Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-02-25

| WASHINGTON, February 24.-The report
OF the Select Committee on the Improvement
Of the Mississippi River, presented 10 the
HOUSE to-day, is sgoed by Representative
Burrows Mich. ], Robinson Mass ], Hiscock
and CarlIsle, and is cencurred in alss by
Messrs. Bulterworth, Hazelton and Holman,
| with the exception Of one OF its findings in
regard to the "outlet system." Alter ma king
| preliminary statement IN respect TO the
| duties the committee we're directed 10 per-
form, and briefly describing the plan OF i'm
provement determined upon by the Miisis.
sippi River Commission, the report ssys.
The Report.
Your committee understand the plan OF
First to bring the low waters Of the river within
a narrow channel, not exceeding $500 feet; and,
second, TO restrain the flood waters OF the river
within defined boundaries to make them
conform substantially With the low-Bater cbannel.
maintained, It is claimed viii result in the per-
manent improvement OF l0w-water navigation.
BY the construction Of such works 1t Is proposed
to concentrate the low waters Of the river within
narrower channel, and so increase their
| dept1, aud thus improve navigation The
! seeoIld ciasg OF WsEks.ze0Dsists Of clOsing
creyssses and constructing leyees Of sufiicient
hight and stability to hold food waters within
definite channel, conforming as nearly as posi-
BILE TO the course OF the low-water channel, the
effect OF which. 1t is affirmed, viii be to Increase
the securing capacity OF the stream at high water,
and thereby aid IN improving low-water naviga-
tion. While there Is great diversity OF opinion
of witnesses 10 the abiiity TO hold the Aissis-
| sippi river in definite channel by the proposed
works, yet your committee are OF the opinion
can be brought within a space Of $3.50 feet aud 10
| retain that. improved low-water navigation would
probably result The whole question, therefore,
turns upon the feasibility OF sueh undertaking.
Can the caving of.the banks of Mississippi be ar
rested by the proposed works and permanent
narrowing Of the channel accom- plished? The
members of the Mississippi River Commission and
many experts concur in the opinion that such
result is within the range of engineering SKILL yet
experience shows that this plan OF bank protection
has not always been attended with success. The
tortuOus course OF the Mississippi and its alluyial
banks renders the accomplishment OF such ex-
tremely difficult. and while the commission ex-
press great cofdence I'm their ability TO accom- pish
the work, your committees are not satlsned that
the method adopted will prove successful. II was
proven even to the satisfaction of your committee
that works Of q similar character, construeted at
different tim and at various points the river,
have not been sufficient Withstand the force OF
the high water period and arrest the erosion OF the
banks.
The committee quote at length from the
testimony taken TO subs; antiste this state
ment, and conclude as follows concerning
this branch Of the subject:
In view OF the enormous expenditure, various
ly estimated from S2 600 900 to SIS 600 required
TO complete the channel Improvements Of the
sion, tho experimental character of sucn pan,
your committee are of the opinion that the plan
proposed should be applied to one or two points
in the river, brought TO a state of com
pletion, and subjected to the strain Of repeated
floods. and their efficacy fully tested before work
is inaugurAted at other points. In view of the
fact thai work has alreBdy been inaugurated on an
extensive scale at Plum Point reach and Lake
Providence reach, and a large and expensive
plant and material purchased for the prosecution
OF the work which could not be advantageously
employ ed upon a single reach, and in view of the
further fact that TO suspend work upon either OF
InesS t, f a., IN ineir conolIon ,
has been done, your committes would recommend
that the work be continued a. both Plum Point
0NdI Ea DFnu nRnde nd hat ofa NJ
sum ought TO be appropriated to bring the work
at these points to state of perfection. In the
meantime your committee are of the decided
opinion that of channel improvement
should be undertaken at any other point until the
work at these two points is thoroughly tested and
their efficacy completely established. Intimately
connected with, and composing part OF the plan
adopted by the Mississippi River Commission for
improving the low-water navigation of the river is
the construction of line of levees on either bank
of sufficient hight and strength TO hold the flood
water OF the river within defined boundaries, con-
forming nearly possible to the general course
Of the low-water channel. Without stopping TO
discuss the merits of this plan. about which there
is much conflict of opinion, and no certainty OF
beneheiai results, your Committee do
no. ben 6eneVe ~ tnSt tine tne aaTSStsges 70 70
levers will be at all commensurate with their
enormous cost The probable expense of system
waters of the river within channel ,ss is proposed
by the commission, of 5000 feet is yariously esti
mated at from $50 000000 to s00 600 COO 1t may be
suggested in this connection, as additional
reasons why such new leevee work should
not be undertaken at present, that their
pernanency depends entirely upon the ability
10 hold the caving banks, and until 1t Is
emonstrated beyond all controversy that the
tered upon, sut far,er than this il se:ls your
committees that before sucn au undertaking Is en-
tered upon, involving such an enormous expendi-
ture 1t should be made to appear beyond AL con-
iroversy that such works are absolutely essential
to the i'm Improvement of low-wa.er navigation. so
far from this being established there Is only
great diversity OF opiniOn among those who have
