The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-02-25

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levees on either bank OF sufficient height aud
strength 60 hold the food waters
of the river within definite bour.
daries, clnlorminR az nearly as possible
to the general course Of the low water
channel. Without stopping 10 discus, the
merits uf thi. plan, about which there Il
much conflict OF opinion and no certainty
OF beneficial rcsuEs, your committee do
not believe that the advantages 10 nayiga-
ton 10 be derived from construction Of
leyets will be at all commensurate with the
enormous cost. The probable expenses of
the systems, the course of the Mississippi,
and its aluvial banks render
the accomplishment Of such an end ex'
tremely difficult. The unstable character
OF the banks render their protection oN-
oeedingly difficult, and while the commits
sion express great confidence IN their
ability to accomplish it, work Of a similar
character constructed al different times and
nj various PORTS ON the river has been
found to be insufficient TO withstand the force
of the high water period, anc arrest in
jury to the banks, The committee
quote at length from testimony taken to
substanliate this statement and conclude as
follows. Concerning this branch OF the
subject, in view of the enormous expcndi
ture, varOusly estimated from s2S,OOO,OJ0
to Sl5,OOOOOO, required to complete The
channel improvement of the Mississippi &c.
oordlng TO the plans of the commission and
the experimental character of such plan,
your committee are Of the opinion
that the plan proposed should be applied
TO one o" two points on the river, brought
TO state Of completion and subjected TO
the strain ol repeated floods and their ELL
cheney fully tested, before work IS inaugur.
ated at other points. In view of
the fact that work has already been
inaugurated on an extensive scale at Plumb
Point reach and Lake Providence reach
and the largo amount OF expensive plant
and material purchased for the prosecution
OF the work, which could not be proiitably
employed upon single reach, and in
view OF the further fact that 90 suspend
work on either Of these reaches In their
uucompleted condition might result in
the destruction of all that had been done
yourcommittcc would recommend the work
Ia be continued at both reaches aud
that a sufficient sum ought to be appropri
ptcd to bring the work ut these points to a
state Of perfection. In the meantime for
leyees Of sufficient strength to hold the
river within u channel, as is pro
posed by the commission, of 600
feeb ~ yariously estimated from 500 OGD 900
TO 500 100000, IL may he suggested IN this
connection, as an additional reason why
such leveo works should not be undertaken
at present, that their permanency depends
entirely on their ability To hold the caying
banks, and until ii is demonstrated beyond
all controversy that the banks can be beld,
such works should not be entered on. But
urther than this, it seems 10 your COM
mIttco that before such an undertaking
is entered upon, Involving such an enor-
nous expenditure, IL should be made tOap.
pear beyond all controversy that the
al Ia halI nt,t
than this, IL seems to your com
mitleo before such an undertaking
IL entered upon, involving such enormous
expenditures, II should be made TO appear
beyond all controversy that such works
are absolutely essential to the improve
mcnt OF low-water navigation,
so far from this being established
there is not only great diversity OF opinion
among those who have made improvement
OF the Mississippi study. but the mem
beers of the Mississippi river commission do
not agree upon this portion OF the plan.
The commission consider that II will be
time enough TO consider the propriety
of constructing levces below the mouth OF
Red river, when it shall be demonstrated
by the completed works above that their
| construction rs rendered necessary. Your
committee do not believe the leyoes
a'e essential 10 the improvement of
the low water navigation of the Mississippi
and their construction for such purpose
cannot he justified. II may be further
suggested that II the views OF your com-
mittee are COnCurred in, and the work of
channel Improvement restricted to one or
Two reaches, d system of lpvreS will
hardly he necessary, while thiseXporimeutal
work " being tested certainly The super
| structure should not DO reared until the
permmnencc oi the foundation is cstab.
| lished. Your committee were also
directed To inquire into the
feasibility OF thu outlet systrms,
as means ul improving navigation. TINS
plau consists IN the construction OF outlets
sufficient IN number and capacity
to carry oil the food waters of the Mis-.
sisSppi by other and moro iii Get channels
to the quit IL is claimed for this plan that
II Will keep the river NJ all stages of water
substantially within it's natural bounds
deepen the channel, and ultimately
bring about improved low water uayi.
CATION. Without reviewing the evidence
| submit tea TO your committee touching this
plan, IL viii bc enough to say that the con-
cluson to which they have arrived, to wit,
| that an outlet system would not, in the
| Judgment OF your committee, he hene.
| fetal to navigation; that while 1t
might relieve the river OF its ilood.wattrs
"hu SAW hulaVcul luhus itoNl overflow, yet
| your committee are unable TO discover how
the low water, nay igation Of the river would
be improved thereby.
rAGh
gave notice in the house to-day that he
would, on Monday next, move the house
30 into committee OF the whole
| on the river and harbor bill.
In this connection, Robinson,
OF Massachusetts, read II telegram which he
hrd received, stating there was now being
transmitted to the house communication
from the secretary OF war, with the inform.
alton that 3llo icei OF dyke had boon ear.
/ ri. IL l.