Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-10-09
HELENA, ARK.

Regular Correspondence of the Appeal
HELENA. October S.-The question of re-
claiming the Mississippi Valley from an
nual overflow seems to have been lost in
the deliberations of the Interstate Levee
Convention, in session during the past
week in Nicksburg. Airing of petted
theories and sounding OF vapid sophisms
seems to have occupied the time and Sc
cured the attention OF those whose bust
ness it was to evolve, if possible, some
plan by which the fertile fields and in
exhaustible soil of this great section could
be made available and stable. The
blending of theories, and harmoniZing OF
personal differences, to some practical
end, was apparently lost sight OF, and the
convention ranged itself, as in an amphi-
theatre, and looked on, while carefully
nurtured hobbies were ridden to the
death. With the selection of delegates
there can he but little covil. They were
chosen with a view to their practical
knowledge OF the questions that would
probably come up for solution;
but unfortunately, as frequently occurs,
each one knew all aboutit. Result is, the
wiseacres have had their say, and the val
ley remains stranded upon the sobby
shores of speculation, as to a means of
final salvation. In the category of practi-
cal evolution, the late lamented Levee
Convention must pass into history with
the suggestive addenda DIN. g. Louisiana,
Mississippi and Arkansas nave been heard
from with a momentous click, but the echo
is unintelligible. Resolutions, ladened
with the sappy verbiage of irrelevancy,
have been drafted and adopted, but the
summer is past, the harvest is well nigh
| ended, and with another spring tide the
country will most probably go under. Far
be it from me to call in question the good
intentions of the worthy gentlemen who,
at the sacrifice OF personal comfort, went
thither to sit in inquest on the recently
drowned corpse of the Mississippi Valley.
But their inquisition and verdict are alike
valueless, when no means of resuscitation
are prescribed. Passing, however, from
critical metaphor to gliding fact, l am con-
fronted with that hooking query: "Will
levees save us? ?" Permanently? No. Some
claim that to build and sustain a levee on
the west bank south from Cairo, and from
Memphis on the east bank to the gulf,
in a few years a rock-ribbed mountain
would be necessary to control the mighty
fiood-tide of water passing from the points
named to its final outlet, the Gulf OF
Mexico. Milk, drawn from the ever-ready
breast of history, flows freely in s%ustenance
OF this proposition. As the barriers to
confine a current are raised, so the bed,
over which this current flows, is heightened.
Forty years ago levees were unknown on
the shores of the Mississippi, and
so were overfiows in the valley.
The protection of a small patch
of ground suggested to its cultiva-
tor the plan of throwing up an earthern
embankment-done with a pillow. From
this small acorn grew the mighty oak, that
has Swallowed the valley of the Mississippi
against the interminable aggressions of this
relentless stream. Levees, however, are de,
sirable, and.good till we can get something
better. Ii we don't levee we can neither
pillow, SOW MOI reap therefore it must be
done. The best way to do it was a question
the convention was called upon to an
swer, and that is the particular branch o.
the subject they let severely alone. An
example of the instability of levees i'm
presses me with peculiar emphasis. Ii
1865 or 1866, Col. J. p. johnson. who be
fore the war owned and cultivated the
Highland Place, Just above Laconia, Ark.
found himself left with nothing but
family and his energy. Accordingly h
Joined the Flournoy family-relatives o
his wife-then resident in what has sine,
been known as "Laconia Circle" Find
ing it impossible to raise a crol
every year without some sort o
levee protection, Col. johnson Sc
about the construction of the "Circl'
LeNec. LII his eHOTIS ne WAS dUlN sec
onded by Messrs. Church and Henry
Blackburn, also residents at that place
Result was the rich lands of this section
hitherto subject to annual overflow, were
secured for the time-it was then though
for all time-and made to blossom like
garden. Broad and high, it was believed
the Circle Levee" would stand agains
time and the river alike. For abou
twelve years, by adding occasional repairs
this levee stood and the happy people un
der its protection prospered. The might,
food of 1882, however, burst through
this barrier that had successfully with
stood the beseiging tides of former years
and "Laconia Circle" was once more un
der water. The break was repaired ant
it was again thought all was secure, whel
the flood of 1888 came and rent asunde
the strong bulwarks, erected at infinit,
cost, and the fertile lands OF the cir
Gle laid in waste by the repeat
ed o%verflows OF last spring. Thu
it is shown nov uncertain and poor is de
pendence upon levees. Where flower
were wont to bloom, so long as levee
stood, may, in a moments time, become
boggy waste.
But to return to the Levee Convention
Capt. Cowden was there with his "outlet
theory, and Mr.. Miles with his "cut-off
plans. Neither of the gentlemen, how
ever, were given an opportunity for un
/ bosoming, and the country is left in dark
ness as to what Capt. Cowdon means b
outlets" OF Mr.. Miles by "cut-offs."
) may be. pardoned for suggesting that Cap
Cowdon probably wants one of his out
+ lets, that toward the east, to be the Yazo
:; Pass, extending it, perhaps, to the Tom
| bigbee river in Alabama, and, on tn
west, by simply changing the course an,
the current of Red river, empty tina
stream, as a Mississippi outlet, into tn
Rio Grande. L think l may be forgive
r by Capt. Cowdon for throwing this ligh
upon his pet theories. Mr.. Miles's plan
for cut-offs are more tenable and p~ractic.
: Bile, but are so far removed froI
the probabilities OF the possible in the 4,
ture, as to leave levees the only availabl
. remedy for a very pressing evil. 1t is
e be hoped that Capt. Cowdon, who has fl
years been so clamorous for an outlet
may yet find one and never return. 81
with Capt. Cowdon's ';outlet" and NJ
Miles's cutoff the theme would lose i
: flavor. Mr.. Miles is accused of wantir
{ to ~straighten the river SO thst New o
leans may be plainly seen from Cair
But ! think he has other and more bri
liant purposes in view.
The only thing the convention did tn
/, meets with the hearty approval Of the va
1 lev v,-onle X 4ho natifiOninp If Concra,