Richland beacon., 1885-04-04
THE APPROPRIATION.

The Vicksburg Commercial-Her-
aid of 2Sth, ult. SAYS there is en- I'M
expended appropriation of $25O.OOO
of the river and horbor funds on
hand and calls for a portion to be
used at the Delta point, thus it is,
when we have means OF relief, it Is
wanted by too many and often money
under this river and harbor bill is
put out upon creeks and bayous
and points that afford no relief. Let
this money be put where it will do
the most good. It is for the i'm
provement of the Mississippi and
the public generally. Let it be used
to confine the waters of the Mississ-
ippi to its proper channel. As we
understand this is a fund which is
intended under the direction of the
river commission amt Secretary of
war II be used on the Mississippi
river for the purpose Of improving
navigation and that which will I'M
prove navigation will also relieve
certain portions of country from in
undation. We want the Mississippi
river confined to it, channel by the
construction of leyees and the scOur-
ing out of the river, SO as to enable it
to carry off its surplus as well rs its
average quantity of water. The city OF
Vicksburg is placed upon a high hill.
She wants the river kept close to her
by keeping it from cutting or caving
at tho Delta point, opposite. In
truth, they want more water, and we
want less. Now to the point II
the money is used there extraviSant-
w, and none used above in the State
Of Arkansas the damage to us is ap-
parent. Why not begin above and
come down? To bank up and mat
rass the west bank to keep deep
water in front :.of Vicksburg is not
in the true spirit Of the law, when for
the same money millions Of acres
of the finest lands in the world could
be reclaimed and also the end of the
law attained in as much as the wa
ter would be kept in the channel
thus improving navigation. 1t is
exactly to the opposite if the mon
ey is expended on the Delta point
first without combining the water to
the CHANNEL above, for it will seek
it's level and instead of deepening the
channel the effect will be the oppo-
site. Begin above and come down
is the only way of managing the
water in the Mississippi; and it
seems to us the most ef1,ectual way
to keep water in front of Vicks-
burg is TO levee from above down
on this side; this would force the
water to the east side of the river.
To confine it there with all the
outlets above would afford no relief
for Vicksburg or our section Of coun-
try. 1t is fact beyond contradic-
ton that the levying of the river be-
low Memphis on the Mississippi
side and leaving it down on the 9th
er is no system at all, and just in
proportion to the benefits attained by
the people of Mississippi, just in the
same proportion we are damaged.
We have heard tho question often
asked why we are overlooked so
much worse than We were before the
levees were built and this question
is answered in the very facts above
rec;ted. To lsves on one side and
leave the other down will injuire
one just in proportion to the benefits
accrued to the other, the State Of
Mississippi did the work on the
the east side. louisiana Is the
sufferer, and now that a small sum
is left of the appropriation, our
neighboIs want the lions share Of
the money appropriated for this
purpose leaving us at the mercy OF