Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-02-16
DANGER AHEAD.
The Flood Now Pouring Out Of the
Ohio and Its Tributaries Threat
ems the People OF
The LoWlands Of Arkansas and Missis.
sippi, and They Cannot be Too
Prompt in
Taking Measures for Their Safety-Six
Feet More Water Would be Dis
astrOns TO Them.

Feet More Water Would be Dis
astrOns TO Them.
The usual amount OF diversity of opinion
regarding the prospects oil disastrous over
flow is met with daily, expressed by per-
sons in all the walks of life. 1t would be
impossible for the most acute observer to
keep up with the promulgators OF food lore
and the sources from which they draw in
SEPARATION. From the "oldest inhabilsnP'
down to the amateur 'theorist" of the first
water idea acknowledgements securely,
come opinions that would either stsrtle to
the uttermost conditions or appesse TO the
happiest state Of existence the anxieiies of
the deuizens of the lowlards. II would be
novel book, indeed, that would embrace all
the ideas, theories, and experiences touching
everfows in the Mississippi brought to light
by the present disastrous treshet in the Ohio
river. Our reporters are the targets at which
everybody shoots bulletin OF sagacious
solutions of the problem, which, ali added
together and arranged, amount to nothing.
81 have been a resident of Memphis on 10
forty years." sagely remarks an old and
respected citizen, land 1 never knew rise
out of the Ohio causing damage of any con-
sequence in the Mississippi below Memphis"
No doubt the old gentleman is correct as
far as his past experience goes, but has he
taken into consideration the enormous
| changes that have taken place calculated to
overthrow his idea that any one or number
of years should be taken as aprecedent upon
which to calculate what might trsDspire?
During his 'forty year" railway embank.
ments have been thrown up in "hats," hold
| ing in check vast fields of water
which previously flowed down with the
| current of the river and assisted in the
general waste of the accommodating hoods.
Numberless bridges have been construct
ed, with their piers standing in the
| beds of rivers retardiDg currents and
| holding back the tides until the accumula a
lions show "highest water marks ever
known" and food districts that had never
before been blessed with such powerful visits
| from the great sanitarian. Perhaps they
| forget the theory of the anti-levee builder,
| at the bed of the river rises in proportion
to the extent the main channel is confined
| within prescribed limits. In word, there
are thousands of things, individually OF
small moment, bat aggregately amounting
| to formidable barriers to the free How OF
water, they do not take into consideration
| when they seek to enlighten their succeeding
| generations with what they know about the
movements of tides in the Mississippi river.
| Here comes another citizen, equally as
honest in his opinions, but unfortunately his
conclusions are Influenced by the risks he
| has taken 10 backing up" one or number
| OF impecunious and improvident farmers
who have taken chances outside of the
| leyees where it takes little or no work to
make crop OF cotton, provided the "river
| don't overflow" He concludes that his in
| vestment is in danger, and the more converts
he can win TO his view of the situation the
| more sympathy he can arouse in his own be-
half. He can see nothing but flood that
will exceed that of the past year, and every
body in the valley is a ruined map. This
character OF prophet is as dumb as an Oyster
when you sound him as 10 causes and effects,
but he knows site a'comin'."
Another Tells us that he has been watching
reports from the upper Mississippi aud the
Missouri, and he feels content as long as they
i are reported frozen. His alarm will begin
when there are signs OF melting weather up
| in that region. He concludes his csnclu-
| sions with the usual experience of life
time citizenship in the valley, and what had
and had not TRANSFERRED under certain cir
| cumstances.
| Here comes the back-water theorist. He
is not so much alarmed about what the Ohio
| is doing as about what might transpire below
here. He calls attention to the fact that at a
certain stage of water in the Mississippi the
headwaters of St. Francis river became the
receptacle of great part of the surplus of
the food, which is a relief to Memphis and
vicinity, but bad on the region OF Helena
and thereaboutP, because" he sargues, you
see, the food of water that will be poured
out at the mouth OF ST. Francis will hold
back The tide of the Mississippi, causing
spread of waters in lowlands," etc. Now
this theorist never takes into confederation
that from Memphis TO the mouth OF st.
Francis river is about seventy-6ve miles
Taking the average fall of the river to be
three inches to the mile, we have difference
in elevation of 225 inches, or a fraction less
than nineteen feet, between the two localities
all OF which would have to be overcome
before any backing influence of the St. Francis
food could be per,epuble. The same rule will
apply to whatever high water might come
out OF White and Arkansas rivers. But a
suggestion TO our friend was hooted at-he
overflow caused by back-water from St.
Francis river.
Another theorist comes along with his
hands held in high warning, declaring that
local rains along the valley were retardiDg
The 6ow of the food. He was alsrmingly
impressed with the reports of rise at ST.
Louis Wednesday. His attention was called
to the fact that both the upper Missouri and
Mississippi were frozen, as Dubuque visit
or stated it Wednesday, six feet deep, and
the cold weather prevailing holding the
snow banks in the n ountain Businesses as
solid as in the dead of winter, but he would
not tumble" and we left him 10 enjoy his
visionary excitement.
In half Jest, but we think more in earnest,
a citizen OF Memphis-born on these bluffs
we Electromagnetic that if the Water
Works Company would keep up proper
supply OF water for the sewer service, and
also for general consumption,the denizsns of
the valley below need have no fears.
Another equally as earnestly suggested
that the absence OF the sun to aid evspora-
ton would give the Ohio floods more force,
and thus increase its supposed influence on
the Mississippi.
A solid old citizen, of the Davy Crockett
school evidently, thinks that there is danger
in the air and the best thing to do is to look
out and be prepared for the worst that may
come. Says he: at is like insurance money
If you don't get burned out you lose your
money; but if you do, it is money found.
Ny advice 10 those living within the radius
of danger, would be to either move out into
the highlands, or get extremely ready TO do
80 when the danger approached"
A aforementioned individual, but evident
1y close observer, is of opinion that the
worst overflow that could come would de bat
very little harm, since the lowlanders, ac-
cording 10 their own reports, lost everything
they had last spring. He thinks it good
idea that all our troubles should come in a
hesp, SO that once used to them we can en-
dure them with better fortitude, We marked
him philosopher of a rare school and
passed on to the next victim.
THE CONDITION OF THE LEvEEs.
In view of the great foods in the Ohio
and the extensive rains in the Missouri val
ley, considerable apprehension is felt along
the lower Mississippi as to their effects in
that section, and in order to get the best in.
formation regarding the present outlook ar
APPEAL reporter was yesterday detailed tC
interview rivermen and others supposed tC
be acq TAINTED with the facts. The frat per-
| II.