Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1884-03-22
Facte Ceneerni.g the River and Ievee..

Engineer John Ewens, of the United
States steamer Patrol, furnishes to the
Vicksburg Herald, of Thursday, an elabor-
ate statement of facts concerning the Mis-
sissippi river and the levees, from which
the following is excepted. Engineer
Ewens prefaces the report with the ex-
PLANTATION that the trip had been mainly
devoted to ascertaining the food escape of
the river into the swamps, which he di-
vides into three grand basins-the first
on the right, and known as the St. Francis
basin, beginning at Salladin, Mo-, and ex-
tending to point near Pillows place, in
Arkansas, the second the Yazoo on the left
bank, extending from opposite Redman's
Point, Ark, down to near Warreutown,
Miss, and the third the Atchafalaya and
Tensas basin, from Sarah's Island down to
the Gull of Mexico. He then desert oes
the manner in which the food water
enters each of these basins, returning
again to the river at the lower extremities
OF each basin, and argues that at no point
below the head of the st. Francis swamp
does the Mississippi discharge full flood
volume. 1t also shows where effective
levee or bank-building is most needed.
The soundings taken and velocities
observed in the reaches where the
waters of great floods break over
into these swamps illustrate fully
the disparaging effects of the escapade
and show what great enemy these migra-
tory outlets are to river improvement, and
to the country contiguous to them. On
these reaches you will find invariably a
marked fill in the river bed and great
decrease of velocity. This fill and decrease
of velocity increases from food to flood.
and thus increases the perils of navigation
and devastation of property. There is no
doubt but that this filling and retardation
OF velocity can be eliminated. The remedy
is simply to keep the water within its
banks by levees or any means that will
insure that end.
After giving details Of the conditions of
the leyees at various points, which have
nearly all been published in the APPEAL,
Engineer Ewens says: "Over the vast terri
tory traversed during this trip it would
surprise one that had not gone over the
ground to know how much good levee
there exists, and how easily tne defective
parts could be made effective. Take, for
example, the reach from Commerce,
Miss, down to Friars Point, Miss. On
this reach from Commerce to Austin
there are not more than two breaks of any
magnitude. These are the one at Mhoon's
and the one at the culvert. On the re-
naming portion the water is simply run
ming over the top of the levee. The levee
bed was hard and firm and would require
but an additional elevation of about two
feet to make it effective. The levee at
Mhoon's should be carried back at least a
mile from the river bank. II this were
done and the balance CT the levee raised,
it would insure their pernanency for
levees. 1t will be well to give here few of
the many observed causes of the failure
of the levees and the condition in which
the majority OF them are to-day. In a
majority of cases breaks are caused by
allowing the water to trickle through the
small depressions without attempting to
stop it until formidable crevasse is pro-
d7ced. These depressions are made while
the water is low by hauling logs over the
levees and by a concentrated traffic at
certain points from by-paths or by-ways
leading to or from the levee. 1t is a great
mistake that people make when they say
that continual traffic or pressure on a
levee strengthens it. That would be true
if the pressure extended for some distance
below the levee ditch at base of the levee,
| but otherwise it is not. Top pressure
hardens the mass of earth for only a
short distance below the surface, thus
| leaving the lower strata in its primi-
| tive state and causes the two masses to
| disunite under the action of two forces.
In other words, the effect may be consid-
cred analogous to the action produced
| when stump is left in the levee. Another
| source of injury is that ensuing from al
lowing stock to roam on the levees. In
| some places during the present trip /
| found crevasses due solely to the 6epreda-
| tions of the American porker. The last and
| most and dangerous enemy Is the craw-
| fish. The presence OF the latter can be
eliminated partially, if not wholly, by tax
ing care not to throw refuse matter near
the levee at high or low water. 1t is a pos
tive fact that craw-fishing in the woods
or at points distant from private resi-
| dences is very improbable business,
while near residences or points where
food is thrown into the water the catch is
so great as to become monotonous So to
preserve the levees there are three essen
tials: Keep off of them, enforce the stock
| law and starve the crawfish." The vast
amount of information and facts deter
mined during the present flood trip of the
Patrol cannot he but of the greatest i'm
portance to the commission in ciphering
out the future of the mighty waterway.
When Engineer Ewens's data is computed
and compiled the following important
facts will be known: First, the amount
OF water the river loses and regains by
l crevasse and other artificial outlets and
the volume of water the great tributaries
from Cairo down contributes to the Mis-.
sissippi. From this data and and the val
liable knowledge Engineer Ewens pos
sesses regarding the levee system it will
be known accurately Just how much water
can be turned into the natural waterway
by closing the leyees.