The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-04
IMpRov1Na rae LEvEEs.
An Open Letter TO tho Board OF LevoC
Commissioners.


Commissioners.
To The Lcvcc Commissioners
Gcnilemen-Peparc in times OF peace
for war is an axiom no less wise than
that a good suggestion should receive care
full consideration, no matter by whom pre-
sonicd. We have the times Of peace and
the suggestion, and now want your con.
sdcration. You are at peace with the
great warning element, the father Of devas.
tation and overflow. by his own consent.
Since 's5 you have improved the time
much by construction Of greater breast
works Of dirt npon tho old plan. increased
bars and width to prevent sipeagc than
ever before known. No improvement,
however. has been attempted. Yet the
fallacy Of conGning within your bounda-
RIGS of simple unprotected dirt, Of the
character found along lis limo, has often
and will always be demonstrated In time
o. ifeshets, for the main reason Of such
Character Of soils perviousness to water,
it, easy absorption and formation OF ooze,
no peculiar TO alluvial lands and sloughing
of and absorption by the water In contact.
] will state Il as n proposition In fact
that ninety-nine out OF hundred OF the
breaks In the oyec could be directly at.
trihuiablc 10 this cause, sipcagc, rs Il isor-
dinarily termed, caving where the leveo
b too closely situated to the channel only
excepted. And | believe u 10 DO n fact
that the levecs have never confined the
water Tor any considerable time 10 an elc-
vaiion anything like commensurate with
their nights, the trouble always begin
ming the moment the water touched their
basr hy absorption and pcrmeation, and
continuing until the whole base OF the
lcvce h mass OF slush corresponding
90 the hight OF the water line, through
which the water percolatcs until tho final
dissolution point Is reached. We have
known whole farms inundated by this
sipCagc water alone. aud contiguous coun.
try imminenlly In danger OF partial over.
flow with the rver far beneath the danger
line, II the total hightoi heloyees were any
criterion. However, they aro not, aud
everyone in the Yazoo Delta knows they
are not, and mainly for the causes mon
toned.
Tho suggestion I would make Ia simple,
not too expensive and entirely practical
and, In my opinion. would fully remedy
tho conditions named and mako Of the
loyccs what they should be, protection
against water 10 n water level cqualing
thor total hight II Is simply the proper
construction Of a vertical brcakwatcr, n
ccmCntcd brick wall OF the hight Of the
leyco throughout the central longitudinal
extension entire.
A iwo-brck wall would answer, possibly
one, and would not add greatly 10 the
cost, ns the brick could be burnt along the
line and the masonry and dirt 90 up to-
gciher. However, u might be well 10 ex-
pertinent with n one, two, three, or even
four brick wall in experimental sections Of
loyco and adopt the one giving the re.
qulrcd results And a. partial resistance
20 caving or undermining the wall saould
have foundation much lower than from
the surface OF the earth than Is customary
In ordinary masonry.
Tho expense Of making the opening Ia
The lcvco now existing might dcbar you
from putting In the central wall In such
lcyco. Yet In future constructions take
Il iir granted the advantages will be 70
obviously seen that comment Ia unneccs.
sary and all will be thus constructed, or
that YOU will give u fair trial ut any rate,
upon the next section Of leyco you build
And II you do, in my humble opinion.
you will have constructed n lvvcc that
shall be limited. In its efficiency aud pro-