Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-12-04
THE HARBOR.

There is no doubt that the active
steps being taken in regard to our har-
Dor will result in some efforts to give
us again deep water in front Of our
city. As it is a question in which
every one is deeply interested, we
print the following from Capt. 7. G.
Dabney, who is well known in this
city as an engineer of considerable ex-
peTience :
Editor Commercial Herald:
| write, as you requested, my views
on the subject of the restoration OF
Vicksburg's harbor. From the recent
ly published report of the River Com
mission it seems that if the recon-
mendations of that body are honOred-
by the approaching Congress, an effort
will be made to at least ameliorate the
evils of shoal water in front of the
town by endeavoring to gradually d.
vert the river from its present channel,
DdCk bUWdIu flChoUulSs
This will be a very interesting ex-
pertinent, which l should like to see
tried, and would rejoice to see made a
success. But | must confess to being
skeptical as to any good results from
it. All former experiments of a like
nature have failed, and the idea Of
forcing the river to abandon a shorter
route In favor of a longer one, has
come to be considered a sort of ply
steal paradox, among engineers.
Still, if the River Commission with
its abundant resources and appliances
will make the experiment intelligently,
which it is sure to do if at all, l re-
peat, it will prove a very interesting
n to the profession, and more especi-
ally to the citizens of Vicksburg.
regard it as very unfortunate for
Vicksburg, that the scheme of dredg-
ing out a harbor was abandoned.
The ill-conceived and abortive efforts
of Capt. Marshall in this direction,
brought the whole scheme into disfavor
with the Commission, and l think very
unjustly so.
My observations in Vickburg harbor
from 1876 to 1881, showed a gradual
diminution of deposit, from an aver
age of about so feet the first season,
to a quantity too slight to detect by
ordinary appearances during the last
season of observation. This diminu-
ton of deposit was due to a diminish
ed volume of water passing through
the haTbor, and that was owing to the
obstruction offered by former deposits.
In 1882 and 1888 the water was
much higher than III 1881. That
would of course occasion the passage
of a larger voIume through the har-
Dor, and result in larger deposits.
Any scheme for dredging out, and
so maintaining, d harbor, must be &C.
companied, as an essential feature, by
the obstruction Of the flow of water
through it. When there is no constant
influx of water there will he no con-
stant increment of deposit.
This would be easy enough to ac-
complish. A brush dixie of cheap con-
struction, aided and supplemented by
the material excavated by the dredge,
extending across from Vicksburg to
the island above the basin, would
stop the flow of water. The structure
need not be very strong, as it would be
sustained by pressure on both sides.
1t would also be necessary to refill
the channel excaVated by Capt. Mar.
shall near the South end of DeSoto
Island, to prevent an eddy current
flowing through it.
Capt. Marshall's operations were of
a temporizing nature, reversing the
proper order, and their tendency was
to encourage theflow of water through
the harbor rather than to obstruct it.
His discouraging results are not at all
surprising.
In the first plan proposed it was
thought necessary, or at least prudent
to revet the outer slope of the excaya-
zion with a light mattress. to prevent
sloughing. 1t is probable that the bar
formation has now attained a degree
of solidity that would render this
unnecessary.
l see no difficulty in the way of car
rying out this plan. Beginning at
deep water above Kleinston, aud exca-'
waiting d canal of permanent width
and length as the work proceeded, I'D
to the elevator, then charging the
excavation into a basin 600 feet wide
and 1900 or 1900 feet long. The ex.
caVation should be to a depth fifteen
feet below low water Once dredged
out to this depth, and supplemented by
the dixie above described, the annual de-
post would be scarcely appreciable in
quantity, except perhaps just across
the mouth of Che canal, which might
require frequent removal over a limi-
ted area.
1t is not likely that the River Com
mission, however SO disposed, will feel
at liberty to expend as-much money as
will be needed to accomplish this
work, as its province is more especial
ly to treat the river proper. Vickshurg
should make an effort to secure a
special appropriation from Congress
for this purpose. 1t was once approved
by the United States engineers. and
would doubtless be again approved by
the River Commission. In my own