Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-08-11

work ia bsipg lone in The same system site
nsnner az that along the river in front OF the
city ard which has been Of i~nestimable ger
vice in protecting the levee. A party Of
men under Joseph Burney are al work
in the swamrs above cutting willows aud
poles for mattresses.
FORKED DEER RIVER.
A FORCE OF MEN AT WORK IMPROVING THE
SOUTH FORK.
Capt. John j. Barry left Memphis on the
9TH OF July last with sixieen men, aud is
now at work en- the South Fork Of Forked
Deer river. During the month of July sey-
sn'een sn5gs were pulled, thirty-.wo shore
snsgs and 2l95 trees cut, and a distance OF
miles covered.
So far this month 100 trees were cut and
eixiy-6ve girdled, twenty-,hree logs removed
and tweniy-four shore snsgs pulled. Cap.
Barry is one of the best men in the service,
in which he has had considerable experience,
and his superlors are very much pleased
with The work he is doing.
DESCRIPTION OF SOUTH FORK.
Il survey of the South Fork was rec ntlv
made by Mr.. Ztck Harrison, an assistant
United States engineer, who says:
The South Fork lakes its rise IN McNairy
county, not far from Jackson, Madison coun-
~. II has a general soutbwesterly flow. Il
the central part OF Madison county,
and then divides the counties of Hay wood
aud JauLeTdalc from those Of Crockett and
Dyer, flowing into The Forked Deer eight
miles below Dyereburg. The length Of the
river is about 80 mileg, l95 Of which we're
examined; these distances were estimated bv
raftsmen on the river. Jackson, on the NJ
bile and Ohio railroad, WIS the old head of
navigation. The valley OF the South Fork is
very extensive, reaching eastwardiy 10 within
ten miles OF 1.-THE Tennessee river. 1t varies in
width from one to eight miles. The mi
bluff" borders the entire valley on
either side. Tue soils on this bluff are con-
stitutionally different from tho in the val
ley. The hrst is composed of a fine c~alcare-
GUS, ~silicious earth, often presenting an ashen
az 10 color and consistence, but some
times of a reddish cast, occasionally black,
and sometimes orange; these are among the
most fertile in the State. Tobacco, cotton,
corn, wheat, oats, clover, and the grasses
GROW L~UxURIANTLY
upon them, while the native growth is Of
marvellous exuberauce. TIL second is the
well-known "alluvial," more or less common
10 all creek and river valleys; this is good
corn lard, although it is generally in cotton.
lhO-thliO5 VI III hiSu tGlu5 anu one
tenth OF the bottoms are 10 a state Of culti-
walton; the balance is covered with a dense
growth Of timber. White OAK, ash, poplar,
and hickory predominant; but
beech, elm, cypress, cottonwood and. other
kinds are found here. Along the escarp-
ment OF the bluff | noticed some verv pecr-
liar trenches about ten feet wide, five feet
dsep, and running back perpendicular to the
face Of the bluff. l accounted for these by
the supposition that they had been formed
by the earthquakes Of 1Sl1-12; they were
probably very deep at the time, but have
been filling in gradually and will eventually
disappear. L also saw groupings of liguite
near these places and one email mine.
TRIBUTARIES.
Little Middle Fork, Jones's, Jchuson's Cub
Turkey, North Branch, Nixon's and Otter
creeks all foH into The South Fork. They
vary 10 width at the functions from thirty 10
100 feet and in depth from five 10 ten feet
They are principally used for rafting. Tur-
key creek has some fine chalybesie springs
along its banks. The finest timber is found
on these smaller streams. This is perhaps
due to the main river OVERLOOKING. Cypress
Is the only exception, this copining itself to
the swamps and overlooked land. The upper
river ID very s~iuuous, the bends being shor
and numerou'. This part of the river il
crossed by the Louisville and Nashville,
the Mobile and Ohio, the Chesapeake, Ohio
and Southwestern, and the Mississippi
Central railroads, which drain the country o.
its surplus products. Three more roads are
being prof ecled in the same vicinity, and il
is thought will be built. The river mere i.
also
COMPLETELY BLOCKED UP
by drift in several places; therefore it does
not seem advisable 10 improve this part. ]
have, however, estimated upon it. From
j ackson TO Sharon, eighty-oue miles, the
work OF pulling the suags, removing a brush
dam (mill site), and clearing the banks
would cost at least S45, 900. Below Sharon
the people are d%epepdent en- the river
or a very long haul over bad rosds.
This part, from Sharon 10 the mouth, ia
mills, | have car fully estimated upon. The
obstruction s consist of sn ,gs, drift and over.
hauging timber. Nineteen thops nd two
hundred and fly dollars i1diciou,ly ex
pended would give safe navigation six
months in the year. Very little trade he's
been carfitd on Of late years on S u b Fork
Tor the reasons that the upper river couotry
now has railroad facilities and the river i
so full of drift that The larger steamers have
refused 10 run in that trade any longer
Some rsf!ins is sill going on during high
slsges OF water, but there is much danger
and expense run.
CHESTNUT BLUFF.
A few hundred bales OF cotton and som,
seed are taken at every rise ia the river; bu
even this has fallen IF go that the ~cirizsns oI
that place are building keelboats, in the alb
sence Of steamers, ss the only resort for msr
ketiDg their goods. This mode of trans.
portalion in this kind of a siresm is 30 ex
Pensiye that il will eventually discourage ex-
porting from that section, which embraces
about 800 square miles OF the district &C.
ces9ible 10 the railroads.
ADVANTAGE TO MEMPHIS.
MIR. L.. j. Brooks, Of the Jackson WHO
who was in the city yesterday working up
the Improvement OF Forked Der, was inter
viewed by an APPEAL reporter, and says the
support OF a large number of promi ent men
has been promised who will eHdeavor TO have
the needed approp istion of S19,250 made
by Congress at IFS next session. The work
done by Capt. Barry aud bis force will be
paid for on. of $4,000 recently set sside for
the purpose. Mr.. Brooks. with Judge H.
w McCorry and Judge I. c. Nus, have
been appointed as a commission 10 open up
the South Fork, and are backed up by the
people OF that whole section of country, who
dDAIOusly desire q closer communion with
Memphis, by which they think it would be
brought abou'. There is a vast amount OF
rich land in The valley of the Forked Deer
which would be reclaimed BY removing The
obstructious and allowing the surplus water
to drain freely of. As a sanitary measure,
TOO, 1t is greatly desired, as it is believed
that malarisl troubles which now largely ex-
ist would thereby De remedied,
THE TIMBER ALONE
which ia very fine, and which is not now &C.
c~essible, would more than justify the ex-
renditure.
The distance from Memuhis 10 H sles
Poin the m-uth OF the Forked Deer, is
ninety-hve miles, and thence to Jackson 195
miles. A large trade was once doIe in
the river and boats now run as far up a.
Dyersburg on tine North Fork. At Chestnut
Bluf, on the South Fork, a boat is now being
made for its navigation, which viii be made
temporarily feasible by the work done By
Capt. Barry. The $4,000 allowed him is mo-
enough 10 do more hat remove the worst OBJ
siruciiors. The principal points on tie
South Fork are Chestnut Bluff, Bells Depot
and Jackson.