National Republican., 1883-02-26
THE MISSISSIPPI REpoRr.


The following are the conclusions and
recommendations of the select committee on
the improvement of the Mississippi river, as
embodied in their report presented to the
house by Chairman Burrows:
The report states that the work of improv-
ing navi cation by the plan of the commission
has not been sufficiently proven q success to
warrant its continuation, except at the two
pOints-Plum Point and Lake Providence
Reach-where the work is now going forward.
IL recommends that work 10 continued at
these points, and at no other place, and that
mn appropriation be made by congress sui-
ccnt TO establish the desirability of this plan,
II it may bo shown by these experiments.
The report gives it as the opinion of the
committee that lovecs are not essential TO
navigation OF the river, and, therefore, IL
recommends that no appropriation be made
for their construction.
In regard to the outlet system the report
says that while outlets might relieve the
river of its flood, tho committee cannot re-
commend them rs valuable TO navigation.
As to jettics, the report declares that they
facilitate navigation, and are answering the
purpose for which they were constructed.
Messrs. ButterwOrth, Holman, and Hazel
ton sign the majority report, but present a
minority report dissenting from the opinion
OF the majority as against the outlet system,
and declaring in its favor.
Tho majority report is not signed by either
Mr.. Thomas of Illinois, OF Mr.. Ellis, of Loui-
siana. These two members of the committee
join in minority report favoring vigorous
prosecution of tho work of improving the
river under the plans Of the commission, and
declaring that the plan has proven success,
and has passed beyond the experimental
point. They, however. have not yet COM
pleted the preparation of their report.
"A Mossrs. Butterworth, Hazeton, and Hol-
man, who were originally designated as asub-
committee to report to tho full committee
upon the outlet system, have submitted their
The general report does not oppose this report,
but SAYS that what it suggests is not, in its
opinion, in the interest of navigation purely.
The minority report says
The desirability of improving the naviga-
ton of the Mississippi river is conceded by
all. A difference of opinion, however, exists
as to which is the best method, or whether IL
would be wise to utilize in degree the sew
eral methods which have been submitted,
each of which may in sense be regarded a.
experimental. Your committee is Of the opin-
ion that as between two methods equally oili-
cacious, one of which would, while improving
the navigation of the river ut the same time
protect the riparian owners, while the other
would not benefit such owners, there could be
which would protect the land along the river.
The committee is not charged, however,
with deciding between different methods, but
rather Of determining whether system OF
| outlets would be etlicacious in relieving navi-
CATION from tho injury which results from
overflows. We have referred to the outlet
| system as in q measure experimental. Ihis
| is true only in q measure, even as applied to
| the Mississippi river; for, while no outlet has
| been made by artificial means to draw of the
surplus water at flood tide, it is true, never
| theless, that tho river has cut channels fol
| ITSELF and demonstrated that such channels
| have had the effect of lowering substantially
the flood line and it may be regarded there.
fore as fully demonstrated that well
arranged outlet system will have the elect OF
| relieving the river below Nicksburg, IL not
above that point, from the dangers which re.
suit from extreme high water.
| So far from the outlet system being wholly
| experimental, it must be said that the idea
| of relieving the river during floods and re-
| ducing high water surface by means OF outlets
| to convey portion of the waters to the gull
| by channel independent OF the main rivel
| is one that has attracted the attention ant
received the approval of every Investigator o.
| the hydraulics of the Mississippi river.
In discussing the question of whether any
reduction of velocity in the current woulC
cause deposit of any part Of the matcria
moved along the bottom, the subcommittee
quote literally from reports of Gems. Hum
phroy and Abbott and Of the commission o
| engineers upon the reclamation of the allu
vial basin of the Mississippi Lriver in supper
| of q negative view of this question.
| The report of the commission of engineers
| last referred to, dismisses as utterly ground
| less the fear that an outlet of dimension
| likely to be desirable will produce any etfec
| upon tho bed of the river below.
/ q ha 30 t1,a
careless observer that the simple plan o
| opening hole in the side of a tank to let OF
the surplus water is to be preferred to that o
raising the sides of the tank, moro especial,
| when you do not want the water.
Yet this is just the difference between th
outlet system aud that Of levees
The objections urged on the one hand tina
they may dangerously enlarge, and on tn,
other that they may close up, are not sus
tanned by any evidence, but rather disproved
| as is also the assertion that they will shoa
and injure navigation below their point o
afllux.
| "The minority say, "The dangers to be ap
| pretended from an outlet passing beyond con
troll, as eXemplifed by European experience
hardly appear imminent" and refer to thu
history of European rivers where this method
of getting rid of surplus water has been tried
| In conclusion the minority says: Finally
no evidence has been adduced to prove (eithe
in this country or abroad( that an outlet from
u large stream like the Mississippi has evel
produced any shoaling or injury to navigation
| below it, when it was attempted to be con
trOlled, or that IL could not be controlled, OF
that it would close itself, if properly made il
the first place."
When we come to consider the possibilities
of relieving the Mississippi river during flood
by this system, it is apparent that independent
outlets to the gulf (Which are the only one
which can be truly called outlets) can only be
located below Red river, and that on the righ
Tor westerly bank are formed three outlets
which are, or have been in operation for many
years, viz: Atchafalaya, La Faurche, and
Plaquemine, with a united capacity of dis
charging at flood height not less than 10000
] cubic feet per second. On the left Tor east
ern) bank no practicable sites are found fol
outlets of largo capacity, except at Bonnet
| Caro-, above New Orleans, and the Englisl
turn, ten miles below.
The former site could only be used undel
the pressure of necessity, as its use for an out
let would undoubtedly injure Lake Pontchar
train, and a certain amount of trade passing
over it to New Orleans At the English turI
an outlet into Lake Borgne, five and hal
miles distant, can be made of any required
dimensions,
Senator TRbor's Dinner.
| The dinner given by Senator Tabor n