Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-26
The Mississippi Floods.
NIoblle RegisterD

lAlODlle EtGlSleI.)
The flood crest i'm the Mississippi river is
now near to yicksburg, but there is little
diminution I'm the height Of the river
above that point. That diminution is
caused by the breaking Of the leyees and
the letting out of much water, which has
spread over the adjoining low country OF
Arkansas and Louisiana.
This is the most remarkable flood in the
history Of the Continent. Not only does
there appear 10 be at one time highest
recorded water IN all of the tributaries OF
the Mssissippi-a most unusual occur
rence-but the Mississippi itself has been
so dyked and leveed. and its afOretlme
outlets so stopped up that the stream has
risen higher in 1t than ever before, and
the back waters, where the leVees have
been broken have flooded lands not before
IN known history overlooked.
In this as in every other effort 10 con-
troll natures processes. the invention of
levees has returned 10 plague the inventor.
The higher the leVees have been built, the
higher the river has risen. This Is believed
to be the result OF the nlling In Of the
bottom of the river-as the case with the
river 20, In Italy. where. after 1000 years
Of such work. the river bottom is several
feet higher i'm the air than the surface or
the adjacent country.
The limit to the height OF the levees
must at some time be reached, II not al
ready reached. We see that even these
flood line fully y inches. have been very
generally abandoned for the reason that
the river. where IL has not broken. has
run over the top Of them. They will have
10 be built still higher next year; and
higher again the next, and still they are
a precarious bulwark az least The time
must come that the Egyptian practice OF
letting The waters Overrun the land at the
spring season shall prevail. Unfortunately,
by the time this plan Is adopted, the river
q IHlf
ton that it may seek another channel
far from it's present one, and leave the
present river plantations in the woods
There is plenty Of room for the river 10
choose q path that VIII suit It's own
fancy for the whole country In which
the trouble is now being felt is lowland.
and signs are many that the river In It's
past career has capriciously wandered
from side to side OF considerable plane,
cutting It's tortuOus way, and leaving
now here. now there. It's cutoff Islands,
with accompanying lakes and sloughs.
From the hills OF the Tennessee side TO
the ST. Francis river basin Is one wide
plane Of alluvial soil. the ridge or crest
OF the plane being Dut lew lncnes IN
height and 10 be ascertained only by
most careful measurement. The plane Is
bounded both on the Mississippi river
and the ST. Francis-river sides by i'm
mense levees, further, there aTe several
railroads which cross IT, one the iron
Mountain read and another the Memphis
and Fort Scott road and their embank-
ments are enormous affairs, with here
and there trestleWOTk 10 permit lhe
minor streams to pass through. The Mis-
sissppi levees breaking. a great amount
or water has flowed over TINS plane ana
the greater part Of il is flooded. Formerly
the water passed rapidly into the 81:
francis. and helped lower the level Of
~ on1v nv the 81. Francis-river leyees.
but but by the railroad embellishments, and
the level of the water al over that region
- noted and continually rising, al
though the river was on Sunday re-
rorted falling slightly in the Mississippi
This is the richest farming, country in
Arkansas. The soil is deep. black loam'
Ii produces the finest OF crops. me de-
struction 10 property by the unprece-
do,,ted dood Is immense. sufficient 10 ex-
cite the pity Of every good hearted I1ts man nan
but the worst Is tnat NAM gS, nves " tSe
I.xraa system.