Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-12-29
THE MISSISSIPPI.
An Appropriation Of S2,0O0,O0O ReeOm-
mended by the Commission TO
Complete Work.
Resume of Improvements SO Far Made
on the Length OF the Entire River
A Document
Which VIII be Read with Great In
terest by the People of the Mis-
sissippi Valley.
RIVER IMPROVEMENT.
Report Of tsse Mississippi River Conn
mission of Work Done Since Decem-


Report Of tsse Mississippi River Conn
mission of Work Done Since Decem-
Der. lSS2.
WASHINGTON, December 26.-The report
of the Mississippi River Commission, Civ
ing progress of surveys and examinations
in improvements on that river since De-
cember /, 1882, was submitted to the
Secretary Of War to-day. 1t says: AT the
date OF the last annual report, December
of last year, work had been fairly inaug-
urated on Plum Point and Lake Provi-
dence reaches: also in the vicinity of
Memphis and Nicksburg. Throughout
December and January work was pushed
with great vigor. At Plum Point and Lake
Providence Il considerable amount OF
mattress work was lost, and uncompleted
pile dykes also suffered considerable from
accumulation of drifts and strong current,
due to the rapid rising OF the river. High
water prevailed continuously until the
end OF July. During this period work was
confined to the dykes, which required
constant watching and repairs. After the
subsistence of the flood the construction OF
mattresses for bank Tevetment was re-
sumed, but the season proved unusually
sickly and labor was scarce and inefficient.
Nothing,in consequence, was accomplished
until the advent OF cool weather. Since
then the work has progressed rapidly.
Every tlllCdNOl llsto JGCil lIeiNlC ~ JlSiJC
the work in as safe condition as possible,
but it is greatly to be feared that this will
only be partially accomplished, as the
funds available from the balance of last
years appropriation will only admit OF car
rving on operations till the middle of De-
cember, after which time all work will
have 10 cease until Congress makes further
appropriation. An appropriation of s. ,000,-
Ol0 made Immediately could be adyan-
tageously used. The experience OF the past
year shows that the principles upon which
the commission based the work are per-
fectly sound, and in this respect
no modification seems necessary, though
in regard to
DETAILS OF CONSTRUCTION
some changes were called for. Contraction
works, consisting essentially OF dykes OF
piling sustaining curtains or screens and
brush, proved generally too weak for the
work imposed upon them. The great
depth of water which must be maintained,
the enormous accumulations of floating
drift and the long duration of the high
water period are the main points in which
our experience differs frOH any previous
| " noted with similar structures OF other
localities. This necessitated much more
substantial work than was deemed neces-
sary, with a prOpOrtionate increase in the
cost. 1t should, however, be noted in re-
gard to these works upon which the main
| damage experienced has been concen-
trated, that they are not necessarily per-
manent, and are only intended to effect
certain definite results, as lifting up GER
tain portions of the river bed. When
this work is accomplished, their work
as Il rule is ended and maintenance no
| longer required. Revetment work under
| taken, wherever completed, has proven
/ entirely successful, and but slight modiii-
cation of the general style and details on
| the construction isfound necessary. Next,
/ the scarcity OF labor. The greatest diff
! Guilty has been in securing an ample and
/ timely supply OF materials used in the
! construction, especially brush and stone.
| During the previous low-Water seasons
! Plum Point and Lake Providence reaches
| have been fully as shallow rs any points
on the river, yet during the present season
| there has not been less than twelve feet all
/ through these two reaches, and at Lake
| Providence during the lowest water fifteen
feet was reported. That such truly remark
able effects have been produced by the
works in an unfinished condition
is exceedingly encouraging as re
CARDS its ultimate success. The
Improvement Commission caused surveys
to be made
7 At NEW MADKit- MEMlti-5
Helena and ChoctaW, reaches with view
to preparing detailed plans OF their i'm
proveinent when the funds Tor the pur
pose are availablewcre. Allotments made
ior the several reaches, but owing
/ to the non-passage of the river and har
Dor bill, il was decided ineXpedient Il
undertake the work for the present, anC
such portion OF the Sew Madrid allot
ments not expended for plants reailotod
to Plum Point and Lake Providence. The
| surveys ordered at the mouth of Red rive
and Bayou 'rlagUemipe have not ye
| been completed, owing to the e@teme!,
| unhealthy character of the season, whlcf
renders il almost impossible to keep tht
surveying paity in the field. For thl
same reason the survey ordered o
| Natchez harbor was not undertaken. A
| Memphis harbor the work in progress
at the date OF last report was under specla
! allotment by the commission. 1t ha
been completed. and the same line OF re
yetment at Delta Point, La, opposite
| Vicksburg. At New Orleans the construc
ton of mattress and revetment at Carroll
ton bend was begun andi now in progress
On all portions of the river under i'm
provement repeated surveys have beei
made to note any changes that might oc
cur, especially those on the works con
structed at New Orleans. In addition
series CT discharge measurements, cover
ing nearly Il full year, were also made. TIL
commission recommend TO Congress tina
the next improvement be first undertake.
at New Madrid, and second at Memnhi
1 reach. Wcrs under the allotment mad
by the commission from the appropriatiO
of AUGUST =, 1882, for levees and outiSt
was continued during the year on levee
unfinished before the flood Of 1883. 1t
expected all will be finished before tn
/ expiration of this year. The comml'
sion
! RECOMMENDED TIE CONTINUATION or LETE
work next season to points OF Tech
and Nazoo basins. The commission stat
that tl.ere are serious practical ditficultic
in the way OF constructing a system {
levCes no higher than is necessary for th
confinement Of ordinary floods and at Tia
same time protect them against disastrou
injury from great Hoods, which occur 2
/, irregular intervals. 1t is obvious that t
secure prtc,ttaction for the valley from over
flow that there is necessary system {
lcyees high and strong enough 10 VIII
stand the greatest floods. No other mean
OF protection, ths commission believe,
practicable or even possible. These tact
suggest obviously the idea of co-operatio
between the general government and th
communities interested in the preventlo
of overflow, in the maintenance OF leve
system which shall serve at the same tim
the purpose of Improvement OF tn
channel and protection from Overflow
And MS 4 preliminary to the considerable
of such a suggestion the probable cost I
such a system must be considered
For about half the distance belo
Cairo, only one side Of the river require
levees. For the remainder on this san
side. the hills are so near, at distance
> ranging from immediate contact TO M
over six or eight miles, that the loss
the volume discharged over the intervei
? ing strip of bottom land is not considere
of n:ave importance. by Ia the great,
mart OF the required work is now in e,
: istence, having been constructed by rip
! rian committees and os neT5 OF Ian,
The commission submit an est
mate OF the number of cube yards tn
work required for leVees OF certain grade
between Commerce and the forts belo
New Orleans-a distance Of 1858 miles. II
, total cost. at twenty-five cents per cub
! ward, is estimated at Sll ,4l3,I10. !
conclusion of this subject, the commi
; sion
CONSIDER 1T NECESSARY TO CALL THE
p attention of Congress TO the peculiar con
j iis;cn existing below Red river. This Sc
ton OF the river IS in a state Of niue
greater stability than is found in ang 9th
port OF its course below the junction OF q
j., Aiissosri. AZ y short distance below RI
: river il becomes narrower ami deeper.
: has been y>veed there for a great mST
r wears. No flood complications arise hel
I rs above from the return of overflow wat
which escaped from the riyer at poll
higher up. In regard 10 future ieglSlatc