Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-03-29

TIE MISSISSIPPI RINER-lTS Levels
AND IT'S FLooDs.-To form a proper con
ception of the Lower Mississippi and the
causes of its overflow, imagine the mighty
stream flowing from the mouth of the
thirth miles wide and gradually extending
to width of 100 miles at the Gulf Of Mex
leo. Through the entire length of this
plain this turbid stream flows in u lig.zsg
and constantly shifting channel distance
of nearly thousand miles to where II
ompties through its several mouths into
the gulf. This plain, containing about
10000 square miles, has been formed in
the course Of ages from material brought
down from the uplands of the Miss sissippi
and its tributaries. Rich in vegetable and
organic matter, finely iiltrated, it is con.
sequently one Of the luost fertile and pro
duotive regions in the United States, the
richest portions being found iu 1.-The bot
tom land" Immediately contiguous to the
river and its numerous tributaries. Both
sides are lined with plantations which ex.
tend for miles back into the country. all
Of which arc more or less under cultivation,
while thriving towns and cities dot its
banks to the Crescent City.
In the summer and when the river Is
low Its surface is depressed frsm twenty
to thirty feet below its banks, but when
the autumnal rains set in. followed by the
spring thaws, the channel rapidly fills, and
wherever unshecked overflows its banks
right and left, spreading fov many miles
over the great. wide, level plain To pro-
tect the cultivated lands from this yearly
threatened inundalion they are guarded
by artificial embankments throwr up In
front Of each plantation. These are ca led
leyees, and are hundreds of miles in extent
almost lining the entire course Of the
river. They vary in height from six lC
forty feet in some places and are proper
| tionately thick through at the base. A.
might be expected, the cost of building
and keeping in repair these immense eartl
structures is very heavy; in some instances
| it devolves upon the county. in others up
on the state, in many instances upon the
individual planters, and it is largely to The
want of proper and comprehensive en-
gineerng system capable OF coping eflec
tually with tho yearly threatened danger
that the present disaster is 10 he attributed
A crevasse or break in the levee once
made is rarely closed, amt only then undel
exceptional circumstances and with grea
| difficulty. A torrent Of water several fee
high pouring through an opening o
crumbiing earth walls is no easy thing t
check, and, in fact, rarely is checked
Unless there is existing, or has been erect
ed, "a protection levee'' in the rear it only
| takes u very few hours for the sea o
waters TO spread over mites of the level
cultivated valley, drowning the crops, de-
stroying stock and spreading ruin ant
desolation broadcast.
There are about 6S,00O square miles o
country between Memphis and Nicksburg
Miss. =. subject to overflow, and nearly al
of this country is now under water. Th,
population of this territory is 10000, AMI
fully one third, or 10000 souls, are suffer
ing and will be dependent upon the bount,
of the government for forty days to Eee
them from starvation.