The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-05-03
FLOOD STILL RACES
SECOND RISE SPREADS DEVASTATION
IN THE SOUTH.
.Srosser Leases Sustained by Reason Of the
Additional overnow-Appropriatio OF
Congress Will Not Buy Seed For Spring
Planting-Injury Felt by Merchants.


Congress Will Not Buy Seed For Spring
Planting-Injury Felt by Merchants.
The additional rise in the Nebraska
and Missouri streams, together with the
heavy downpour Of rain in the valleys
south of Vicksburg, which kept falling
for days, must have sent chill through
the heart of every inhabitant whose
house does not sit ON a hill that lives
between Memphis and New Orleans
With the breaking of the levees in and
around the Crescent City that has been
going on it is difficult to understand
how that town is to escape deluge
All levees on both banks of the river are
now crumbling as snow does in warm
weather. 1t was estimated that the wa
ter south of Natchez would be ON q
standstill for awhile, and it was hoped
that from that time the river would
steadily fall until it got back to its nor
NAL state. But with the rains and the
northern floods that idea may be dis
PEELED. 1t will not take the surplus of
water recently accumulated in the Ne
braska and Missouri streams many days
to reach the Natchez, Vicksburg and
Bayou Sara districts.
According to government estimates
sent out from Washington, the losses
from the floods have already reached the
enormous figsre Of s12O, 900, 900, sum
equaling by half the value of the entire
cotton product of the south for year.
Those who live high and dry and remote
from that section cannot conceive Of
the magnitude of this overflow. 1t is
the most disastrous calamity that has
befallen the country, both in the way
of destruction to property and the loss
to human life, since the civil war.
General Catchings' bill for the ap-
preparation of $4,000, 900 to be used in
assisting the food sufferers was exceed
ingly timely. But this sum, handsome
as it is, will not be sufficient even to
buy seed for the spring planting. Cot
ton has been at such low price for the
past five years that the farmers have
really lost money in its cultivation.
Then when flood looked inevitable
those who owned lands not already
mortgaged hypothecated their belong
ings to raise money with which to
strengthen their private levees. This
having failed, the prospects of crop
almost utterly hopeless, it leaves the
people in a condition that must excite
the sympathy of the civilized world. A
food in the Mississippi valley works
damage not only to the people who are
in the reach Of the overwhelming wa
tiers, but to the vast army of millions
who are interested with them in bust
ness way. Railway lines from the north
traverse that country. Therefore, that
which hurts the business Of the Louisi-
anian, the Mississippian and the Arkan-
san hurts the commerce Of the north.
The merchant has the right to demand
that his means of communication and
trade with his customers of the south
shall not be interrupted by causes with
In the control of the government.
The danger to life and property year.
ly by the overflow of this river is not
merely local affair. The whole coun-
try is virtually interested. The care of
the levees is q national one. The gov
ernment has assumed exclusive control
In improving and maintaining its trans
portation facilities. But as continen-
tai drainage canal it has received no at
tention worth mentioning. True enough,
there have been appropriations made
annually looking to the improvement OF
the river, but the money is spent mostly
by engineers who luxuriously live on
boats and who sit idly by watching others
count the number Of inches of sand that
drifts by given point for a given num-
ber of hours.
There isn't steamboat man who will
agree with you that the work done by
government engineers has ever amount
ed to anything in the way OF lessenlng
the danger to life and property. The
several states III which the rivers
excessive waters periodically inundate
plantations long ago undertook to rem
edy the matter by fencing in the waters
with levees and have spent oceans OF
money. Originally this work was done
by the plantation owner himself.
At the beginning of the present cen.
tury these private levees extended only
80 miles along the river north Of New
Orleans; but as the county was settled
mp and new plantation property was
opened ard improved the levees extend
ed, until today there are more than / 800 |
miles of levees thrown up for the pro- |
teotion of homes. Of this immense pile !
Of dirt the national government has
paid less than one-ffth of its cost,
the various southern states assuming |
the burden Of the construction of the |
other four-fifths.
It has long been proved that the levee |
system is the only one that will obviate
overlows. The outlet theory that has !
been prosecuted by John Cowden Tor
the past 90 years ends no favor among
competent engineers and river men who
have made the question a scientific
study. Artificial outlets slacken the
.SurrepS and encourage Swallowing
Competent engineers all over this coun-
try are unanimous in the opinion that
The general features Of the plan Of Mr..
'Stalling are correct. This is first, to