National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-03-11
FROM THE PEOPLE.
A Plan Proposed Twenty-Five Years Ago 10
Master the Mississippi.
improvement Of Rivers by Means OF
Great Reservoirs,
Straightforward Letter From One Of Fitz-John Por
ter's Soldiers
Other Communications from Correspond
ents Hero and Elsewhere.
THE RESERVOIR SYSTEM.

10 N" ElNOT
In 1910 the late Charles Ellet, jr., civil engi-
neer. presented to the Smithsonian institution
his plan for tho improvement of the Ohio and
other rivers by means Of reservoirs. In 1853
he published n volume containing this me-
moir, his report to the war department upon
the overfows of the delta Of the Mississippi
and their prevention by means Of reservoirs,
with an appendix containing his views on tho
bars at the mouth of the Mississippi.
This volume contains the reservoir plan in
full as presented by its author, and treats
deliberately and extensively the whole ques-
ton of tho rapidly increasing floods of the
great rivers and what he deems the only oili-
cient method of controlling them. The book
attracted much attention in scientific circles
at the time of its publication aud was extern
sivelv reviewed in this country and abroad.
1 is indeed strange that so many years should
have been permitted to eap'e, bringing with
them untold misfortunos, without fair test
having been made of q scheme Of relief at
once so simple and so grand.
At the close of his memoir on the Ohio,
Mr.. Ellet writes: lit is not asserting more
than the measurements presented in this
paper will Justify when il is main tanned that
it is entirely in the power of man to control
all the waters of the Mississippi and Mis-
souri,. and compel every river to flow with
an even current from its source in the Ale
gheuy or Rocky mountains TO its home in
the ocean, forever free from the hurtful eff
fects of foods and droughts.
1.-THE writer can scarcely hope immedi-
ately to remove the suspicion and distrust
with which the first announcement of his
plan was met by the public; but yet he
believes that the period is past when proju-
dice or doubt can long resist the force of
demonstration. When, in former age, it
was proposed in Spain to unite two rivers by
a navigable canal o commission of the inqui-
siton decided against the project on the
broad ground that if it had been the will of
of God that those rivers should be united
they would have been Joined in their crea-
ton. The decision was in conformity with
the spirit of the age and the people, and was
doubtless dictated by honest views of piety
and right.
But times have changed, and men are
learning to look upon the earth and all it
contains as gift from God to the beings of
His creation, to be used, explored, studied
and improved.
THE waters are not the least Of these boun-
teous gifts; but it does not follow because
thew are supplied in abundance they were
intended forever to be wasted. 1t is more in
unison with what is known of the original
design to conclude that the apparent excess
was intended for many useful purposes-to
be collected for the benefit OF the parched
earth; for the power that it affords; for the
Transportation of the products which it
serves to increase and prepare, and not
to burst periodically in o wave of destruction
upon man and his works" NJ.
WAsHINGToN, March 8.