St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-07
should be completed in one season If practi-

| the work to these reaches as soon as possible,
| as such course would open to improved nav
| igation about 250 miles Of river from Cairo
| down, or about one-fourth the distance to
| New Orleans, and nearly one-haH the total
| distance, which requires extensive improve
| ments. The commission has prepared plans
for the beginning of the work on these
reaches, and will take them in hand as soon
as the funds placed at its disposal will justify
| such action. 1t is also deemed essential to
| the work already done, and necessary to part
of the plan of improvement, that revetment
! of banks, which are caving in with such
| rapidity as to interfere and embar-
rass navigation should be at once
undertaken and carried forward systemati-
cally, beginning with Cairo and progressing
down stream, precedence and time being
| given to those places where the caving is
most rapid or injurious. Throughout tnat
portion of the river lying between the reaches
bad navigation is found for many long
stretches, where navigation is now good and
which only requires work Of this character to
keep 1t so, while at other places shoals exist,
less troublesome if the banks were held and
the river allowed to contract and deepen by
natural agencies.
By the terms of the last river and harbor
act the com mission was directed to take charge
| of the improvement of the Mississippi river
| between the mouth of the OHIO ana the Des
=, Moines rapids, on which work has been for
many years in progress under an engineer
Of the department. The names Of
q large number of harbors were
also inserted in the river
| and harbor bill. with q view to their improve.
ment, but as the amount appropriated was
| far short Of the estimate Of the commission,
| 1t did not feel justified in taking up this
work except at Memphis, where the act
| specified the amount TO be expended, and at
| Vicksburg, where repairs were needed to
| work already done. The com mission has
however, prepared separate estimates for
such work at those places, TO accomplish the
| object proposed, as soon as deemed neces-
sary. 1t Is the desire of the commission that
If congress decides that any or all Of these
works shall be undertaken, 1t shall specify
localities and amounts TO be expended on
each.
The general plan on which the work be-
tween the Des Moines rapids and the mouth
of the Illinois river is in progress, consists
III closing all side channels by low dams, US
ualy brush and stone, in contracting the
width of the river by spur dykes Of similar
construction, and By protecting by brush
mattresses covered with stone such banks as
are subject 10 erosion. The object sought is
TO contract the low water channel to uni
form width, and thereby increase its depth to
about five feet at low water. This work has
been in progress several years. and the re-
suits have DeeL good. Work will be resumed
in the spring and prosecuted to the extent of
the available funds.
Referring to the levees, the report assumes
no argument needed TO attest the practi-
cabiity Of the levee system. 1t is thoroughly
established by large experience that faith
fully constructed levees of sufficient pro-
portion and age to have settled and become
sod covered, would resist any pressure. OF
l49 breaks in the YaZoo front in 1882, l47
were caused by water run ming over the levees
aud evading the rear slope. Gazing banks
destroy far more than all other causes com
bined. But such losses may be reduced, as
caving is prevented, and permanency in
banks will make the maintenance of levees
inconsiderable in cost.
The commissi Oner recon mends the con.
struction of new and raising existing levees
along all parts OF the river, where high lands
are too remote to check the large volumes Of
food water outside the bed of the river; or Ia
other words, on the entire right and also on
the left bank below Baton Rouge, and from
the Yazoo river to Horn lake below Mem phis.
1t is the opinion of the commission that
building leyees for improvement Of naviga-
ton in an obstructed portion Of the river
cannot proceed indefinitely without involving
damages to proprietary interests below; and
If this portion OF improvement
to navigation is TO be made,
provisions must also be made
for Strengthening and raising the levees in
lower portions OF the river where navigation
Is now good.
The following order Of work is believed tc
be iudicious In completion OF the levee sys-
tenn. 1t should begin at the lower end in
each bottom OF Manchac, Lafourche and
Atchafalaya constituting lower Louisiana
The Tensac, Yazoo, White and st. Franci:
should be inclosed in the order named from
below upwards. In each bottom as it 1.
reached in the foregoing order, the most i'm
portant levees as restraining the greatest
escape Of water should be the first con.
structed.
The commission renews the recommenda-
tion heretofore made that provision be made
by law for appropriation by the United State:
through proceedings in the federal courts
Of land and m aterial needed in the work
The commission makes following estimates
for the fiscal year, ending June 30, 1886
Eor surveys, 500, 900; salaries and expenses
of the com mission aud assistant engineers
$780, 900; for river from Des Moines TO the
Illinois river, s5O0,0OO; from the Illinois
river to Cairo, 500, 900; between Cairo and
head passes including Red river at ant
below Atchafalaya, S7O0, 900; for harboi
at Columbus, Ky, $50, ,0O0; Hickman, Ky.
s270, 900; Memphis, $4,000; Greenville
Miss, $ls6, 900; Vicksburg. $50. coo; hatcher
800, 600; New Orleans, 1856, 500.
The report Of the Missouri river commits.
sion will he submitted TO the house to-mor-
row II recommends the appropriation OF
81, ,OO0, 900 for the Missouri river, between
its mouth aud Sioux City; Sl60. 900 between
Sioux City and Fort Benton, and $3.50, 900 foi
SURVEYS.
OREGON CENTRAL LAND GRANT FORFEIT.
The bill Just passed t be senate forfeitinl
the lands Of the Oregon Central Railroad
company applies to such portions only Of
the lands as lie adjacent TO and coterminu:
with uucOmD Dete portions OF the line. After
declaring such lands forfeited it provides
that person. already actually settled thereon
shall have the preference OF right Of entry
thereto under the hom laws,
such entry 70 be considered as
Of the date Of actual set
temeut The price Of even
numbered sections oi the forfeited lands II
reduced to sl.25 per acre. The bill also re-
peals the act OF March 3, 1875, which per
mitted actual settlers on the lands subse-
quently forfeited to locate elsewhere, without
extra cost. an amount Of land eqpal to their
first holding The bill now returns TO the
house, having originated there. In its pres
ent shape il differs materially from the form
in which II came 10 the senate, the house bill
having declared forfeited all lands granted
the company.
MINOR MENTION.