The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1885-11-14

knowledge, that estimate was
based, aud, second, that the per-
eentage of loss from hoods has
exceeded what was formerly
thought TO be affair allowance for
this contingency.
|. Much of the loss, however,
would have been spared had the
stronger methods of construction
been resorted to at an early hour,
and future loss from this cause
can, in some measure, be avoided.
In other respects the experience
gained in the application of new
and untried devices cannot fail to
tend in the direction of economy.
There must be no just ground for
apprehension that the ultimate
cost of this Improvement will be
inordinately great, or will exceed
what the government will be fully
justified in expeHding upon a great
national work, in the success of
which so large and so varied in
terests are involved.
In order, however, that the in.
creased depths already secured
upon two reaches of navigation
may be utilized aud made of Some
practical value, the Improvement
should be extended up stream and
down. Indeed it cannot be said
that navigation has received any
practical benefit whatever. as the
last improvements are restricted
to localities hemmed in by bad riv.
er both above and below.
II might be better were no md
die course left open to spread each
appropriation judiciously over all
the six reaches of bad navigation
selected for Improvement below
Cairo adding a little each year, il
practicable, to the available depths
of the worst bars than to conhne
the work to Plum Point aud Lake
Providence Reaches, as hereto
fore; even if the low river naviga
ton of these two localities shoul(
be rapidly deepened to twenty
eight feet, and the feasibility o
: the Commissioners plans there
by be fully demonstrated. Th,
! objective point is the improve
ment of the river, and not the yin
) dication of the agent of the work
except as means to an end.
In the report now submitted,
special method of treatment TO
vicksburg harboris described, an
=, | recommend that the sum of $50
:. 900 be set apart by Congress fo
beginning this work.
With regard to the condition
existing at the Red and the AtchI
: faylaya Rivers, the work to b
done there will, or should have
for its object the gradual contra'
tion, and perhaps, finally, the con
= plete closure of that stream as a
outlet ofthe Mississippi. Whethc
the treatment should be carrie
. further than this, to the extent I
y making the Red River tributal
of the Mississippi by the constru
- ton of high dam across the hea
OF the Atchafaylaya River, thr
cutting off the latter stream fro
the navigation of the Red and Mi
(, sissippi Rivers is question i
:, v0lving considerations of yer
great moment. Fortunately il
:. determination at the present tin
. is not imperative, as the worl
:, necessary for its accomplishing
. naturally follow, in point of tim
. those which may be built for sill
: ply contracting the outlet or pr
= venting it's enlargement.
IF BY the principles enumerated
q the basis of its plan of improv
4 ment the Commission is distinct
d committed to the idea of ,losir
q. all outlets as part Of that plan.
both low river outlets and breal
,r in the leyees-and it has consis
o emily opposed the fallacy show
,f as the "outlet SYSTEM" because
stands in sharp antagonism
,r those principles and to all fund
4. mental laws of hydraulics. Wh'
q the Atchafayla shall cease to
N an outlet, the discharge of Il
Is Mississippi below the mouth
!. Red River will be increased abol
q. forty to fifty per cent, by the ado
n tion of the volume now abstractt
r by the outlet. How long tin
,e must necessarily elapse before Il
}: river, by a gradual enlargement
le its bed, Will be able to retain wit
e. in the existing levees and rapid
s. carry off this increased volume,
J.. largely a matter of conjectur
At That it would do so in time W
at doubtless be generally conced,
z. by engineers who are fanili
O. With the character of the deposi
which have to be secured ava
Mr. Eads estimates that six ven