The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1889-05-25
THE RIVER COMMISSION.

We find the following outline of
lower River work by the Mississippi
River Commission, in an interview of
Gen. Ferguson; published in the Globe
Democrat
Speaking to a Globe-Demoerat re-
porter yesterday, Gen. Ferguson said
the work this year would be mainly in
the completion Of the work already
laid out and begun. The appropriation
last year was available at such a late
date that nothing could be done, and
this year 1t will be impossible to more
than complete the work in hand before
operations are interfered with by high
water. There has also been great
deal of delay and considerable expen-
iiture because of the lack of money,
which rendered ii necessary to tie up
the immense plant controlled by the
Commission. 1t had suffered very
greatly from dry rot, and after having
been to the expense of keeping men to
watch it and keep it in repair while
tied up, calked it, etc, they had found
It nearly ready to fall to pieces. Speak
ing of the work of the Commission
generally, Gen. Ferguson said 1t had
largely been experimental, and they
were now in position to go ahead, with
the past as a guide. They were very
frank to admit that mistakes had been
made, but they were unavoidable, as
they had nothing by which to b'
guided. The great mistake had beer
in endeavoring to do things too cheap
ly. Under this policy their improve
monts had not been strong enough
and they had been washed away
Since they had changed their polio,
they had lost anything, but had mad
steady progress. On the present tou
l of inspection they expected to fin
" things in very satisfactory condition.
Speaking of river navigation fc
= ocean vessels, Gen. Ferguson said b
D thought 1t entirely possible and pro'
i able that the river would be SO In
10 proyed that such vessels could con
10 up to st. Louis during great portit
H. of the year, and that, too, without al
~ change in the models of the vessse
r lie also thought the work could
Vi done for much less money than any
the estimates made indicated. i
no reasons for this were that 1t has be
he found that Improvement made at o
vi point had marked influence on 9th
points, both above and below the POI
"u improved, and that when one impro'
gu ment was made 1t was found that wo
was not necessary at other points whi
had been taken in the estimates, a
under any circumstances not to the
tent calculated upon. That these |
'ut proyements could be made, Gene
lp- Ferguson thought was amply demo
gi- strated by what had been done
his Plum's Point and Lake Providcn
nv, These points had been selected as
for very worst ones on the river, and
=. work on them had been so success
=" that even now many ocean yess
could pass over them during q gr'
nit portion of the year. The whole pre-
tes lem, he said, was to be solved by ms
am ing the banks permanent and prevcl
80 49, Ing caving. The caving, he said, "
cc' what caused the bars, and with
Ich banks made permanent and the ri'
In bed narrowed where II had cut out t
wn great width there would be no me
6, bars. This Improvement, he sa
-" would also settle the levee question,
tes there would be no more breaking, a
ny that expense would be removed. u
ace Ferguson has given this subject gr'
deal of attention, and is very confid'
indeed of the work being done In
ies much shorter time than any one
CHI any idea of. II will, he says, ms
ay. both sides of the river from Ca
10 down practically a continuous villa
.a as Il is on the lower river where
'h'. banks have been made permanent,
oil II will require that populrtion to Till
.cts soil and care for the crops.