The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1893-06-23
The Overflow y'rcb,eui.

millions of dollars worth Of prop
erty have been destroyed by the
breaking Of levees: millions oi
dollars are demanded for the
strengthening of levees and the
extension of the ,evep system.
Levces have been of infinite
service To certain sections along
the river between Cairo aud the
gulf. and 90 question their enicicn'
cy is like treading over volcano
on % bridge of ashes. Govern.
ment officials have Endorsed the
levee system aud have waxcd fat
ia carrying out their theories;
contractors have grown rich Ia
building them; CongresSmen have
been elected on the levee is.
sue aud have been reelected
and kept IN Congrcss because oil
their success in the role of Lit
tie divers" in asking aud secur.
ing more;" planters whose crops
have been sheltered byl artificial
embankments from the nvages
of the floods have son ssSsn,ed
'liOeral1y aud cheerfa''y TO thew
uphuil'ling, and 20 question tho
wisdom and slisuiliciency OF this
vast system ~ little less than u
sacnlege 10 fie eyes of real bene.
fchries. IN spite OF this, how.
eve, aud in spite of the vast
ain ant Of wealth and scientific
/ thught that have been expended
va evee building the fact remains
thu there is u school, and "A rapid.
/ Is growing school, Of thinkers
wIo have lost and are losing
. laih in the system. In Louisiana
people are Threatening TO re.
tun Congressman opposed TO the
lepe system aud who favor other
me hods of protection. In this
vicinity many gentlemen OF vast
experience aud wide observation
hav. modified their views aah are
being driven to the conclusion
tina ievees alone will not suffice.
Levees are absolute detenscs on
Que side of the river-wben they
are defective on the other side
of the liver. 1t is always notice.
able tina. where a levee AT q given
point makes an exceptionally
good record, the levee on the
other side has a very convenient
habit OF regularly breaking and
carrying of the wafer. 1t has
reached thai point at present
when the more levees that are
built the more breaks may he ex.
pecied. Hence, the temerity
of those who are prone to discard
the omniscience Of government
science aud who are disposed
la incline more to the principles
of scientific science. The philos.
Ophy OF overtiovs is simple.
There is nothing eso,erc or Oc-
cult about il. 1t means that the
waters cover the adjacent low.
lands because they are inter.
ruUied by an absence of su HI cient
precipitation in reaching the sea.
IL the water could be hurried to
the cen, either by shorter rontes.
additional outlets or Increased
velocity. there wonld be no over.
flow. The gulf will absorb all the
water that may he driven into il
without percep,ible change, There
is no danger of overlooking the
sea. 1t is the great leveler of
floods. The sooner and speedier
the waters reach the gulf, the
sooner aud speedier will their
powers for harm.doing he miti.
gated or destroyed. To acceler.
ate the fight Of these fugitive
floods would appear to I've the
practical and phil.
osopbical method Of dealing with
the question. Water that runs
through Atchafal.ya bayou will
not overflow territory below
there; it, too. will reach the ON.
jcctive point Of its chase. SO
with other outlets. The more
outlets there are, the nearer are
the waters brought to the sea,
aud the sooner will they be rem.
dered harmless. No doubt the
future will witness q change 10
the philosophy Of levee engineer.
ing science and that, instead of
attempting to wall the mighty
Mississippi with embankments of
mud. thus retsrding it's overflow
efforts will be directed toward
up more ample vaducts
through which the foods can es.
cape. Levees will be built be.
cause levees are necessary, but
these must be aided by a divers.
ion of the floods through auxlIi.
airy channels.