The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1890-04-26
CEMENT CORE FOR LEVEES.
4 Paper From Nal. Helm.
Memphis Appeal :

NANA APhA1 AHHOoA.
The subject of levees, about which
the Appeal has asked me to write, is
one Of paramount interest at the pres
ent time, especially in view of the ap-
preaching convention at Vicksburg.
In 1882 l was Chief Engineer of the
Mississippi levees, District No. Two,
and also United States Assistant Engi-
noer in charge of Government work
on the Yazoo Front, under Capt. Mar
snail. Reference to my report to him
(see pages ASP to 461, annual report,
1883, of the Mississippi River Commits
sion6 will show the work | was then
doing rs Chief Engineer of the AIlssis-
sippi Levee Board, to repair damages
from sipe water and crsyfish borings,
in the Vermillion Lake levee, then the
most treacherous and unsafe piece of
leyee in the district of 220 miles.
The plan l adopted was the cutting
ofa ditch at the high-water line ON
the front slope down through the levee
four feet below the natural surface.
The inner face, next to the levee, was
then coated half an inch thick with
cement The ditch was refilled and
tamped as the work proceeded, from
the bottom to the high-water mark of
1882. This was done through the
weakest portion of the levee for a dis
tance of 5000 feet, and cost for
Exeavation aud raaIuuo 500 "A
Cement (at u per day for pasterers). SOS 20
Total cost OF 1000 linear feet. ,e97 20
or about 20-l00 cent per square yard
for cement coating. The above gives
US the cost per mile for levee 10 $40
feet high, with cement work extending
four feet below the natural surface
Earth work ......................... ,sg7 i2
Oemehs WORK '...'.......,.."..,....... l,5sl Is
Total cost per mile, ..........'s6,5Os 30
Seven years has elapsed since this
work was done, and | have the assur-
ance Of the Chief Engineer and assist
ant, as well as citizens contiguous, that
the work stands intact and secure with
out giving evidence of siping or cray
fish borings.
1t will be noticed that the first great
factor in the cost of this work was
LIST. Excsvating and reiilling the ditch
I'd. The employment of plasterers at
$4.00 per day. To eliminate cost a
groove or mould to receive concrete
cement core can be cut through the
leyee to depth Of four or six feet be.
low the natural surface, either with q
chisel swung in the leeds of pile
driver in lieu of the hammer, or by a
circular blade adjusted upon the front
trucks Of a traction road engine put.
ting just enough of the engine weight
upon the wheel as not to impede Its loco.
motion, running back and forth in the
ground until 1t is sufficiently deep
This mould or groove should then be
illed with concrete, say one-sixth
cement, two-sixths sharp sand, and
three-sixths broken stone or gravel
which, after hardening, would give q
wall of concrete just the width of the
blade, or about six inches thick at the
top and running to point at fourteen
or sixteen feet depth. This wall would
form better bond with the earth than
iron or wood, and would last and be
imperyious to sipe water or crayfish
for all time. 1t would keep the earth
dry in the levee behind the core, and
also that part of the natural base
Should the core be placed six feet be.
low tho natural surface II would pro
tect the growing crops behind it from
sipe water. Be1ides these advantages
the high water repairs, costing from
$4,000 to $4,000 per annum during
high stages, would be reduced at leas
80 per cent. The only wave-wasl
damage that could occur would be il
front of the cement wall on the from
slope, and this could be done after tn,
water receded, at standard prices
The great confidence that this cor
would give to the ,evee system woul,
be worth millions to the development
and security of Delta interests. N
apprehension would be felt for levec
so long as the top of the cement wa
stood above the top of the water lin,
and should the levee be cut the end
could be secured before widening, O
they now do.
GEopar M IIrr.s