The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1892-06-23
NEW SERIES. VOL. II, NO. $

West has so greatly increased the num-
Der of freshets that few years pass with~
out one or more, and the damage from
water each year ranges from $25, 000 900
to $50,000,000. Some cranks attribute it
to the levees, but more intelligent peo-
pie who study the matter appreciate the
fact that the causes at work are the same
that produced such injury in France,
and which have been so largely cured
there
After the destructive freshets in Penn
sylvania, in 1899, which, besides overs
whelming Johnstown and the Cone
maugh Valley, flooded the lands on the
Susquehana, Juniata, and Alleghaney
rivers, destroying 5000 lives and 5000
900 of property, Major C. w. Raymond
was selected to investigate the subject,
I particularly the west fork of the Susque-
hama. He arrived at the same conclu~
sion as the French engineers, that the
cause of the floods was to be found in
forest removal, and that the remedy lay
in forest replacement; and he lays down
the following four laws as beyond dis
pute
! 1. The presence of the forest on sur
face prevents the formation of torrent
2. The clearing away of a forest rem
ders the soil prey to torrents.
3. The development of forests leads to
the extinction of torrents.
| 4. The telling OF forests increases the
violence of torrents and may even cause
them to be renewed.
1t will be seen from this that the RENE
dy for the present floods is known and
easily attainable; and it will be fur
ther recognized that the matter of the
prevention of freshets and protection
from loss certainly tor a great section
like the Mississippi Valley is matter
for the Gederal Government to take in
hand.
All that Louisiana, Mississippi and Ar
kansas can do will not reduce one drop
the overwhelming volume of water now
poured suddenly down on them from the
largest valley in the world, including
more than one third OF the United
States. They have by their improves
ments, mainly levees, enabled the river
to discharge in a short time far greater
volume of water than it could of old.
All the statistics available show that the
discharge of the river is, thanks to the
levees, from so to 100 per cent. greater
than before; and that the flood which
overlooked the whole lower valley in In
dian days could be got rid of to day with
very little trouble and no damage. But
although we have spent millions on le-
wees, we have been unable to limit or re-
duce the volume ofs water precipitated
on US by the settlement and deforesta>
ton of the lands above. This has grown
steadily greater, and is likely to continue
to do so, unless the United States Gov
eminent, like that of France, take steps
to check this danger
We are glad to see that the North
western and Western papers are taking
up this subject and suggesting action on
the part of the Government. Their cases
may be considered unpleasant, and they
have undoubtedly suffered heavy losses
this year; but let them consider the stu
alton of the people of the lower Missis,
sippi who have to defend themselves
against the combined forces of all these
numerous freshets. They are not COM
PEELED to keep out the freshets of the
kaw and Missouri alone like the people
of Kansas City; or only the combined
forces of the Missouri and upper Missis-
sppi like those around st. Louis; or the
Ohio floods like those of Cincinnati; but
they have all these freshets and Others
from the White, Red Arkansas, and
dozen other streams pouring down on
them simultaneously. Ii our Western
friends will consider this matter they
will, perhaps, appreciate the situation
here, and recognize that the people of
the lower Mississippi Valley are entitled
to aid and assistance in their struggle
against the torrents poured down on
them from twenty-five States
If the United States will only set about
correcting the trouble above, we, down
here, by means of levees, will see that
the Mississippi discharges its volume Of
water without injury or damage.