The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-20
AN UNSUITABLE RIVER.
How the Father of Waters Robbed a
Mississippi Lawyer.

81. Louis CIlODe-D6mOCrat
NO use talking, the Mississippi river is
the most contrary thing on EARTH re-
marked Capt. S. H. King, of Greenville,
Miss; During the civil war. it will be re-
in the shape of the letter S, of the river at
Vicksburg. General Grant. you know,
wanted to change the course of the river by
cutting a channel through De Soto penin-
sula, thus cutting off the upper bend and
causing the river to flow straight across be-
low Vicksburg and leaving the town high
and dry. Grant could then have sent his
gunboats by Vicksburg and escaped the
Smelling from the upper batteries of the
Confederates north of the town. He put
General McClernand and several thousand
men to work at cutting this channel across
the peninsula in front of the town, and they
worked for some time, Notwithstanding the
harassment from the lower batteries of the
enemy. But the contrary river wouldn't
show the least desires of accepting such an
artificial channel anyway The plan was
finally abandoned, and Grants gunboats
had to make the run before both the upper
and lower batteries. But in 1876 the Missis-
sippi river, of its own accord, cut it's way
across De Soto peninsula below Vicksburg,
but farther up than Grants artificial chan
rel was started. De Soto peninsula Is now
De Soto island, and the body of water in
front of Vicksburg is now known as Cen.
tennial lake, taking the name from the year
that the centennial was held at Philadel-
phia. This is only one of many instances
showing how the Mississippi refuses to sub
nit to the dictation of civil engineers, and
how it follows it's own stubborn course,
winding and washing its way here and there
at its own will
by the way the Mississippi river washed
several thousand dollars out of my pocket
in one night about fifteen years ago. AT
that time | owned row of houses which
began almost three blocks away from the
river, in Greenville, Miss. One day gov
eminent engineer said to me: The river
will some time wash away its bank here
and your buildings will tumble into the
river
"Well, laughed at him. The bank was
seventy-five feet high, and, besides. the
tyyON fn lou aiVaD ynHC
to lealn that there had been big caye-in
Of the river bank the night before, and that
couple of my buildings had been carried
away. l Joined the crowd of people that
rushed to the river bank to see this de-
Struction. And, l tell you, never appre-
ciated the terrible power of the Father of
Waters until | witnessed this scene. While
/ was standing there talking with friends
another big slice of land, block in width,
crumbled away and fell into the river, car
rying with it several more of my buildings.
You can imagine how | felt, because had
been drawing an income of $1,000 a month
in rentals from my buildings. Now, over
half of them were a mass of debris floating
down the river, and my real estate
only so much dirt in the bottom of the
channel
LAS l stood there watching my buildings
and ground slip away into the river, a citi-
zen approached me and said: Captain, I'll
give you 1900 for the remainder of your
property
mo; I'll not take less than 50, OOO' said 1.
"The words had no more than left my
tongue when there was another cave in,
and two more of my lots and buildings tum-
bled into the greedy river. The citizen then
remarked to me, Captain, I'll give you
$1,000 for your property now
II refused to entertain this proposition,
which, of course, was pure speculation,
as no human agency could stop the caVe-in.
Pretty soon another one of my lots and its
building went into the river, and my specu-
remainder of my property. By this time |
had concluded to trust to luck and stand all
losses, and refused to sell at any price. I
now had one lot and one building left. Dur
ing the excitement an old colored woman
came up and said to me:
:, See heah. cap'n,, will we give me dem
Il told her she could have the brick /
had pile of new brick in the cellar under
my only remaining house. The old colored
woman gave her husband % cents to hire
team and wagon to haul away the brick.
Now, upon my word of honor what L am
now gong to say is true. While the old
colored man was gone for wagon another
caVe-in occurred, and my last house and
lot brick and cellar and all, tumbled into
the river. The cave-in came so suddenly
that the crowd of people standing on the
bank had to flee for their lives. After the
excitement had somewhat subsidized the old
cOlored woman exclaimed
. 'Laws-o' -massy. Dere's my brick in de
bottom o de ribber, an L done los my
qua'tahn
"Of course, while the old colored woman
was out 20 cents, / was out another 81 600
During this series of cave-ins that day
efforts were being made to place a long
it to a place of safety. But before the
building could be raised it began to tilt
and the men were compelled TO desert 1t.
Soon the store building slid into the river
and went kerchug to the bottom Of the
channel--as completely out of sight as if it
had been the only pebble on the beach,
In my opinion the Mississippi river is
all right-when it doesn't come my way. |
built a nice residence in Greenville several
years ago. and had beautiful flower be-
decked lawn between the house and the
river, which was block away. That lawn
has long since been swallowed by the vo-
racious nav of the Mississippi, and to-day
my residence stands on the edge of bank
that is seVentN-fsYe feet high'