The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1884-12-19
THE ATCHAFALlYA PROBLEM.

The investigation of the Atcha-
falaya made by the Eads party, the
particulars of which we published
yesterday, has confirmed all the
Times-Democrat has said of the
greatness of this danger. The
danger is immediate and threaten
Ing cause for national alarm. The
water pouring down the Atchafa-
laya has already caused the shoaI-
| ing of the Mississippi below the
mouth of Red river, and as the
flood of the Mississippi is defect
cd this shoaling will increase. Af-
ter a careful inspection of both
rivers and a thorough study of the
subject, Capt. Eads proclaims, and
there is no one who will not accept
his opinion-as the best that could
be given on the subject, that in two
years certainly, or even less, if ev-
erything is cooperative, the main
volume of the Mississippi will 60
down the Atchafaiaya to the sea.
The only thing that has prevented
this before has been the bar of
blue clay in. Old river, tough
substance difficult to wash away,
but which is being rapidly destroy
ed. With that gone, the Mississ-
ippi will dcbouch into the Gulf by
Berwicks Bay. And this may oc-
cur at any moment. A food COM
ing down the river when the Red
river is low would make the de-
scent to the Atchafalaya so steep
that in very short time the rush
of waters will complete the work
they have already begun.
The visit to the Atchafalaya
showed that stream more angry
and turbulent than before. 1t had
grown in every respect. One hum
dred feet from its entrance nebot-
tom could be found at ffty-three
feet. The river had increased its |
width, huge masses of land had |
sloughed off, and large areas been
swept away by underwriting cur
rents. There is perceptible in
crease in the stream since 1882.
Even in the present low condition
Of the river one-twclfth of its vol
ume passes down the Atchafalaya.
This is the situation, and it is
otartling. As Capt. Eads reiter-
itcs, every day day lost now is a
waste of valuable time.
To remedy this, to remove the
langer no abtrusc questions of en-
are. involved, no great
expense is entatled. At a cost of
rom SIP, 600 to $4,000 sill can
,e laid across the head of the Atch-
.falaya, which will check the sur
,lus of water flowing down from
he Mississippi, and by increasing
his barrier arterward the outflow
will be entirely cut off. Every
lay this work is postponed the
langer is nagniiied, and the cost
# remcdying and preventing the
detection OF the Mississippi in
reased.
The commercial bodies of New
orleans should sound the alarm to
he valley and the valley through
IS representatives in Congress
hould insist upon instant actionin
his most important matter. +,
The time for dillydallying with ,
his great problem has passed; the +,
Mississippi River Commission are :
ar to di!atory in their movements |
nd take too long to devise ways
nd find means to avert the threat
ned danger, and rather incline to !
plan that is entirely at variance l
18th their printed opinions, and '
ie people of the great valley must :
estir themselves in their own be-
alf. The time for theorizing and
,lking is past, the time for action t
as arrived.-T.-D. Q
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! strong effort will he male In I