The Washington critic., 1888-07-18
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
How Its Improvement Can he Most
Advantageously Effected.

Advantageously Effected.
Common sense teaches that to prevent
the overilowing of rivers, there must be
sufficient capacity for disohargng all the
water into the Gulf as fast, at least, as IL
flows in above, and to increase the cur
rent by shortening the distance the water
flows must, of necessity, increase the dis
charge capacity in the same proportion
the current is increased, and toTeduce
the distance the water flows from New
Orleans to the Gulf from 1l0 miles, as by
present channel, with about fifteen feet
fall, giving less than two inches to the
mile, to ten miles, by cutting channel
to the head of Lake Borgne and reaching
tide water in five miles, with a fall of
thirty.six inches TO the mile, we can see
the flow of water would be very much
increased, and would not only deepen
the channel below New Orleans, but for
many miles above. Then to straighten the
channel, where practicable to do so, would
give the same results, as by outlets near
the mouth for by shortening the distance
the fall will be increased, and current
quickened in proportion. And we claim
that by this work being done permanent
navigation of the Mississippi would be
insured, and millions of acres OF the best
agricultural land IN the world would be
reclaimed, as well as improving the sani-
tary condition OF the country.
Just as this would lower the food line
and lower the bed of the Mississippi by
securing its bottom out, so would it lower
the bed flood-line and of every tributary
emptying into IL and produce the same
effect as on the Mississippi by lowering
Its bed.
Now let us consider the leyee system
and see what the effect will be ii per
sisted in, and IL seems that is the system
IAas .la1
Continuance in raising the levees to keep
them above high.water mark, while
there Is stronger current on the upper
than on the lower Mississippi, and more
wash above than below, must certainly
IN time fill the bed of the river with sedi-
mcnt and raise it to the level of the pres.
ent banks, and TO hold the water the
levees must be raised to correspond, and
when so raised, what will the effect be on
the broad bottoms?
The tributaries of the Mississippi will
have no outlet, and their waters must
accumulate behind the walls, and the
Mississippi and her tributaries bottoms
will become vast sea of fresh water, as
II doubtless was in the Eocene age, only
the water then was salt. The Mississippl
Valley was then q great estuary or arm
of the sea, from the Cumberland to the
Ozark Mountains. Efosions from the
mountains filled the valley up to its
present level. That same erosion still
goes on and unless some means be de-
vised by which the wash of the up lands
will be carried to the Gulf by additional
outlets, instead of being deposited IN the
bed of the river and causing that to over
flow its banks, it is only a matter of
time, when new channels will be formed
at higher levels and the present available
area of the Mississippi will be vast
swamp and only tenantable for alligators,
and the system of leveeing Will mate
rally hasten that time.
To open more outlets of the lower Mis-
sissippi direct to the gulf, and then
straighten the channel above by cut-ofis
where practicable, appears to us to be the
only sensible plan to insure free naviga-
| ton and reclaim the now waste lands to
| agriculture. To lower the bed of the
Mississippi, would, as it were, open the
outlet for all ITS tributaries, and to
straighten their channels when practicable
| to do so, would have the same effect on
their tributaries by lowering their flood
| lines and their beds, at the same time
| deepening all their low water channels.
| 1t is also matter that deserves the earn
est consideration and early action of Con-
| gress.-[ Labor Advocate, FordyCe, Ark,