The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-01-05


favoraby of the proposition, but that lack
OF money alone prevented it from carrying
out the plan proposed, is apparent from
the following extract taken from the rerort
OF the commission lately submitted to con.
gress
The act OF August 2, 1882, furthermore
placed under the supervision of the com.
mission the improvement of the Mississippi
between the mouths of the Illinois and
ono rivers, upon which work has for sew.
eral years been in progress under the engi.
noer department. The commission WAS
authorized to accept such portions OF the
river not covered by their own surveys and
plans prepared by the engineer department,
approved by the secretary Of war which
might meet with their approval. The com.
mission personally examined the portions
OF tse river in question, and after confer
euce with Majs, Mackenzie and Ernst, the
officers in charge Of the works, their pro.
lects Tor the expenditure OF the current ar.
preparations we're approved, and the work
has been in progress ill recently stopped
by the ice. Estimates for the furtt er nrose.
cu'lon Ut these works acco mpanv the 9th.
er estimates Of the commission In both
cases the commission deem il important
that the
ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS RE INCREAsEp
ITO enable the works to be pushed forward
more rapidly thus afordius earlier relief to
navigation. On both the works substantial
benefit has already been conferred, and We
see no reason for doubling the ultimate en-.
tire success OF the Improvement On the
Mississippi below the junction Of the Mis-
sour river only continuous work, begin.
ming at some point Of stable rugime, az
lords any prospect of success This fact
with the addition al motive OF facility and
economy of administration, has So far
ty ot st. Louis, aud it is being extended
down stream annually as fas, as the appr o.
priations allow, 1t has, however, been
represented to the commission that this
course Of treatment works much hardship
to the navigation interests, as thore is no
practical difference in the depth of water
available for vessels till the mouth Of the
OHIO Is reached, At the present rate Of
progress In may require 10 or ia years so
carry the improvement to this point, dur
Tug which period no great rellet will be
Afforded, as boats can still only load to the
depth of water afforded by the shoalcst bar
IN the stretch under consideration. This
argument has great force, but the ougi.
ueetsng reasons in favor of the present
policy are deemed too great to justify the
commission IN recommending any depar.
ture thcrctrom as long as appropriations
tor the work are no larger than at present.
AS things now are the plant is proportiuned
to work to advantage and on the present
system appropriations are made; but by
doubling or trebling these one or two new
sets ofplant could be provided and work
could be started al one or two new noints
In that case the whole improvement could
be completed in correspondingly shorter
time, and
WITHOUT INCREASE OF ULTIMATE CosT.
Ii provision were made Cor arling work
at one other point, Grand Tower would
probably be the most suitable one. If two
were provided for, Chester aud Commerce
would be proper initial points, the improve.
ment in either case being carried contin.
lously down stream. With this explana.
ton Of our estimate for the work the mat.
Ter ia left for tina decision of Congress.
after restatiug the general features Of |
he plan of improvement the commission
'eier7 to tue work on the Plum Point reach, =.
md says from June to August work
vas stopped owing to lack Of funds. Al
hat date it was resumed aud is still 10
progress. The pie.iyke at the had Of
)sceola chute has been reconstructed and
properly completed as originally Intended.
\ similar dyke has nearly completed
across the middle chute through Osceols
oar and similar one extending across
rom Fullerton to OSceola towhoad is com
,lete eScop, for gap whore the present
ow water channel loads ia behind Butler.
on tow.bead. This will he crossed AS soon
IS tho river rises sufficiently to allow boats
% run outside OF the tow-bead. Revert.
nep' has been begun near Ashport, and @.
'84 feet of underwater mattresses 1873 feet
vide arc IN place, Sickness and the ditll.
'uI'y OF procuring labor and materials
lave greatly retarded the work"
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"A CITIZEN OF the Quaker City, Mr.. Y.