Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-03-30
THE LEVEES,
Tested by the Recent Flood, have Proven
to be All That the Engineers
and Contractors
Declared Them to Be-The LabOrs OF
the LeYee Board Rewarded bya
Very Great Success.

specisl Correspondence Of the Appeal
RosEDALE, March 27.-The river is still
going down rapidly, and az consequence
the bHckwster is fast receding aEd prospects
for crop in thisn eighborhood this year are
greatly enhanced. Now that the "battle ia
oyern and the smske has cleared away, !
don't think it out Of place for brief mem
ton of the gallant spirits" who, with un-
faltsring energy and unfsgging perseverance,
devoted themselves, their time and their
money to save the levees; and 10 these worthy
gentlemen great praise ia due for having
fought the stubborn waters, inch by inch,
hour by hour, day by day, till their brave
efforts were eminently crowned with success,
and the hight Of their ambition was attained
when they saw the "Old Father of Waters"
foiled in his every attempt to encroach
on their domain, calmly lay aside
his implements OF war, gradually bat
surely draw of his combined forces, throw
up the sponge" and leave them masters of
the situation. This was especially the case
at Lake Bolivar, where a large and costly
new levee had just been constructed, and
where was concentrated the hopes and fears
Of large and vast extent of the finest coun-
try in the bottom, including that beautiful
and far.famed country, the renowned
DEER CREEK,
whose citizans, in the pride and e1ultation
over their rich and fertile lands imagine
they see the old "marks and traces" of The
"Garden OF Eden" And assuredly if any
country is entitled to this distinction it is
Deer Creek, around which cluster the fond
remembrances of friendship aud affections of
the writer. who spent the brighter part of
his life among this people, renowned for
their hospitality, refinement and elegance Of
life and manners, the most OF whom OF that
day have passed away. To the mastery
energies and scientific knowledge displayed
by Maj. Helm, chief engineer, Col. Green
CIsy, president OF the Leyee Board, and
Maj. r. J. Hugent, ous Of the promi-
nent planters and citizens of that neighbor-
hood, the people of Deer Creek ought to
sing "peans of praise" for their salvation
and happy deliverance from an overflow dis
sslrous in its consequences far beyond the
value of the crop that would have
been destroyed, for it would have lessened
aud weakened the confidence of the public
in our levee system. These three gentlemen
by night and by day "camped on the
ground" and, ever watehful OF the vast in
terests confded TO their care, right we'll did
they repay the trusted confidence bestowed
on them, and we'll may they feel proud of
their brilliant achievement of making the
OLD RIVER
"git up aud git" Right here let me differ
from my friend of the Greenville Times, one
of our ablest aud most fearless CHI ampions of
the levees, who says if the came spirit and
energy had been displayed in the upper end
of Bolivar county as was in the lower end,
no break would have occurred at Dennis's.
The Times unwittingly and unintentionally
does injustice to good men and good people,
and think is in error. No better or truer
men to levee interests live in the district than
Pat Lamb and Col. Sessions, who had charge
OF the levee, and who felt, after careful eI-
animation only few hours before the break
that all was safe, and Mr.. Lamb 30 informed
this writer the evening Of the night it brok e.
Nor would desire to pluck Feather in the
cap" of the worthy gentlemen In the lower
end of the county, but it must be remem.
hered that Lake Bolivar levee was a "bone OF
contention" between levee people and anti
leyee people, many predicting that it would
not hold and, l fear, many hoping that il
would not; and everything, as l understand
was on the ground "cut and dried"
for the emergency should it happen, while
at "Deuuis's" no preparation was m ade, for
no mishap was expected. The writer is ar
old resident of the bottoms, and can truth.
| fully say all the prominent citizens in every
| part of the county are imbued with a spiri
| of fixed determination TO sustain and hold
up the hands OF
| THE LE7EE BOARD
in its grand and mighty effort to show to the
world that they can and will sustain the
proposition that this wealthy country can be
projected by a well-org snized levee system.
Much credit is due the Levee Board for it
activity and general git up" in providing
| the best men in the most dangerous places
and this neighberhood is especially Thankful
for the appointment OF inspector of this leve,
I. r. Mcclure, E'q., our efficient chancery
clerk, who is ever prompt in the dischsrg,
Of every duty, and more particularly
every public duty, assigned him. He wa
alert and alive aud punctilious in the dis
charge OF the responsibilities he assumed
and knew exactly what TO do, and did i
10 the entire satiefacliouo of the people BIZ
served, and who l hazard nothing in saying
will remember him for his unseifish devotion
ia their behalf in this time of great danger
| rs well as the msny other prominent gen
tlemeu in this ueighbcrhood who cheerful,
laid aside all other interests aud gave hin
their aid snd assis. snca in fighting of gu
common enemy, the river, and left nothin
undone that could be done TO save US fron
the horrible fate of another overflow, whic
would have about CLEANED us out" an
left US
HoUsELEss, PENNILEss AND HOMELESS.
The friends of the ltvee system feel
great pride in their cham pions of its interest
here, among whom IS the med and abb
Percy, 800 much" for AlcoIn last summer
Maj. Helm, its worthy chief engineer; Col
Green Clay, president, with his we'll balances
mind, ever ready TO pick up the gsuntle
when rendered in defense OF levees, with al
array Of facts aud figures that put to fligh
its enemies; while the brilliant and eloquen
Col. ]. F. Stokes, ex-president, one of on
dashing and ablest advocates, stands 81
harness" eager Tor "til," with an opponen
OF levee Interests, in defense of the Leye
| BoSrd, that "sheet-snchor" of our hopes i
| times of high water and threatening over
flows. The very names of these genileme
are synonymous with ability, energy an
pluck, coupled with their faith in
THE LEvEE SYSTEM.
They know no such word as fail, and probs
bly, more Is due them than all others for to
untslterlng faith our people have III til
levee system. just as long as such men @
brains az those | have mentioned are selecte
10 tll places in the Leyee Board and M anag
its affairs, just SO long will all go we'll, an
what ability, courage, rigid honesty and IL
| domitable perseverance, can do, these gentle
men can and will perform. Much interest
being aroused in the proposition made lss
summer in the Levee convention at Green
vile, and which the APPEAL ably advocated
to make one general Lsvee Board of all tn
| counties subject 10 inundation from the Mis-
sissippi river. with fair representation, an
masy who Lhsn opposed it will warmly favo
it now, having been Convinced Of its wisdor
by their presen: "danpnsss," and weul
gladly come in out of the wet" The hold
ing OF the levses under the terribl
strain, almost if not quite equal I
last years water, has knocked the hllir
clean oufn 'em," Cowdouism and guile,
ism, and has proven TO the world all tn
advocates of the ievee claim, except Cap
Cowdon and Capt. Lssthers, whose friend
think his head never has been level sine
the r. E Lee "slashed" the Natchez in thei
celebrated race 10 st. Louis from New Oh
leans.
| BUT ONE sSeLE BREAK
in the whole levee line has occurred, an
grave doubts exist az to whether the leye
was not cut at Dennis instead of breaking
4 Mai, Pat Lamb an old time and reliabI