Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1898-02-18
AN INSATIATE RIVER.
a4ow THE MISSISSIPPI SOME TIMES
.- EATS UP REAL ESTATE.

tho Father Of Waters Swallowed Several
rhousaud Dollurs' Worth Of His Property
In One Night.
"No use talking, the Mississippi river ID
the most contrary thing on earth,' re-
:; marked Captain S. H. King Of 0reenville,
Miss. During tho civil war, 1t will be
remembered, there was double bend,
NJ UGH in the shape Of the letter >, VI the
river at Vicksburg. General Grant, you
know, wanted to change tho course OF the
river by cutting q channel through De
Soto peninsula, thus cutting of the uppel
bend ottaeausing the river to flow straight
across sbslow Vicksburg and leaving the
town tliigh and dry. Grant could then
haVessent his gunhoats by Vicksburg and
Ass6ttped tho Smelling from tho upper but
'HIMes Of the Confo<lcratcs north OF the
xtbwn. He put General McClcrnand and
several thousand men to work at cutting
this channel across the peninsula In front
Of tho town, and they worked for some
time, notwithstanding the harass,Eent
from tho lower batteries OF the enemy.
But the contrary river wouldn't show the
least desire Of accepting such an artificial
channel anyway. Tho plan was finally
abandoned and Grants guDboats had tc
mako the run before both the upper and
lower batteries. But in 1876 tho Missis'
eippi river, Of it's own accord, cut its way
across De Soto peninsula below Vicks
burg, but farther up than Grants artificial
channel was started. DO Soto peninsula
Is now De Soto island, and tho body OF
water In front of Vicksburg Is now known
% Centennial lake, taking tho name from
the year that the Centennial was held at
Philadelphia. This is only one Of many
instances showing how tho Mississippi re-
fuses to submit to tho dictation of civil
engineers und how it follows its own stub
born course, winding and washing it,
way here and tEero ut its own will.
''By the way, the Mississippi washed
several thousand dollars out OF my pocket
In one night about Is years ago. At that
time owned row Of houses which began
almost three blocks away from the river
In Grecnvillo, Miss. One day govern
ment engineer said to me, Tho river will
soms time wash away Its bank here, and
your buildings will tumble in
'Well, laughed ut him. Tho bank
was IS foot high, and, besides, the river
was quito low. One morning l awoko to
learn that there had been q big cave III OF
the river bank the night before, and that
4 couple of my buildings had been carried
away. l joined tho crowd of people that
rushed to the river bank to sec this &C.
struotion, and, tell you, I never ap
preciatcd tho terrible power Of the Father
Of Waters until l witnessed this scene
While l was standing there talking with
friends another big slice of land, block
in width, crumblcd away and fell into the
river, carrying with 1t several more of my
buildings. You can imagine how I felt
because had boon drawing an income OF
d 900 month in rentals from my build
1ngs Now over half of then, were a mass
II debris tloating down tho rivor, and my
zeal estate was only so much dirt in the
bottom OF tho channel.
"As l stood there watching my build
lngs and ground slip away into tho river
4 citizcn approached mo and said. Cap
tain. III give you $1,000 Tor the remain.
Ger Of your l,roLerty.'
"'No, III not take less than $4,000,
said l.
1.-THE words had no moro than loft my
ahd two more OF my lots and buildings
t1mblcd into theyreedy river. The citizen
fhcn remarked to me, Captain, III give
IL refused to entertnin this proposition, |
which, of course, was Il puro speculation,
q no human agency could stop tho cave
In. Frctty soon another one of my lots
and its building went into the river, and
ny speculative friend then offered me $500
for the remainder Of my property. BY this !,
time had concluded to trust to luck and
&and all losses, and refused to sell ut
thy price. l now had ono lot and one
bniluing left. During the excitement an
ID colorcd woman came up and said to
ME:
See bchl, cap'n, will ye give me dem
brick what's in dat cellar under yer /
kouse?'
~ told her she could have the brick. I
bad a lilo of new brick III tho cellar under
my only remaining house. The old col.
4red woman gave her husband rs cents !
g lIiro team and wagon to haul away
90 brick. Now, upon my word Of honor,
what am now going to say Is true.
While the old COlored man was gone for q
wagon another cave in occurred, and my
last house and lot, brick and cellar and
IL, tumblCtl into the river. The cave in
came SO suddenly TINT the crowd of people
&tsanding on tho bank had to flee for their
lives. Allor tho excitement had somewhat
shbsided tho old colorod oman exclaimed:
Laws o. massy Dcre's my brick in
d. bottom O. do ribber, an done los my
qhatah.' !
"Of course, while tho old woman waA
oft IS cents, l was out another 81 ,OOO.
During this series of cave ms that day
Efforts wero being made to place a long
frame store building on rollers and move
II to place Of safety. But before the
could DO raised it began to tilt,
shd the men were compelled to desert it.
Soon tho store building slid into tho river
4hd went kcrchug to the bottom of the