New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-19
MISSISSIPPI RIVER LEVEES.
ANNUAL MEETING OF COMMISSION GRE
ATED BY CONGRESS
VAST WORK UNDER SUPERVISION OF THE BOARD
ABOUT 5000 600 TO BE EXPENDED IN
THE COMING YEAR.

THE COMING YEAR
Tho annual meeting OF the Mississippi River
Commission for the allotment of the Congressional
appropriation was completed yesterday IN inc ono
of its president Brigader-General George L. 'ii-
lesp!e in the Army Building. This Coinhi1sSio.
which was constituted by act Of Congress IN lN''
Is one OF the most important boards empowered 10
conduct nubIic works In the country Last year
Compress authorized the expenditure Of S9O~Ooo
within period Of four years In the prosecutor %
the work upon which nearly three tunes ''I' sum
has already been spent. The money Is 10 DC eA-
pended under direction OF the Commission inc
Commission is composed Of three members OF 'he
Corps OF Engineers of the Army. one engineer OF
tho United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. TWO
civil engineers and one lawyer. The headquarters
OF the Commission are in St. Louis. but the yearly
meetings TO allot appropriations are heio J" ''iS
city --,..,o. ,r,,,
together n large number Of engineers ana othe's
,,,.-es,ed IN the work OF keeping the Father OF
Waters within his banks. They come from the
eleven levee districts into which the tei'I'o'!
stretching along the great river from PORT E'S ~
Cairo Is divided With them are usually Congress
mon and others Interested In securing as large APP
nropriations as possible for their States, uisIC's
and counties In the years OF the great freshets
MANY stories OF peril and herosm IN hghtlhs "e
floods are told Last year was notabie one !"
this respect This year the great noods were '''
the Ohio Valley and the Mississippi valley ala hot
suffer a rise which endangered the levees. whch
stretch for 1877 miles through the alluvial PLAIN
But the work has to be constantly maintained OF
STRENGTHENING the levees. watching for changes IN
the current and mending crevasses
At the annual meeting the inspectors report LOT
their several districts and state the conditoh OF
the work and the need of appropriations from the
funds at the disposal OF the Commission. 1hey
tell what has been done since the previous meet
,,o bovv much REQUIRES TO be done and the amount
OF money needed ,.. -,
For the first time this year all the members u
the Board who in the Army. appeared III iu''
uniform at the meeting. this being required by the
reeulations OF the War Department. that In time
OF war all officers must wear uniforms when on
duty The meeting was held In the Board ROOM
where the Carter court martial met General Gil
lesple presided. With him were Lieutenaht-OoIo-
mel Amos Stickney. Major Thomas H. Hancpuly
Civil Engineers Robert s. Taylor and L. NJ mar
rod Henry L. Marindin OF the United states Coas'
and Geodetic Survey. and Henry Flad OF ST Louis
the layman member OF the Commission
The levee work is largely paid FOR by the people
who own the property protected by the oai'As ou''
up 10 stay the nroads Of the rising waters Ihere
are State taxes evee district taxes and special
taxes to pay the OF the work. in addition 10
the amount appropriated by Congress- These taxes
include 81 on each bale Of cotton raised in the rch
alluvial valley: 3 cents upon each acre OF Iahu'
and a 10 per cent ad valorem tax on all pfopert!
of the owners Of lands benefited. But so rch Is the
soil that In spite of the disastrous flood last year
q great cotton crop was raised and much none!
was made The levees required to be three feet
above high-water mark and the stream rises
30 feet at certain points the size and strength OF
the levees can be realized. The work done by the
Commission is largely Of an engineering CHARACTER
and Is called contraction work. as by means OF Cd
structions to the swftness Of the current az Ger
tain noints It is changed In direction and the
breadth Of the mighty Hood restricted soihewhal,
and the sweeping away OF the IeNees ny INC A0'O0
Among those who appeared before the Commits
of Bentonve Ark; Congressman I. G Catchings'
OF Vicksburg. Miss; Congressman T. D. Me- uocn;
OF Mariana. Ark. State Engineer Rlchardson OF
Louisiana and the presidents ana ensiI1iS1 .. ee
Sbef of cubic Yards Of earth put in to iii up
breaks and the general condition OF me pSr,on %
these reports we're unique in character and en-
crossed the attention Of the Board despite the re
0uency with which they have heard the facts reIa-
tive to the great work rehearsed The point was
brought out that the advance OF civilization in the
perior systems OF drainage by farmers and the re-
moval Of forests caused the yearly h1C s 10 Pc
waters and the greater amount Of damage The
time rose higher than formerly, 1t was SAID.
In a speech before the Commission Congressman
of the House said he believed the next Con,
eress would not only carry out the long cherlshed
Ing complete control on behalf Of the Government
OF this great public work but would also appr9pfl-
sufficient to complete the entire levee system for
the Mississippi Valley.
Senator Berry urged the Commission to vote
enough money TO take OF the work already
done and complete II before high water destroyed
At. He said that the revenues OF the people pro-
tected were taxed the utmost TO control the
river at the present time. J. NJ. Whitehll, presi-
dent of the Desha County (Ark) Levee District.
was urgent In presenting the needs OF his district.
as was Judge j. c. Connolly. of the Chlcot County
(Ark) District F. b. Maxwell. president Of the
Fifth Louisiana District. said that the people in his
territory only in danger from 40 miles
OF river front but also from the long line Of
Arkansas levees. through which the water which
pouring down from the watershed Of twenty
seven States and Territories worked It's way and
constantly threatened TO flood them in the rear.
Some Of the speakers referred 10 the need OF con-
etantly watching against the erosion and caving
OF the banks in time Of low water.
After hearing all that said by those who ap-
peared before the Commission, the members
Into executive session. General Gillespie said a
reporter for The Tribune that the Board had adopt
ed its annual report and made the allotment TO the
various evee districts Of the money provided In the
pending Snndry Civil Appropriation bill now before
Congress, the passage Of which expected yes
terday. The amount was about 81 100000. The
various allotments would be announced from tho
War Department at Washington. which would have
the report OF the work Of the Commission to-mor-
row. The secretary OF the Commission is Captain
II. E. Waterman. Of the Corps OF Engineers.