The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-23
THE MISSISSIPPI PROBLEM.
TREAT THE RITER AS 4 GREAT CANAL
AND PROVIDE WAsTE-WEIRs.

the 0uestion-where the Levee systom and
the Other Systems Proposed Fall short
A CombinatIon OF All Hystems Necessary.
Engineers and scientists have differed greatly
as TO the proper means OF improving the navi-
CATION Of the Mississippi River and Of prevent
ing the destructive overfiows which have re-
suited in loss OF life and destruction Of property
to tho extent of hundreds OF millions.
so contradictory has been the testimony before
Congressional committees that even tho most
intelligent members have confessed themselves
hopelcssly mystifed and unable to reach con-
illusions satisfactory to themselves.
But 1t cannot DO possible that a problem in
volving simply an application OF natural laws
can DO incapable of solution. There must be
some way of overcoming the difficulties, and as
q preparatory step 1t will be proper to state the
conditions, and, so far as may be practicable,
eliminate errors and misconceptions.
Biologists inform us that the mouth of the
| Mississippi was In former nges at its junction
with the Ohio. and that all the country to the
present outlets, n distance of LOO miles, con-
stitutcs n vast ~alluvial deposit which is still
rapidly extending by encroachmcnts upon the
Gulf OF Mexico.
The difference Of level between Cairo and the
Gulf is $50 feet, and as It cannot be assumed
that the ocean has changed materially In its
mean level, tho Lowell OF the land In tho upper
part Of the delta must have been raised by sue
cessive deposits to the extent of this difference,
or $50 feet.
Here is one fundamental fact in tho solu-
ton OF our problem clearly established, that tho
effect of the overhows through successive
ages has been, not only to raise tho general
level OF the country. but also the bed Of the
stream. for IL the bed were not raised tho water
would be over 800 feet deep at Cairo.
FALL OF THE STREAM.
In the ordinary stage OF water the fall is said
to be 5 inches per mile from Cairo TO Memphis,
4 inches from Memphis to vicksburg, 3la inches
from vicksburg to the Red River. . inches from
the mouth Of Red River to New Orleans. and /
inch from New Orleans to the Gull.
The Mississippi drains the whole area from
the Allegheny to the Rocky Mountains. embrac-
ing 1.240, 039 square miles. while the remaining
territory of the United States, not including
Alaska. contains only 1,7s5.56l square miles.
This valley. therefore, contains more than two
ffths of the area of the United States, and its
proportion of population is tbree-sevenths.
The tributaries, especially the Missouri, trans
port immense quantities Of material, the heavier
portions Of which are deposited in transit, and
only tho finer portions OF the clay and mud held
in suspension. are carried to the Gult. This
material is so fine that il a quart OF water DO
placed in a glass jar and set away 1t requires soma
ten days for the water to become clear, and yet
the quantity Of this material carried into the
Gulf Is 30 enormous that since 1888 the fill ten
miles out from the Pass has been $40 feet, which
at the same rate continued would carry it to the
surface in eighteen years.
The lower valley of the Mississippi embraces
an area OF 80, 900, 900 acres of the richest land
in the world, and as the river increased in length.
there being then no levecs. the banks were lifted
49, h- tha ln,o5,to IL, nynrYnr,a thn h,a,ia,
portion being dropped nearest the rivers margin;
consequently the banks are found TO be from ten
to fourteen feet higher on the immediate margins
of the river from Cairo TO New Orleans than are
the lands one mile back from the river. Each
successive high water has deposited its stratum
clear and well defined.
As only the finer particles of transported ma
terials are carried to the Gulf. the quantity de-
posted in transit must be immense; but ms
there were formerly no levces. it was spread over
an area of great extent, the st. Francis bottom
alone extending 100 miles in n straight line with
a width of thirty-tive miles.
That the tributaries furnish and the Missis-
sippi transports an immense amount OF material.
only a portion OF which reaches the Gulf, is a
second important fact which must materially in
1uence u decision upon any plan for protection
or Improvement in or along the stream.
The expenditures upon the Mississippi have
been made or recommended with a view to i'm
prove the navigation of the river and to protect
the arabic lands from overflow. The means OF
accomplishing these results have been made the
cause of much contention. and great diversity OF
opinion continues TO exist. which frequent and
protracted hearings before Congressional COM
mittecs. so far from removing, have apparently
only served to intensity.
have been:
l.. A system OF continuous levees raised above
the limits of the highest floods.
.. The outlet system, which aims to reduce
the maximum flood heights by means of open
ings for free discharge OF a large percentage of
3. Contraction by wing dams or jetties to
create n sconr upon bars and thus increase the
navigable depth.
4. Revetmcnts for protection OF banks at all
points where the abrasion OF the current causes
the removal OF material.
This list embraces the systems that have been
the chief subjects OF controversy, and an effort
accomplish singly the object sought TO be at.
tanned, and not even II combination of all will be
successful without important notifications.
THE LEvEE SYSTEM.
The levee system will be first considered. as
this is the one upon which the largest expendi'
lures have been made, which has the support
of Government engineers and property owners.
The first question that presents itself. and one
tina: is vital in reaching n satisfactory conclu.
sion. is, will the construction of high ,levees on
both sides OF IA stream flowing through alluvial
plains cause deposits on the bottom and a rise in
the bed thar will require continual additions to
Both affirmative and negative answers have
been given to this question and that too, posi-
The Hon. M c. blanchard, Senator from Louisi-
ana, made the statement that De Irony. had as
serted That the bed OF the TO mad risen. but that
this theory had been completely demolished by a
great Italian hydraulic engineer who proved
conclusively that the Pc had not raised at all
through two centuries.
DE Prony was one OF the most prominent of
hydraulic engineers and his opinion is confirmed
by the eminent geologist, Sir Henry T. De "A
Beche, g. b.. +. X. s., who in his Geological
Observer" page 81. uses this languages:
1t is interesting TO observe, in some countries.
In Italy for example, where artificial cmbank-
ments have been found to keep the rivers flow
ing through fertile plains in their channels. that
the hnI9 NJ riypFS Dpt thIya n hnya he nlaipS Tho
Pc presents on a large scale n well known ex-
ample of the rise of its bed, SO that it is higher
than the houses In Ferrara, and the like may al
ways be expected under similar conditions"
Mr.. Regain said: While the engineers ure
for tho leyee system and while the people along
the Mississippi River seem to be for the levee
system. my Investigations have brought my
mind 10 the conclusion that the system is q fail
ure for all time, and, as an illustration of that.
the Hoang.Iio. or Yellow River. one of the great
rivers OF China, has been leyced for centuries,
until the surface level Of the river has been
raised as high as the tops of the ordinary houses.
That was demonstrated by the history OF the
drowned about a million OF pCople and desIroNnd