The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-04-21

oned Its effect was electrical. Ex
pectation became universal that tn
government would extend still NOR.
aid, the spirit Of depression which hat
settled upon the people was exercised
hope again animated them, and thel
were aroused to efforts almost super
human This expectation has not been
disappointed, for since 1882 the govern
ment has contributed no less than $l8
100000 During the same period th,
inhabitants Of the valley have expended
about $15,O0OOOO, The result Of this
gigantic outlay was the construction of
about 1900 miles Of levees superior tt
any ever before known, yet as the flood
Of 1897 proved, still not high enough oi
strong enough
1t is just to the members d the Mis-.
sissippi River Commission, and as well
to our local engineers, TO say that they
did not regard the levees as sufficient
to restrain such food as that Of 1897
It exceeded in magnitude that Of 1882,
and If we test It by both height and
duration 1t has no parallel On March
25 II reached 5l.8 on the guaga at Cairo.
The flood Of 1888 alone exceeded this
height a Cairo, but 70 was Of short
duration, and in all other respects fell
far short Of chat Of 1897 Its stipend
Gus proportions are exemplided BY the
circumstance that for thirsy.three days
it stood at and over 40 # on the Cairo
guage
Notwithstanding all this, only s.7
miles Of levee were destroyed, being
but 90 Of / per cent Of the whole work,
and but fraction more than one third
Of the whole alluyial basin was inun-
dated. The flood of 1882 which alone
can be compared with that Of 1897,
destroyed 5000 miles Of levee, and
practically overhowed the whole valley.
From this It will be seen that the
strength Of the levee system has been
greatly increased, and that It affords
vastly more protection than formerly.
Such foods as those Of 1882 and 1897
rarely come. and we may even now
consider that we are fairly protected
against all ordinary floods. II must be
remembered in this connection that
great improvement has been made III
the art Of leyee building, and that the
breaks have occurred ii old levees which
were not so carefully constructed as
those more recently built Not d sin
gle break occurred in a levee built by
the government The Mississippi River
Commission, so far from regarding the
disasters Of 1897 as condemniug the
leyee system, are Of the opinion that
the experience afforded by them estab-
lishes its practicability beyond perad.
venture, and they have estimated and
to congress- that in their iudg-
nent the expenditure Of eighteen OF
twenty millions Of dollars would enable
I to Withstand any attack that might
be made upon It.
As the work has proceeded it has be-
,ome more and more apparent that 10
,au only be perfected and properly
through the agency Of the
Federal government The people
lwelling in the valley cannot supply
he means demanded by 50 stupendous
IN undertaking BY the most heroic
.xertions they have raised BY local tax
.tion and expended IN Ieyees since 1882
he incredible sum Of st5, O0G00O. That
s little more than one hale of TIE total
expended during The same
Deriod for as hereinbefore stated the
federal treasury has contributed 8l8,
90 900 But for this Inuni6cent assist
nee the levees could not have been /
dvanced to their present state. and yet
4. 100000 more are required before
afetY win be assured Thissxperience
as demonstrated that local effort,
rayely and intelligently though It has
cen made. can not effect the reseue of
iis magnificent valley. Tic states are
by the constitution 10 make
ompacts among themselves This
lakes it impossible, except through
'sasra control to secure The prompt
gstematic and harmonious action need
Is bring the work to speedy and
1eotive completion Public sentiment
pom this nbiet has made rapid
rides Bufa fea ye'rs ago and such
proposition 81 ;ested would have
cen deridel Sre criticism 81 th (
Iissiaippi Rive Commission for eI
ending money m leYee construct
Is then not gneommon, not with
andiug they avcred that it was done
part 81 their Ene for The impr0g