Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-14
THE FATHER OF WATERS.
CHIEF ENGINEER WRIGHT
GIVES HIS VIEWS

On the Improvement of the River-Tha
Work Satisfactory so far as 1t has Pro-
gressed-Feasibility of the Plans-In-
huenee of the Levees-A General Re-
view of the Problem.
WAsHISsToN, Dec. 13.--The special
committee ON the Improvements of the
Mississippi river met this morning for the
/ hrst time since their separation at the
close of the trip of examination. General
Wright, Chief of Engineers, was ex-
amlned as to his observation of the work
III progress ON the river. He stated that
he believed that the works intended for the
contraction of the river are accomplishing
ther oDJects, so far as they have pro-
gressed, as also the works for the purpose
OF protecting the banks of the river.
When asked by Mr.. Ellis, of the COM
mittee, as to his opinion of the efficacy
and stability of the works. he said he had
the fullest faith in them, and that he had
no reason to doubt the correctness of the
theory on which the work was begun. He
cited the point known as the Horse Tail
shOal, below st. Louis. as one which had
been swept away by the system of piles
and wattles for contracting the river. He
stated that he had found no waste Of
money IN the purchases of plants for the
work of the Commission. The effect of
the outlets, he thought, would be to shOal
the river, and the more outlets there We're
the worse it would be for navigation.
In reply to questions from Chairman
Burrows, he described the process of pro-
tectlng the banks by mattresses, and said
the mattresses would have to be extended
TO all places where the banks cave. The
new banks, too, would have to be 40 nro-
tected to complete the system and control
the river.
On being asked as to the practicabilitv
Of cOntning the river within a bed of three
hundred feet width from Cairo down.
General Wright stated that it was prac-
ticable from the standpoint of engineer
ing. 1t was a matter of expense. He
could not give an estimate of the EXPENSE.
The work had not extended far enough to
make this possible. He thought that bv
the time the appropriation shall be eX-
pended the experiment would be carried
far enough to make it possible to estimate
the cost and worth of such work.
In reply to Mr.. Robinson, of Massachu-
sets, gave it as his opinion that changes
of the rivers bed might be prevented: that
so far as navigation is concerned the work
of cOntining the river is only needed In
low water stages. He had never consid-
cred any project for cOnfining the river
within banks fifteen hundred feet apart AZ
enormous work, involving very large
and unnecessary outlay of money. He
declined to attempt to estimate. AS to
the leyees, he believed the bottom of the
river would be favorably affected
by levee system, and so would
be improved for IOw water navigation.
Below the mouth of the Red river there
was never any trouble to navigation ON
high or low water. He thought it an
unfair question to ask him what possible
use the levees could be to navigation
below that point. He thought, however.
that it would decrease the deposit by
increasing the current, though there had
never been any trouble below that
point from such deposits. The river
there is from fifty to one hundred feet
deep. He thought the completion of the
contemplated works would not clearly
demonstrate the fact that other points en-
the river would not have to be protected.
If at Plum Point and the other pOiEfs ex-
perimented with the plans worked suc-
cessfully, it would show the Feasibility of
eXpending money for the same kind of
works at other points. The last appro-
prlatIon made was larger than necessary
to make tests at the points where they
had been contemplated.
The committee viii continue the ex-
animation of Gen. Wright tomorrow,