The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-08-29

with them, It was not only more than the
old man could stand. but It was more than
the mound, snake and eagle builders could
stand.
can't say that they called their con-
gress together to Ak up the matter. for
| don't know that they had any such
crazy quilt" affur-it is to be hoped they
hadn't--but they got together just the
same, and they did fix It up. But they
didn't do 1t by piling up lot of dirt along
the stream where the bank was low to keep
the waters in "the straight and narrow
path" They knew game worth two OF
that.
The scientific researches OF men sent out
by the Smithsonian institute along in the
forties and fiftics were very thorough, and
the reports compiled and published by that
Institution very interesting and instructive.
1t Is to these reports We ere Indebted for
information In regard to these prehistoric
people and their works Their researches
along the Mississippi reveal many inter
esting It's. not the least Of these being the
methols employed by these people to ac-
commodate the surplus waters OF that river
when the flo DIS came. This WAS accom-
plrhed by o. network Of canals branching
of from the river In every locality where
the water would leave the channel In case
Of a rise. For miles and miles through
the forests of Louisiana, Mississippi and
Arkansas these canals can be distinctly
traced. All were crossed and .scrcsscd by
lateral canals. all connected-a perfect sys-
teui-both sides of the river, wherever the
nature Of the ground would permit or the
requirements called for. All these canals,
or systems OF canals. helped to carly the
| waters Of tie great river TO the gulf, aud
| instead Of one channel to Accommodate
| this Immense volume OF water there were
| q hundred or more.
| In the ages that have INTERVIEWED from
| the time these canals were In use forests
have grown up. died and been born again.
| Neglected, they are no longer canals. but
| have filled up with the debris OF genera
| tons of trees and plants and other nc
cumulatons. There are some excep-
| tons Many OF the waterways known as
| bayous in the low lands Of Louisiana and
Mississippi, and few In Arkansas. are
Undoubtedly the work OF human hands.
| They are the car ais built by this race OF
| people.
| Now, the question / wish to raise IL.
would il not be well for this government
| to consider the methods employed by these
prehistoric people? The government. haa
decided that the problem OF controlling tn.
| waters OF the Mississippi river must be
solved, at whatever cost. that being the
| case, 1t might be we'll for civil engineers
| in the government service to consider this
method OF accommodating the surplus
waters. BY exploring the territory ad-
| jacent to either side of the river. and trac
| ing the ancient system of canals as ac-
| curately as possible in the almost wholly
| obliterated condition they must necessarily
| be found in after so many centuries have
passed. would enable the engineers TO ar
rive at some conclusion as to the practi-
cability Of this method OF solving the sreat
| river problem.
That the ieyee system now in vogue ia
INADEQUATE as a means OF protection mas
been so often demonstrated that none viii
dispute the fact. No matter how much
| they may he strengthened. the people most
interested will always lack confidence in
/ their efficacy. Weak spots will always
be found by the searching waters, and the
peoples dread of The creyass VIII ever re-
main so long as the present methods art
| employed.
Should this method OF solving the prob
lem be adopted by government. thousands
Of men now idle would be put to work
fer the next few years. and prove wave
OF prosperity" 10 these lucky enough 70 b
employed The canals themselves would
he so many highways to the marts OF
trade, and could be utilized BY planters z
convey their products to market. WIN
these waterways once established, elec-
trcty will cut no mean figure In the tor
ensemble. The age OF electricity, now bu
coyly apcoeching us. will by the time thl
system shall have been fully inaugurated
have invaded almost every Industrial call
ing-if, indeed. that in1palpable force doe
not itself dig the canals OF which this ar
, ticle treats OF course, the outlet 10
trIs systen Of canals would be the eetuaFI
Of the Mississippi, though need not nee
esssrily be copfined TO IL.
, Imagire II you can. the Louisiana 10Y
lands. with its rich alluvial soil. cut ~
I: into great square Islands by this system
OF canals, their entertainments fringed b.
, orange and other fruit trees TO give thef
r stability, beauty and strength, the water
7 WAYS instinc: with life impaired by IN
. numerous crafts fitting here am tnefs
! the great plantations teemlng with III
. ana activity, and you have picture Q
surpasxing richness and beauty, and on
! which may not be reproduced In any othe
q country on the globe
4 whether this method OF solving the grea
3 problem 70 . pracucaols one o. uet -