The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-11-04
AWAITING ACTION.
RIVER PLANTERS DEEPLY INTER.
ESrED In THE RESULT
or the Request Made for Aid-What
Major Dlbney Says Of the
LeYees.

The planters slong the river b the
southwark are awaiting with der
able interest the PRONUNCIATION by the
Secretary OF War OF the allo'menis
made by the River Commission at
their meeting in New York. The
Yazoo Delta Board asked the com.
mission this year to appropriate $685.
COO out OF the fund at their disposal,
to add to the 100000 levied from the
planters by the Delta Board, and
which amount is insufficient TO carry
out the plan considered necessary for
the adequate protection of tho levees.
II ia believed that with $525,000 the
levees can be built to stand, provided
the commission can stop Caving, q re-
suit which they hops to attain. Maj.
DAbney, chief engineer Of the Yszoo-
Mississippi Delta levees, makes the
following statement in regard to the
levees:
1.-THE Mississippi Levee District Cor
lower DISTRICT has line OF levees
about 220 miles in extent Before the
war these levees were maintained in
a comparatively perfect condition and
under their protection many millions
of dollars were investe d in improving
large areas of alluvial lands, which
yielded annually vast quantity of
products in cotton and corn. During
the progress of the war great havoc
was MADE on this line OF levees, both
directly and indirectly, the direct de-
struction being incident to the opera
tons of the armies and fleets, and 10
the uncsstirg caving of the river
banks, the indirect injury being pro.
ducsd by general neglect. The same
may be said of the Yszoo- Mississippi
Delta (or upper District. At the
close OF the war these levees were
in very deplorsble condition Of in.
sufficiency, the gaps in the limo were
very extensive and the whole Yazoo
basin was at the mercy of the Missis-
sippi river floods. All this country
was practically uninhabi able without
leyee pro ec,ion. The people in the
territory which constitutes the levee
district went to work mSDfully to re-
store Their lovees. They organized
levee disiric', and taxed their cotton
SIS Ter bale, and their land a spscific
lax per acre. Since the close of
nearly $6,0OO,OO6 on their levees, all
of which was contributed by four
counties. The upper or Yezoo- Mis-
sissippi Delta District did not |
display so much enterprise |
until two years ego, when by act OF
the Legislature this territory was or
ganized into a levee district, with au-
thority 10 Issue $4,000 in levee |
bonds, supported by taxation on the |
lands embraced in the district. These
bonds were negotiated at par
aud the money expended In an
effort to res ore their line OF levees,
ITO miles in extent. The money
which these bonds yielded was less
than half the sum required to make
perfectly secure line of leye 8, This
year further issue Of 100000 OF
bonds was authorized, and these have
been successfully negotiated, aud the
proceeds are about to be applied to
levee blilding. But there is still |
of deficit of about Sl25,000 for present |
needs. All of this expenditure OF
money on the levees in Mississippi,
amounting to nearly 100000 in the
two levee districts, has contributed |
directly to tho furtherance of the Mis-
fissippi r yer Commissions plans for |
improving navigation in the river by |
conserving the food energies aud
thereby deepening the channel, re-
suit which is everywhere manifesto d
where levees are maintained on both
sides of the river. The River Com
mission, with the limited means
FINISHED by Congress, has been able
TO make only feeble efforts in utilizing
the important factor of levees in con-
serving food waters an &C uring away
the enormous deposits of sand in
the channel. While fully apprecia.-
ing the value OF levees as an indispen-
sable adjunct to channel improve
ment, and recognizing the great adj
vantage which would accrue to the
United States Government by CO.
operating with the local levee organi-
cations for a mutual and common pur-
pose, they have been able to expend'l
in Mississippi only about $440,0 900 in
the lower district and about $40,000in
the upper district, against The $1,000 |
900 expended by the people in these
districts under a very heavy burden Of |
special taxation for levee purposes,
the benefts.of which are reaped by the |
government equally with the owners
OF these lands which are 30 taxed.