He said he
was not so strong an advocate OF the leNee sys-
tenn as some: he had given it very litty study.
Mr.. Thomas asked if Gen. Wright under
stood it to be the plan and duty of the Missis-
sippi river committee only to secure benefit to
low water navigation. He said he regarded
it rs the only purpose of the works now in
progress. He thought an outlet at Lake
Borgne would have the effect of slackening
the channel below and increasing the deposit
on the bed of the river. He thought it would
not prevent the flow through the south pass.
| In reply to Mr.. Butterwortl he said his
replies were based upon information gathered
| by the observation of others. He said he
did not consider anything necessary for the
improvement of navigation but the restric-
| ton of the banks. The duty Of the
| commission, under the organic act, as he
understood it, was to improve the navigation
| of the river, not to protect lands on the banks
| He was certain that an outlet Mt Lake Borgnc
would have no effect whatever upon the naVi-
cation of the river at points where 1t is ever
| troublesome !; its effect would not be felt sc
far as one hundred miles above He did moi
see why the commission should, undcr the
present appropriation, extend levees below
the mouth ef Red river. He thought an out
let only to carry off flood waters at Lake
Borgne would not cause q deposit below
which would impede navigation.
To all questions concerning an outlet al
Lake Bergne, his replies were that an outle
there would not be desirable for any reason
In reply to questions by Mr.. Holman, III
said that if dredging were resorted to, as tht
only means of removing bars, there werl
forty-three places where dredging woulC
have to be done, more or less, every year.
Gen. Wright stated, at the close of thu
morning session, that he had been brough
before the committee without time for prepa
ration.
This closed the examination of Gen.Wright
and the committee adjourned until tomorrow