The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-05-12
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
AND THE CRANKs OPPOSED To
LGPEES.
The Experience OF n Planter Who
Has Lived I'm the bottom
for Years.
looRREsroxOrNoE ov nan APrrAL.I

TYRoSZA P. o., Cross COUNTY, ARK,
May 9.-Reading day after day the
many and numerous letters pertaining
to the Mississippi river and levees,
you will, l trust, pardon me in at.
tempting 10 explain to the wild theo-
rists the suicidsl policy they are pur-
suing. II Is only few days ago that
one OF this class suggested that Col.
Miles and 100 representative men OF
the Mississippi Valley should be cent
on to Washington to tell the United
| Sta'el Government what 10 do with
the river. Hope, when they go, they
will remain there forever. Another
from Bolivar wants lateral levees. In
stead Of having too many levees, we
have not got enough, as evidenced by
the fact that the unusual hight OF the
food ut Helena is annually caused by
the rapid discharge OF water through
the 81. Francis basin. II emanates
from the water escaping from the
channel OF the liver below Cairo,
through the sunken lands of St.
Francis, whose outlet is about eight
miles north OF Helena.
When the river reaches forty-fye
feet at Cairo II then passes into Wap-
pinocky bayou, and from thence into
Wappinocky lake; from thence into
the 1yropzl river, and from thence
into the 81. Francis river, twenty-five
lies north OF the point where Grow.
ley's Ridge comes to the river. That
is how the frat OF the Mississippi river
gets into that basin. In the mean.
time the water coming through Niger
Wool swamp is asst filling up the ba-
sin, and when the sunken lands and
all the low lands become filed, and
the St Francis basin one vast sea, II
passes out with increased velocity,
gained by lis shortened course a dis.
lance OF 100 miles, and gaining an in
creased fall al twenty feet in this dis.
lance. Compute the distance by river
from Cairo to Helena, and allow the
minimum Gee inaticn OF the Missis-
sippi river, which is about three
tenths Of foot TO the mile. Then
take the distance between those same
poiots, but a,ross the basin, as the
Mississippi river finds it's way duIipg
q fl Cd, aud you will then readily see
why the man at Helena and It's Vicin.
ity who stands behind levee that is
one In name only cries out. The
levees are q failure; abolish them"
Instead OF abolishing them let the
plan OF the River Commission be fol.
lowed; close the st. Francis basin
up; do not let the water accumu-
late in these aud then at
the last moment pour Its food
out on a river already full. Send this
vast volume around by Its natural
course, and then 1t will have time to
carry oil the water as II does in other
portions OF the river. Why this an
nual howl from the vicinity of Hell
ena2 II is caused by the vast re.
strvoir stored at their doors ready to
pour down on them at the last mo.
ment Close the Francis ha in and
you will get clear OF this snnual howl
about the abolition of levees. The
men that howl most about tearing
down leveCs are the very ones that
would sit idly by whiting a pine
stick and zee anybody in the world
build their ltvees ss long as il cost
them nothing, That lateral leyee
builder from Bolivar County is an
other OF that class OF theor sts. WHY
that man lives amongst the stronges I
levee men in the world, and how they
ever let him get loose from them with
his lateral levee ideas is a mystery To
me. The man who is writing this
has lived almost constantly on those
levees in Bolivar County for wears.
and where 300 acres OF land enc m.
passed by lateral levees' is worth
$4,000, is a point / would like
to see.fNI have walked from
the north end Of. Bolivar county, known
as the Crews place to the south end
on the Port Anderson place and
know OF no such EldoIado as he talks
OIL Would like TO see the assessment.
roll. II you want TO keep your land
dry build your leveCs high enough
aud strong enough. 60 down to Boil
var county and they will show YOU
how to do it, None of your red flsl
communicate ideas among them. 1t il
all build up; no tear down. The flood
oil 1886 is past, and where is the break
in their line2 Not one acre OF lant
wet. Tbat shows wherein theil
streDgt lies. Their motto Is "Unity
is strength Some oIe will probably
ask what hight ought levee 10 be anc
how strong ought 1t to be? Four fee
above the highest flood known anC
slopes OF seven TO one, with a ten-ioo
crown, Then protect il as a railrcaC
company does lis road. II YOU wan
advice on that subject take q tin or
the Kansas City railroad through tn,
It. Harcls balm, and then 90 thou
home and do likewise, and wnen thu
floods come YOU will not have to hi,
you to the woods and build yo,
, a dug.out, bat, like some of tn,
men in the Yazoo delta, vol
J will be abe to raise al
that you need at home, and the NOR,
you raise the better able YOU will b,
. 10 build levees OF a I'd and substan
tial character. This Bolivar Count,
J literal levee man says that leyee
! were built only 10 pAtity the da,kits
! Rather expensive, / NUT adm I. Ash
t Gen. Alcorn how macy levtes he bui,
: before the war 70 pac fy anybody. II
, Bolivar Coun Y 90 and look at III,
: levees built by Col. McGhee, Ifaa
: Hud on, Gen. Clark aud many o her
{ that | could mention. The levee
: built by thess men are now siaudin
r snd the fine plantations in the val
: ley are now behind them, where i'm
: proved agiicul u al machinery an,
{ bl odtd stock are to be found.
. Could this be done with ia'era
, lev, esq Fancy the annual washiD
{ awsy OF fences, the bitches filled
drainage stopped, houses built OIL
, Ct lts, waiting decade OF years for
3 sufficient documentary deposit 10 &C
I cumulats 50 that You could dispose O
step.ladder 70 get into your house
Fancy the wildntss OF such theories
Take my advice; 20 on building an,
sirens thening your levses. You hav
proved it your protection, and when
: more fssfible plan presents itself
know YOU will lake advantage of il
sni some OF these days the Unite
$ atss Government in lis m ght see
Fl to prevent your banks ir m cavnG
! know you Will prevent it from goiu
over the tip.