Huntsville gazette., 1884-01-05

the greater part of the required work Is
now in existence, having been constructed
by .parian committees and owners for the
purpose of land reclamation.
The Commission submit an estimate OF
the number of cubic yards of earthwork re-
quired for levees of certain grades between
Commerce, Mo-, and the forts below New
Orleans, distance of ,533 miles, the total
cost being % cents per cubic yard, estinaat-
ed $11 ,443, no. In conclusion on this sub
ject the Commission consider it necessary
to call the attention of Congress to the Pc
culiar conditions existing below Red River:
This section of the river is in state OF
much greater stability than is found at any
other part of its course be ow the junction
of the Missouri. At short distance below
Red River it becomes narrower and deeper
1t has been leveed there for a great many
years. No flood complications arise here as
above from the return of overflow water
which escaped from the river at a point
higher up.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
In regard to future legislation the Com
mission recommend that provisions be
made by law for condemnation by suitable
proceedings of material for any work on
the Mississippi improvement undertaken
by the Government. The report says with
IN the past year some serious 1nconven-
ience has been suffered from exorbitant
demands made by land owners for brush
were worth little or nothing to the owner,
and unstable to any buyer except the
Government at any price, but at the prices
some owners asked they make long item
of cost. 1t is not believed there will be
frequent occasion to resort to condemna-
tlon of private property If such proceed
lngs are authorized, as in most cases the
existence of power will be sufficient pre-
ventive of extortion, although cases may
arise in which possession and exercise OF
power will be highly important. 1t is
highly desirable also that Congress pre-
scribe by law the extent to which material
found on islands and bars in the river
may be used without payment of
damages. 1t is believed the supreme right
of control and improvement of the rivers
navigable for Interstate commerce vested
in the United States carries with it the right
to use in the works of improvement with
out the consent of any individual owner,
all such materials found within the limits
of the river itself. 1t is recommended,
also, that provision be made by law for re-
tanning control by the Government of land
built up by deposits induced by the work of
improvement placed in the river-bed. This
amounts in some instances to hundreds OF
acres, and in some localities riparian own
ers may be disposed to claim possession, al
though to the detriment of Improvement.
1t is expected in most such cases it will be
found desirable to encourage the growth
of trees upon newly made banks and oc-
cupy them in that way many years, per-
bapS permanently.
1t is regarded important also that a law
be enacted for the punishment of any per-
son who shall make cutoff at any neck
or point on the Mississippi River. The his
tory Of the river indicates tendency to
recurring cycles Oh cnange. A cut-on IS
followed by a sudden increase of velocity
of the current in its vicinity and by rapid
caving above and below. These are likely
to cause other cut-offs, one after another,
and then results widely extended, long
continued disturbance of the regimen of
the river. During the continuance Of such
period works of Improvement of the chan
mel will be attended with the greatest dlffl-
Guilty. No great cutoff has occurred since
that at Vicksburg in 1876, and the present
conditions Of the river in that respect are
regarded as favorable. But conditions are
also existing for the introduction of cycle
of changes by making single cutoff of in
furious consequences, which it is impoSsi-
bic to estimate. Such events have hap
pened in the past through the lawless acts
of individuals, and against these stringent
penalties should be provided.
Statements accompanying the report give
estimates of funds required for the fiscar
year ending June 30 1884. Improvement
of the Mississippi River below Cairo,
S3,000,000. For the fiscal year ending June
80, 1885: Work at New Madrid reach,
n
salaries and expenses of the Commission
for the next fiscal year, 5000, 900. OF the
appropriation for improving the river by
the act of August 2, 1882, the balance on
hand December 2, 1882, was $2,3SS,6JO;
amount expended to November !, 1889, in
Guiding outstanding liabilities estimated to
January 1, 1884, y, 1S7, ,733; balance availa-
BILE unpledged January l., 1884, but which
will be required from care of property and
maintenance of organization the remainder
of the fiscal year, $2O0,269; balance availa-
BILE Of the appropriation for New Orleans
harbor November /, 1888, $109,3TS; improv-
ing the mouth of Red River, S3S ,841; Natchez
hagbor, 1881.
The members of the Commission signing
the report are Major G. r. Suter, Henry
Mitchell, B. M. Harrod, Rob't. S. Taylor
and S. w. Ferguson.
A minority report was submitted by
General c. b. Comstock. He says the APP
preparation of the S11 no mentioned by
the Commission is too small for any ade-
quate system of levees intended to prevent
destructive floods Except intervals Of
fifteen or twenty years., to secure the
property of inhabitants behind them from
danger of destruction. As stated by the
Commission, a thorough study of the sub
ject of levees has not yet been made. I'm
til then accurate estimates are impossible,
and the heights above flood of two or
three feet at Columbus, ten feet at Full
ton, four feet at Helena, and ten feet at
Lake Providence are only approx
mates. Such as they are, they make it i'm
possible to concur in the estimate of $11,-
443,770 as the cost Of general system Of
levees from Commerce, Mo-, to the Forts,
adequate to preserve that country from de-
Structlve floods.
General g. A. Gilmore concurs in the re-
port of the Commission with a single quail
ification that the value of levees as factor
in the problem of channel Improvement, in
preventing wide dispersion of food waters,
is not affirmed in the report in sufficiently
positive terms and that clearness and
prominence to which in his Judgment it is
entitled.
The Philadelphia Times puts
strong plea for the restoration to Ameri-
can homes of the old fireplace, or the