The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-04-25

which means, In many cases, that they
want the government TO virtually under.
take the business to levee the rver, and
TO do 1t in such style as will make over.
flow impossible. There are, however,
plenty OF intelligent people who know that
this would simply bo impossible, and VINO
realize that levees however we'll built could
not Withstand the erosion OF the water on
the banks, as is driven by lie own velocity
from one side OF the river to the other, un.
less the channel itself is jettied SO as to con.
troll the current. The Mississippi unless thus
controlled, will undermine and cut away
any system Of leyees ever built-though
they were Chinese walls in magnitude-as
Is plainly seen at every short distance be-
tween Baton Rouge and New Orleans by
the huge chunks OF land recently cut out oi
It's banks.
Experience shows that as II flows to-day,
it not only fails to keep within defined
channel, but, as at Vicksburg, 10 prone to
fill mp It's old channels and take new de.
partures, leaving places like that city almost
high and dry inland. The jetty system
proposes not only to ietty It's mouth but
also its principal cnrvatures, and thus pre-.
vent its inroads on the shores, and induce
it TO cut out permanent channel. Cap.
tain Leathers and Captain Cowden say that
this cannot be done, and the latter advo.
Gates an outlet into Lake Borgne, below the
city. Per contra, scientific engineers, who
have studied the hydraulics OF the Missis.
sippi, say that the tendency Of the water,
owing bl the dinEnal motion OF the earth
from West to East, is to throw the weight
of Its water to the west side, and to seek
its outlets through that side, as 1t is now
doing through the Atchafaiaya, lat the mouth
OF Red river. 8
THE FUTURE OF THE FATHER OF wArRRs
The future OF this great river is the
question Of questions down here. A recent
article in the Times. Democrat, showing that
was deepening and broad
ening, and taking of an increasing volume
Of the Mississippi down through the
Teche country, aud that ut its recent rate
Of increase would soon become the princi.
pal stream and leave New Orleans on a
side stream, created Il profound sensation,
as well it might, for it is a fact that that
river has suddenly and wonderfully in.
creased It's depth in the last two years. So
much so that the Texas Pacific railroad has
for the present abandoned the idea OF
bridging II, finding that the soundings have
increased from 10 to l20 feet in depth at
the mouth. Captain EAds is supposed to
have inspired this article in the Times.
Democrat, inasmuch as 1t comedies with the
tone Of his argument in favor OF closing the
mouth OF that river. He holds that unless
this is done that the future Of New Orleans
is very precarious indeed.
could write a long letteron this subject
il l felt assured that the subject would in.
terest your readers Us it does the people
down here. Here it il the staple OF COLI
verSation and Of newspaper articles. Upon
the Ohio Valley you people only ieel sec.
ondary interest in it, being assured that the
Ohio will be all right whatever may be the
future OF this great stream. Not so with
the vast cotton and sugar interests that de.
pend on the levee system, and not 80 with
the cities and towns that depend for their
prosperity-indeed for their existence-on
the question Of controlling the channel OF
the Mississippi.
SUGAR PLANTATIONS.
II this letter was not alreadylong enough
| would write you out the history Of a trip
that took down to the Eds jetties at the
mouth OF the river after coming down from
Baton Rouge, a distance Of 40 miles. Some
Of the famous sugar plantations Of Louis.
lana are down ON this lower coast-nota.
bly, that OF Gov. Warmoth-and some OF
the most extensive and magnificent orange
groves to be seen in the South-notably
those OF Braddish Johnson-and although
my trip down and return was made on two
rainy days, and although the river was iull
up to The tops OF the levees, and
everything looked very damp, indeed-yet,
rs during my "Trip mp the coast, could not
resist feeling OF fascination as surveyed
these immense estates on which 30 much
money had been and was being expended
moth), and which, more than any country
had ever seen, came nearest the idea OF
realizing Utopia. After seeing them l
could understand how 1t was that men in
the cities, tired Of artificial life and yet
lingering for an active and exciting life,
had been 30 long accustomed to buy one
OF these immense plantations, taking all
their risks for the sake OF their occasional
fortunate hits coupled with their Elysian
attractions as home. 1t is no wonder TO
me that capitalists from the North have
come down here and yielded to this feeling
OF fascination. The climate Is semi.tropical
the country il always green-the breezes
blow from the Gulf every day in the year
the land is so rich-the growth Of every
thing is so luxuriant-all nature puts on
such voluptuous wealth OF flowers and
it seems to the traveller on
the water as II ho was indeed skirting along
the very gardens OF the Hesperides.
THE DARK SIDE.
But II every cloud has Its silver lining,
every tale that is told you here concerning
this enchanting country has It's shades.
One hears OF long succession Of bank.
rupt ownerships-of large fortunes made
in trade and commerce and lost on these
Circean shores. Indeed old citizens have
said to me that you could almost count on
your fingers aud toes the decided successes
Of sugar planting in Louisiana. A'Wheel.
Ing man, long resident 10 these parts, said
10 me that you could not give him the best
sugar plantation in the State coupled with
the obligation to run It; and | myself have
seen more than one melancholy instance
of an owner who was seeking the where.
withal in this city to make crop. This is
true OF both sugar aud cotton-so much so
that am constantly reminded Of Gov.
ernor McEnery's conversation at Baton
Rouge, as well as Of that proverb OF Solo.
mon that recites that the borrower Is the
victim OF the lender.
/ cannot close these observations without
my obligations to my ''compan.
ion du voyage" down the coast, Mr.. Frank
clerk OF the little steamer Nep.
tune, TO whose knowledge Of the country
and It's owners and peCuliarities stand
indebted for much Of the pleasure and in.
terest oil the trip. He Is one Of the ubiquit.
ous Ohio boys you meet with down here,
hailing from that part OF the State opposite
W. mkn H. -