The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-04-06
WHAT MAKES FLOODS.
An Account of tho Cause OF the MissIs,,n,,i
Overflow.

- --~NSehh va thc GtuSe OF tne MtbSigsinls
Overflow.
10 form a proper conception of tn,
lower Mississippi and the cause Of Il,
overflow, imagine the mighty stream
moving, from the mouth Of the Ohio
hiyer tnrou b vast alluvial plain thirty
miles wide and gradually extending to
width OF $50 miles at the Gulf of Mexico
Through the entire length of this plair
TINS turbld stream flows in q zigzag anc
constantly shifting channel distance O.
nearly a thousand miles to where Il
empties through It's several mouths into
the gulf. This plain. containing nearl,
1O,oOO square miles has been formed iI
the course of ages from material brought
down from the uplands of Mississippi
and Its tributaries. Rich in vegetable
and organic meter, finely filtrated. i. is
consequently one of, if not the most fer.
tiic and productive regions in the United
states, the richest portions being found
IN the bottom lands" Immediately con.
Iguous to the river and its numerous
tributaries. Both sides are lined with
plantations, which extend for miles back
into the country, all of which are more
or less under cultivation, while thriving
towns and cities dot it's banks to tbe
Crescent City.
THE LEYEEs.
In the summer, and when the river is
low, its surface is depressed from 20 to so
feet below its banks, but when the al.
tumnal rains set in, followed by the
spring thaws, the channel rapidly fl,s,
and wherever unchecked overfows its
banks right ant, left, spreading for many
miles over the great, wide, level plain.
10 protect the cultivated lands from this
yearly threatened ;nuudation they are
guarded by artificial embankments
thrown up in front Of each plantation.
These are called levees, and are hundreds
OF miles in extent, almost lining the en-
tire course of the river. They vary in
height from six to forty feet in some
places, and are proportionately thick at
the base. AS might be expected, the
cost of building and keeping in repair
these immense earth structures is very
ceavy. In some instances it deyolyes
upon the county, in others upon the
state, i'll many instances upon the indi.
vidual planters, and it is largely to O.
want OF proper and comprehensive en-
gineerlng system capable of coping effect
ually with the yearly threatened danger
that the present disaster is TO be attri-
buted.
When the channel of the river is full
its level is many feet above that OF the
adjacent country and within few inches
probably Of the top Of the levee. The
danger arising from its great pressure
against these artificial banks from a cur.
rent OF immense volume running at the
rate of seven miles an hour eau be readi.
ly estimated.
IN DANGER-THE CREVASSE
At such times the people live in con.
slant dread of inundation, and are called
upon to exercise the keenest vigilance to
prevent catastrophe. Neither money.
labor nor time is spared in such emer-
gencies. The entire neighborhood is
summoned to action, oil weak points are
at once strengthened, new ievees are
sometimes erected in the rear like Sec
ond line of .orti tifications guards patrol
the banks day and night searching for
the least leak in the earth wall, or the
iaintest stopping over the top, for woe
betide the section tina. allows one 20 es-
cape notice. In very short time the
bank melts before it like dissolving sugar
and pressing wall of water cuts rs way
through, making the dreaded crevasse.
A crevassee or break in the leyee once
made is rarely closed, and only then
under exceptional circumstances and with
great difficulty. A torrent of water sew
eral feet high pouring through an open
ing of crumbling earth walls is no easy
thing to check, and, in fact, rarely is
checked. Unless there is existing, or has
been erected, "a protection levee" in the
rear it only takes very few hours for the
sea of waters to spread over miles of the
level, cultivated valley, drowning the
crops, destroying stock and spreading
ruin and desOlation broadcast.
The only method ever successful in
stopping crevasscs is by driving strong
piles and filling up the instertices with
sand bags, but this method is only effec-
tive in minor instances, since once under
headway nothing can withstand the force
OF the rushing waters. Under the cir
cumstances it is impossible to estimate
the losses and suffering incurred by the
victims of the late overflow. The inun-
dated district is so vast in extent and NAV
be submerged with its devastated crops
for so many weeks, during which period
its people will remain entirely destitute
as far as any ability to provide for their
own wants is concerned, that even in its
present aspect it rises to the proportions
of national calamity.
FORMER INUNDATIONs.
The history of the Mississippi delta ia
history of repeated overfows.
Francis Xavier Martin records an eA-
traordinary rise in 1718.
Gagaree states that in 1875 the waters
were so high that many levees were
broken and New Orleans was inundated.
A great flood is recorded by Gen. Sar.
gent as occurring in 1770, Of which few
particulars are given.
In 1882 the WHOLE districts of Alta
kapas and Opelousas were inundated.
Another overflow occurred in 1885, an
oths. in 1871, others in 1886 and 1899,
and in 1909, according to Gov. Sargent,
the resulting devastation was so great
that the people imagined the northern
lakes had broken through q channel to a
river.
In 1911 and in 1919 the river again
broke through the levee, inundating the
entire Teche county, and in 1916 "a very
great food" occurred, in which the Ohio
River reached at it's mouth the highest
point ever recorded.
Again in 1916, 1928 and 1924 portions
of the country were overflowed.
Between 1924 and 1860 seven "great'
floods are recorded, respectively in 1928
1874, 1849, 1850, 1851, 1858 and 1859
All these were marked with great de-
strnction of property, but that of 1856
was by far the worst, the damage occa
stoned being immense. the ST. Francis
Tensas and Yazoo bottoms being entirel,