Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1884-07-05
The Ievees Of the Mississippi.

In Louisiana the levee system Is OF
comparative antiquity, having had It's
beginning in the earlier years OF the
eighteenth century, and the emoanK-
ments long ago came under the Ilrisdic,
tion OF local and State Government ana
assumed the dignity of public works. In
Mississippi and Arkansas, however, the
reclamation of the swamp was an enter
prise of mHch more moderate date, hav-
ing it's origin almost within memory OF
persons now living. and at first--and,
indeed, for long time-it was exploited
solely by individual effort
Tho earlier settlements on the river
between Memphis and Vicksburg-gen-
orally wood-ysr1s with small sppurten-
ant corn nelds-were made upon unusu-
ally.high spots, which, although really
formed by antecedent inun1ation, OBJ
tanned, absurdly enough, the reputation
Of being "abovo overflow" because, for
. number of years, they had not been
actually submerged They we're priced
accordingly, and the corn. fields OF the
wood. choppers were gradually trans
formed into cotton plantations, at first,
al course, OF very limited dimensions.
Similar elevated spots were sought out
snd subjected 10 culture, and, before
any leveeing operations had been at
tempted, the river bank on both sides
was dotted with settlements of pioneer
planters, who sought TO utilize the fertile
soil BY cultivation. A very few years,
however, suihcod to demonstrate the
fsllacy OF the "sbove-overhow" preten-
sion the planters mind relinq aished
tie delusion that land should be high
u was sufficient that it should be dry
and the proprietors deemed it expedient
70 fortify against their common enemy.
The water marks left by the food upon
trees, stumps and fences were as plain
- paint these indicated the level of the
water and supplied the want OF engin.
eeTing scieuce. A make-shift levee OF
primitive Style was constructed, very
near the river bank, because less land
vas thereby thrown ont, and because
The ground is always highe.t upon the
margin Of thc river. sloping thence in
land. An the plantations increased in
number and Appropriated each other,
the principle Of Co cooperation appeared
Isvees were built across unoccupied
lands until there were disconnected
skings ten, twelve or fifteen miles long.
The construction Of these was far from
Satisfactory. The operatives were gen.
orally the plantation negroes. At that
time the Irish ditchers and levee build
e4s had scarcely made sheir appearance
In the country. The colored people are
mot usually distinguished for their skill
IN the use of the spade, and cannot ut
Ill compete with the Hi'acrnian. Some
ysan there was high water, carrying
disnay to tho Planters heart; some
years there was low water, inspiring
Scnfldsncs and security; occasionally
there was NO water" at all--the river
did not get out Of its banks, and was,
Therefore, held in contempt In 1874,
hoxevsr. the Mississippi, having appsr-
entity lost all patience with this persist
snt intrusion upon its domains, "spread
itself" to use . vrlgarism singularly de-
scriptive Of the operation, and treated
II unbidden guests to . first class "big
overflow, the like Of which had not been
! seen since 1898. The river rose early
and went down late it overHowed the
wkoss country, and filled up the entire
swamp; ruined all the feyees, great and
small remained ct OF near high-water
marx week after week and month after
month until late in July, and did not
finally retire within its banks uutil
nearly the middle Of August. William
4 As.frsc. ST., IN Stribacr.