Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-04-01
HELENA. AJAX.
Regular Correspondents OF the Appeal
HELENA March IN Knov;po .bs =,

Regular Correspondence Of the Appeal
HELENA, March 3d. Knowing the value
of Col. J. P. MILES, vieRs on the Atcs ala
lsya question, now agitatins The people of
New Orleans and coast country below, the
APPEAL man made point of fcding the
| colonel to-day, and introduced The subject
by asking:
do you think there Is possibility Of the chan
mel of the river going through Atchsfs'sga Of its
own vOlitiol?'
cent reports from there have changed my views
upon tnAI point. Indeed, do not think ii win
cut its own way through-at least for great nun
Der of years yet"
Would you kindly express your views upon the
present situation at Atchsfalaya, the probable re-
suits OF the changes 80 rapidly taxing pace, aud
well, TO do this we shall have TO go back lit
tie as well as plain the Typographical situation
Insignificant 10 claim any attention. At its head
there was altitude of about fifty feet above the
tance. of keventy-fTe miles to the great cyprus
swamp, which was scarcely eight feet above gulf
feet OF fall between the head If Atchafalays and
this cypress swamp, where the stream merges into
a wide waste of water, sluggish and without cur
rant, gradually finding ibs way into Grand lake,
| thence out through Atchafslaya river. The late
washing out Of Atchaialaya has been done by the
overflow water souta Of the Arkansas river ana
the natural flow from Red river; carrying on lot
less than ten times great Il volume OF water as
II did forty years ago. This water too is clear and
clean, having deposited It's load OF mod and
sand in the bottoms above, and washes with
far greater CELEBRITY than muddy water Thus il is
Gear that the channel Of the Mississippi is robbed
of large per celt. of the wafer upon which il is
largely dependent for keeping the enamel clear
south of Red river In consequences, the bed of
the n yer will gradually dn-the more RAPIDLY be-
cause relieved OF the heavy run of clean water
carried OF by ELchsfllay&. Thus uAvigs ion
will be seriously imPsIrei-5s Indeed already
threatened daneerously. The emile trip be
tween the cutoff channel and head OF Atchafaiaya
has q fall OF eighteen Inch u the mile and with
the very strong current likely set In in that di-
rection, would quickly 6ssa out 70 the depth of
Atchafaaya it,ef, prscticElly turning the chennel
through that very inviting outlet
''Wnst do you think of tue plans suggested for
arresting this threa JeGed changer
We'll, Capt. Eads proposes 70 lsvse from the
mouth OF BED river, closing up the Atchafalzya en-
tirely, and turning all the water down the MissiE
s4ppi. In light OF what the AtehEfzlays has done
in the last year SO, this plan is of cOurSe pre-
posterous. The government, however, proposes
10 simply levee the cutoff on the west side, leav-
iug the AtchafalAya to csrrE Oh Rcd -IFer and the
overflow. when there Is any, south of Arkansas
Hger aud conining the Tivsr 10 lts pre-ent course
Another plan sih il 10 put in heavy mattress OBJ
slruetio1s between the foot of the cuI-of and TIE
head Of the Atehsfaisya, which, 70 any practical
engineer familiar with the rapid mutations OF
the Mississippi river, and the situation of 8hc
locality under discussion. must appear ss
simply fsrcical. The only possible remedy Is 70
the rlyer out through AtcoafalAya-f1r that IS
what will finally have 10 De done, II i hAro- OF
course, for the people OF New Orleans y be coz
irouted with such alternative; and they VIII
fight ii to the bitter emo. But II Is one OF those
fmuutab BILE DEGREES which must be accepted, and
the sooner II IS done the better iof All parties con-
cerned." ,-.a- -.
Atehsfalays have on OVERLOOKING sectious2'
lahore he mouth of Red Tlver the w2te. at
hfeh ode will be very appreciAoly lowered. Be
low Red river and along me e1ses St y WI
be built higher than ever before.
'Thsn he only salvation Tor the mississippi