The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-17
THE RESERVOIR SYSTEM.
THE HON. JEFFERSON DAVIS sUG-y
dEsTED 1T FORTY YEARS AGO. )
a Recent Letter on the Subject m
Answer to the Letter of the
President OF the vicksburg Chamber
OF Commerce.

FROM tic NlcksDlIg tiefhlu.
Many years ago when the Hon. Jefferson
Davis was a member OF the United States
Senate he introduced memorial providing
for the building OF immense reservoirs on
the head waters of the Mississippi and il,
tributaries in order TO irrigate the barren
tracts OF land in which these rivers run
and also to prevent devastation by floods.
In view OF the fact that credit is now
given to Maj, J. w. Powell, United States
chief engineer, for the plan which Mr..
Davis suggested nearly forty years ago,
Mr.. III. Dudley Coleman, president OF the
| Chamber OF Commerce, wrote to Mr.. Davis
in regard to the matter and received the
following letter in reply:
BEAuyoiR Miss, Aug /. 1855
Mr. II. Dudley Coleman;
Dear Sir-Yours of yesterday has been
received. The reluctance | have to ap-
pearing in the press was not merely be-
cause OF the Misrepresentation and abuse
to which | have been subjected, but still
more because OF the belief that among
those who have the power to control my
name would add nothing, and probably
would subtract something from any dispo.
sition 10 aid our section. The subject on
which we conversed is considered section.
| al; ii is not so, nor is my interest less be-
cause it includes other portions OF our
country.
Now TO the question.
What are the evils TO be considered. and
what are the possible remedies applicable
TO the Valley Of the Mississippi? Deyas-
titing floods. caving banks, formation of
sand-bars and low water impeding naviga-
ton. To reduce the floods, lot reservoirs
be formed at the headwaters of the Mis-
sissppi and Missouri; also, by dam near
the Rock river make Lake Koshekonouge
and tho four lakes connected with it, and
one another, set OF reservoirs so as TO
prevent such flood as devastated the
neighborhood OF Quincy, H., and in the
time OF need, supply water TO maintain
the navigation of the upper Mississippi.
The Missouri river, 10y its rapid and tortu-
Gus current, caves its banks, not by the
acre, but by the section, and overiows the
best land along It's borders.
RESERVOIRS AT ITS HEAD
would serve TO reduce the volume OF water.
and consequently the rapidity of tho cur.
rent and caying as the result OF il. In adj.
dition 10 this, somewhere, say in the
| neighborhood Of Bismarck, let the canal
be cut connecting the Missouri with the
Red river OF the north, 40 that in time of
high water large volume would pass
from the Missouri into the Red river,
which would innocuously flow into IIud.
sons bay. This outlet could be easily
made, for there are times when those
rivers are continent. Long ago, | think it
was about lSi0, presented a memorial in
the United States Senate asking that the
government would undertake that work.
so far rs | know il has received no at
| tention.
The valley Of the Ohio has, / believe.
the largest per centage OF cultivated land
OF any portion OF the United States.
Therefore, probably, il has followed tr7ar'
the Hoods IN the Ohio have OF late years
been 50 excessive. Reservoirs could bo
formed in the valley Of the Cheat river
and the hcadwaters OF the Monongahela,
Allegheny and Kentucky rivers, which
would hold the waters in The spring and
which could be drawn on in the summer
and fall, serving the double purpose 10
prevent devastating floods and TO maintain
perennial navigation.
by controlling in the manner proposed.
THE TRIBUTARIES OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
the velocity Of lis current would be m.
duoed and pan passu the erosion Of lis
banks. IL Is the cavings Of the banks, re-.
snlting from the current being too strong
for the alluyial character OF the banks,
which causes the river, especially in flood
time, TO be filed with sediment. Now, rs
me mississippi fiows on q bed Of diminish.
ing ACTIVITY and IN channel OF unequal
width, u necessarily follows that the scdi.
lnent VIII gradually be dropped until only
ftalu saFtll H.. l.. a.
Every observer OF the MiSsissippi river
knows tina, the sandban, in its channel
are formed when the river is highest, be.
cause then, by tearing its banks, il las
the largest amount OF sediment. Such
observer also knows that when the river
IL low water becomes comparatiyely clear.
and though the current Is slower, chan.
ncls are dredged through the bars which
were formed when the current was swift.
est. This seems conclusiyely 20 prove
that we cannot hope 10 dredge the bottom
oi the river by increasing tho velocity Of
us current unless we could find some
mode OF preventing the banks from cav
ing and, consequently, a sediment pro-
poruonaiely increasing with the velocity
OF Tue current and attrition with the upper
strata Of its bank.
II The surface Of the river could be kent
down to the plane Of low water the ba,,s
there would be sufficiently firm 10 resist
swirl current, and II the water was com.
narntyely free OF sediment, then n wonIJ
dtedge oil which had been deposited ON
inc blue clay which rests at the bottom.
To acquire
rms ADDITIONAL VELOCITY
without increasing the head wa,c, uo,id
be practicable by restoring thp ontlcIs
which made and which constitute Inc Mis-.
issippi river Of many mouths
have thus FAR presented YOU n mer,
sketch, which will enable Won. familiar "a
you are with the whole subject. 10 nnJor.
stand my views without an elaborate OK.
PLANTATION.
Tho gigantic scheme" 10 which Won
call my attention Is, think, quite vision.
ary The moisture laden current of air
noNing from the Pacific ocean eastward 4.
checked 10y the frozen summits of ,Lo
Rocky mountains, 30 that the eastern
slope receives little murr than snoVs anJ
ths not In sufficient quantity 20 servo Tho
purpose ct the plains below; hcncc u,o
aHd region which lies south OF the forty.
Ihird parallel, hence tho grand prairie. NOT
appropriately called "the American
Desert Some portions Of this region.
Ihink, may he rendered fertile by aricsi,n
wells, though In portions Of ID the expcri.
nenti made were failures; but how il
would be. possible, In a country quite
lchclent IN rains and streams, to make