The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-06-04
The MemoriaI
.N "N"tHa1As
To the Honorable Senate Of the United

states:
GKNTLKMKN - Inssmuch as the
House OF Representatives has deemed
il proper by certain amendments TO
the river and harbor bill, which passed
that body, to cast dscredit upon the
Mississippi River Commission, aud
either to efiecluslly deprive said River
Commission Of its proper functions in
controlling the work of improvement
Of this great stream, or at least to Gre
ate doubts aud apprehensions in the
minds of the people touching this
matter, your petitioners IespeCt fully
pray that you will rescind the ohjeC-
tionable amendments referred to, or
at least that one offered by Mr.. Hep
burn, which is evidently designed to
emasculsts the River Commi sion
for il 1t is non-e Elective, as some Con-
gressmen maintain, it should bs re-
moved from the bill "a only serving
t. raise unnecessary doubts aud create
ambiguity, ana lift has the effect which
its mover designed we (, oil certain thatit
will prove exceedingly hurtiul to the
vast commercial interests which we
in part represent, and which we con-
Ceve are dependent upon wise and
intelligent conduct of the work Of
improving the navigation Of the Mis-
sissippi river, which was so au pi-
ousy begun and carried forward
under the able management OF the
River Commission until 1t was unfor-
tunately brought to a stop by the re-
fusal OF the FOrty-Eighth Congless to
make provision for It's continuance.
We furher desire to show that our
salves and great majority of the
people in the Mississ ippi Valley
whose interests are concerned in the
Improvement and avPatiCn of The
Mississippi river, as has been evinced
in the act on OF the several river inn
pTovemsnt conventions held attnn-
dry times and places during the past
year, have entire confidence in the
wisdom and ability OF the Mississippi
River Commission to deal with this
great problem, snd we feel every n
sursnce that II allowed to proceed in
the work without embarrassment for
want of means or from restrictive leg
isla IN the River Comm ssion will
carry it to ultimate and complete sue
! Cess,
We flu Their wish to impress the idea
that so great a problem IS this eau
only be successfully solved by we'll
conceived plans OF operations based
upon patient ard painstaking expert
ments and thorough Knowledge of
the Mississippi river derived from in
telligant and accurate observations OF
8 phenomena.
We feel assured that the River Com
mission has pursued tho only proper
course in dealing with this subject
that il hrs acquired vast deal of in
formation recefslry to the purpose in
view not h,r toiOTe known, and that
il has already made va 'uLbie progress
toward It a tsinment, as evidenced by
The important and sub Hantial rel e to
navil alton sifo -dcd by the efforts
made in various loc Aliues on the Mis-.
s ssippi ngcr, no ably at ii n Q Tail
Reach, where ire vi rks cover about
tive " mil If extremely IA river,
add Wu,Te toe low wat tett1 ial
be- ere. sed 10 more than doGbl5
q e oigjarl d p h there prevailing
at PUN Pine Tefch, c)veIiug atont
zig en- miles cf b d river, whsre the
depth as also en- doub ed, ald ths
imp ovemenC maintained po'wi h
standing the absence OF all further at
tention, for lack of mt ans, since Janu-
any, 1885; the channel across BulleIton
bar, heretofore one OF the most trouble
some N navigators on the river, fiom
its thif ing Iature and shoal con ai-
ton, which has remained unchanged
as 10 location, and easy navgable
depth main aimed sincs the &C ON
plisbment of the works of improve
ment; at Providence Reach, covering
about twenty miles of bad river,
where formerly very serious obetruc.
tons to nav igation prevailed at every
low wafer season, where the depth
has been doubled, aud the improved
condition maintained, notwithstand-
ing the lack OF M aus to bes'ow need
ed attention upon the works for more
than year past. II may be here
mentioned as a pei tinent fact that
formerly the larger class OF boats ply
ing between New Orleans and points
above were compelled TO SUSPEND nav
ieation or substitute smaller boats
during low water on account OF the
bad liver in Providence Reach, but
since the Inauguration of the River
Commission WORK navigation here has
proceeded with out interruption at all
seas lns.
The treatment OF Memphis barbol
has been eminently successful Gs fol
as the protection work has eX ended
Valuable property on the Memp' II
front, especially the large Anchor
Line Elevator aud the cotton com
press, was invaded by the caving banI
so as 10 render necessary its abandon
ment. Since the appliCa ion OF tht
revetment this property has tee lmt
80 secure that II has ben reoCcupied
and portions OF the buildings which
had been destroyed by the cIvinl
bank have been rebuilt over the reve
ment, thus showing an entire absence
OF further apprehension for theii
eafety.
We, therefore, in common with thu
people OF the great Mississippi valley
| greatly depIeCats any legislation which
. twill in any wise embarra4s or interfere
WIN Tue opera lOnb VI tho hlNei Sohi
mission in making practical applica
ton Of its plans for the improvement
/. olthe river.
I In conclusion, we would iuItbe
1 most respectfully suggest that thu
' River Commission cannot be expected
r to accomplish any large proportion o.
, the work it has design ed, with an ap
! preparation which is so fer below thu
est mated cost Of said work, and w
, should feel much gra.ified II the sp
' preparation were increased to al
amount mora nearly commensurat
with the magnitude and Importance
Of the work. Very respectfully,
/. JAMES PHELAN, Chairman;
I JOHN S. TOOF,
= W. A. ENEHMAN,
g J. T. JEFFERSON,
II. q. DABNEY,
holland EONTAINE,
+ Executive Committee Western waterway
q Convention, representing Merchants an
5 WV" W. J. CHASE,