The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1897-04-24
WASHINGTON a,
PROTECT THE CITY.

We publish to-day the Resolution
or Memorial passed by the City
Council at is special meeting of Wed.
hesday evening, which was called fol-
the purpose Of formulating a plan for
lhsurlng protection to the city from
disaster by overflow. The resolution
VIII be presented to the governor by
the Mayor Of Greenville in person
aud The citizens will await the action
10 be taken with Interest but without
doubt as 10 the success OF measure
80 necessary for the welfare of the
city. The resolution sets forth OK.
plloitly aud at length the arguments
III The case and the necessity for such
measure of relief. There remains
nothing for an article like the present
except TO voice the general sentiment
on the subject, and this is so nearly
unanimous that it is unnecessary to
relterate it in Greonville. The con-
ditioHs are such that public sentiment
could be but one way. Every interest
ID the city depends upon its protection
by levees on the north and south ends,
The railroad embaukment protects US
Oh the east, the public leyee oil the west.
The two short lines proposed on the
north and south will cost compare
lively little, and, if they had been
erected before the present high water,
would have saved the city from in.
caIulable loss end depreciation of pro-
pcrty values. A high ridge, known
as the Rattlesnake bayou ridge, runs
from west to east through the cen.
tire of the town. 1t includes I'll the
blocks between Washington Avenue
and Main street, and has never been
known 10 suffer overflow. From this
ridge or backbone the city slopes
gradually away TO North and South,
A break in the public levee 10 the
north mandates the city SIS far south
as Washington Avenue, taking III
very large portion of important resi-
deuce property, the Planters Oil Mill,
the Goyer Compauy's great store, the
Y. & NJ. V. depot, the Court House,
aud the water works A break at
the south emo overfows the main resi-
dence portion of the city, the Green
vile and DeSoto Oil Works, and all
the business district except that on
the ridge. Without these proposed
protection levees, one end or both OF
The city must necessarily be at the
mercy Of the food every year, aud no
stability or confidence can be hoped
for as long as it is the case. The
,outh end of the city, the portion
which is now dry and has been q
haven of refuge to the rest of the
county, was protected from the ef-
'ects of the Deerfeld break by a hastl.
y repaired old levee, which had stood
or many years in neglected and
lalf forgotten condition. The north
Irn protection levee, built in 1890,
vas on private ground, and, by agree
nent, was levelled as soon as the wa
er went down. Had 1t remained, it
would have been as eesy to protect
hat section Of the city from the pre-
ent overflow as to save The south end.
rhe people of Greenville are a unit in
that such protection must
,e afforded, aud that the most inn
,ortant matter now before them for
onslderstion is the means OF prevent
ug the recurrence Of u condition Of
fairs which means net only the grav-
st injury to the actual sufferers, but
damage and serious loss to the
4 tIo nitu