The Evening critic., 1882-03-29
THE MISSISSIPPI OVERFLOW.
Views of an Experienced Steamboat
Mnu.


CRITIC reporter yesterday met Captain
John P. Lcathers, and old Mississippi River
steamboat man Of forty years experience.
Captain Loathers is the owner Of the Natchez,
one OF the largest and finest boats on the
Father OF Waters. He arrived In the city yes
terday and was cornered at the Ebbitt last
night by THE CRITIC reporter and questioned
as to what he knew Of the suffering Of the
people along the Mississippi owing to the
great overflow.
"How," asked THE CRITIC, "do things look
down the overnowed valley? What is the out
look for the future?"
"Things look badly, indeed, and very gloomy
for the future Of this sectlon.'
"were the people surprised at the immen-
sity Of the overnow?r
~ left here the middle of January last and
told my friends to leave the bottoms. You see
l felt what was coming. l told them not TO
delay the matter, but to bet on old Leathers
one more time, and II l was not right l would
never advise again."
"Why did you go admonish2 What alarmed
you soY''
"why, you see, have been on the aIissls.
slppi River forty years. l have noticed its
changes as closely as n physician does the
pulse of his patient. Now, you see, ever since
the levce system was inaugurated, the chan
mel has been widening and shoaling The
bottom has been coming to the top. The lovee
system is all wrong; 1t Is ruinous. The only
salvation for that country is the outlet systeni
without which the country will never be re-
deemed. The water IL higher now than ever
before, and yet the entire rise came out of the
Ohio River. Now, II the ether tributaries
were contributing to this sad disaster, what
would be the results No mortal man can
imagine. When was there ever a time before
when this inland ocean could not chamber the
water OF the Ohio River and have ten-foot
bank No, sir; this is proof of itself of the
shoaling or nlllng up of the main river. Now,
look here, young man. the principal rivers of
the world, other than the Father of warers
have brOnU mNutha The I'M n In,
debouchment The Amazon has over sixty
miles of an outlet at Its mouth"
The Potomac River is over seven miles wide
at its mouth. The Columbia River of Oregon
is alec well provided. But our grand river is
constrained at its month to the limits of less
than 800 feet by the jetties
"What do you mean by the outlet system?''
"Why, the plan known as the Cowden outlet
plan open up Lake Borgne outlet ten miles
below New Orleans) the distance of five
miles, Is by this plan demonstrated. Here you
have all the fall 10 level OF the Gulf that you
have In the 100 miles by the present river to
the mouth. Now don't you see that with a fall
OF near fifteen feet in this per mile that the
river would be loosened at New Orleans minus
the one inch to the mile from New Orleans to
Lake Borgne outlet. When made, It is be-
lieved by men OF experience-practicabl men
mean-that this would reduce the flood line
corresrondingly up TO and far above Cairo,
say feet at Memphis 8, at Vicksburg feet
&c. This one outlet will demonstrate the use
OF the outlet system sufficiently to make every
sensible man and well-wisher of that section Of
our country an advocate of the outlet system. '
"When this is demonstrated open out the
Atchafalya and again the vermillfon, anu IL
necessary the Calcasteu and still others, and
let the waters Of the Red, Black Ouachita,
Bartholomew, Bayou Macon, Tensas and other
streams. No, sir, this overflow settles the
business Of the levees alone. The people de-
mand the outlet system, and, besides, it is In
expensive compared to any other system and
can be done Immediately, while the old levee
pillow fellows are making their surveys, pro-
files and splitting on their hands preparatory
to beginning what they know will take them
years and millions untold to accomplish
Captain, that looks reasonable and throws
new light on the subject"
Yes, TO a sensible man It should"
Was there really much loss OF life and
"Yes, great loss of human life, and the en-
tailment of the seat of much misery in the
future-nearly all the cattle, hogs and sheep
as well as poultry. But for the prompt and
magnanimous relief by the Government here
In Washington, there is no telling what the
distress would have BEEN"
How about the work, stock, horses, mules,
"When the boats could go to their relief
many were saved-nearly all in fact, but in the
interior very great destruction took place.
on the last trip up OF my boat brought off
$50 head; the other boats have been con.
stantly doing the same as have"
"You say the river was higher than ever
was known?
"why, sir, the river was clear over the tops
OF the levees. You could not tell where they
were. Not even ripple could be seem"
"Suppose the June rise of the river had
been along to assist, what would have been
the consequence"
Look here, young man, You go ask the tree
tops. have no time for foolishness"
captain, from what you told me- would II
not be good idea for this outlet to be made
before the June rises occur. which they in
falllbly do II understand right?"
Eyes, sir, 1t must be done by all means, II
our suffering people are to make a crop. The
great Lord above only knows what will become
or them If the June rise catches them without
relief and II the levees gave entire relief II
would be impossible to do much In that di
rection by that time"
"It seems tome that in that case there will
be a terrible responsibility somewhere. Dc
uation?"
"Some do, and again others do not, or will
not. am willing to give every man credit fol
being honest in his opinions. But when the
experiment is so costly begin to feel very i'm
patient at foolish and long-exploded and OBJ
solete IDEAS"