made the Improvement of the Mississippi study,
but even tine members of the Mississippi RIVER
Commission do not agree upon this portion Of the
time enough to consider the propriety of construct
ing levees below the mouth of Red river when it
shall be demonstrated by completed woi ks above
Your committee do not believe lew are essential
to the improvement of lowwater nfvig4 alton OF tn,
purpose cannot be justified. 1t may be
further suggested that IL the views OF your COM
mittee are concurred in, and the work OF channel
Improvement restricted TO one or two reaches,
series of leVees will hardly be necessary while this
experimental work is being tested. Certainly the
superstructure should be deferred until the per-
manence of the foundation is established Your
committee were also directed TO inquire into the
feasibility OF the outlet system a means Of i'm
| proving navigation. This plan consists of con-
structing outlets sufficient in numoer and capaci-
| by other and more direct channels to the gulf
1t is claimed for this plan that 1t will keep the
river, at all stages OF water, substantially within
| is natural banks, deepen the channel and ul'i-
mately bring about improved low-water naviga-
| ton. Without reviewing the evidence submitted
| 10 your committee touching tnS plan, II Will be
sufficient TO state the conclusion TO which they
have arrived, namely, that an outlet system would
| not ia the judgment OF your committee, be me
| fetal to navigation; that while it might relieve
| the river from flood waters and save adjacent
lands from overflow yet your committee are 1n, 1Ec
| river would be improved thereby.
THE JErTIEs
The next question considered in the report
is that of the iatties. The act authorizing
their construction is quoted, the terms OF
contract with Eids fully set forth, and the
means used TO preserve the required channel
| described, and the obi sct is dismissed as fol-
| lows:
Vessels drawing twenty-six feet of water pass in
and out through the jetties and South Pass with
provement. Reports 10 the contrary were not
| found by the commission TO rest upon facts
reference to testimony will show Temarkaoie IN
crease in shipments from the mort OF New orleans
/ to all parts of the world, and demonstrate
| beyond possible question the immense ad-
| vantages secured to the agricultural, manu-
/ featuring and commercial interests OF the
/ whole Mississippi valley by the increased
facility aud safety of navigation. Wnen the Jetty
| improvement was projected and became the sub
ject OF investigation and discussion, II was as-
proiongatioa of the shore lines OF the pass by the
1etty walls would be to carry forward the land
in process of time shosling would result in front
| of the outlet of the jetties. This view Was
| strenuously resisted by Others, who main tained
L
| pressure Of a literal current moving westward
across the mouth of the jetties and sweeping away
into the deep water the sediments borne down
| and discharged by the river. The observations OF
the inspecting engineer and his ASSISTANTS are I'M
| portant toward the solution OF the question. Ihey
| testify that during the last three years,
| since the jettes were completed, the average de
post overflow, shaped in an area OF about one and
| one-quarter miles in front of the mouth OF the
jetties, has been little over four feet This de-
| posit is not evenly distributed. In the language
of Capt. Hener: .'In some places this area there
| is III. there a
the water is deeper than 1t was In
others, instead of being secured, that deposit
has exceeded seven feet in depth" These
facts esd naturally any one TO doubt the presence
of literal current and It appears that no one has
mentary deposit will not be required so long as
there is sufficient depth Of water over it. II is
possible, and even probable ina. after lapse OF OF
great to require the extension Of the
ietty walls into the gull in order to
maintain the substantial benefit now secured.
Should such work become necessary during the
term Of maintenance for which Mr.. kads is bound,
which in the opinion of the committee is not
probable, the conditions of his contact will de-
mand the performance OF such work by him at
| his own expense No damage has resulted 10
the jetties since their completion from the effect
Of storms, currents or wave action. except III
single instance, and 1t is believed
that they are substantial and permanent. On the
9Th of Sep ember, 1852 severe hurricane passed
across the works with so great violence as to move
| solid blocks OF concrete estimated TO weigh thirty
tons from the tops OF the elties. An inner jetty
had been partly constructed, and that served 10
| break the tury OF the AIOII1 and protect the
| channel. The committee are unanimously
| of the opinion that no action is necessary
the part OF Congress in relation to the jetties
the laws now in force fully provide under author
ty specifically expressed, for any further exgency
| in the premises, and the performance of the con
tracts made appears to be faithfully rendered.
The majority report is not signed by either
Thomas, OF Illinois, or Elis. These tao
members Of the committee j1in in the mi
nority report, fsvoring the vigorous prose.
cution of the work of improving the
river under the plans of the commission
and declaring that the plan has proven a
success, and has passed beyond the expert.
mental point. They, however, have not yet
completed the preparation Of their report.
Butterwortb, Hazelton and Holman, who
were originally designated as the sub-com
mittee TO report to the full committee upon
the outlet system, have submitted their views
upon that subject as a minority report. The
general report does not oppose this report
but that what it suggests is not, in its opinion
10 the interest OF navigation.
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