Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-16

AAIAON Aliens Oh THIS RIVER
DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE TO MIS-
SISSIPPI FLOODS.
Washington, D. c., December IS
The Senate committee on commerce to-
day agreed to the report of the sub
committee appointed under the resolu-
ton of March, 1897, to investigate and
report upon the floods in the tIissis-
sippi river and their causes and pre-
vention. The subcommittee, consist
ing of Senators Nelson, Elkins, Vest,
Mcbride. Galhnger, Berry and Caffery,
has visited many points on the Missis-
sippi and its tributaries, taking testi-
mony at various points. The report
was prepared aud submitted by Sena-
tor Nelson, as Chairman of the sub
committee.
The committee says that the great
est and most destructive floods have
come from the Ohio river and We're
due to excessive rains, but other tribu-
taries have also contributed to the vol
ume of water which has so frequently
submerged the bottom lands Of the
lower Mississippi.
The first important conclusion reach
ed is in regard to the cutting of timber
at the headwaters of the streams. On
this point the committee says: Moth
ing obtained by your committee dis
closes the fact that the destruction of
timber at or near the headwaters of
these river systems tends to cause or
promote the floods referred to. Where
timber is cut down, for purposes other
than cultivation the underbrush re-
mains and grows more luxurian than
ever, and such underbrush serves to re-
tard rather than hasten the movement
of water on the slopes ana nillsides.
And where timber is cut down for pur-
poses of clearing and cultivation. the
plowed area becomes an enlarged alb
sorbant Of surface moisture. And 1t is
a generally accepted opinion that the
destruction of timber tends rather to
diminish than TO increase the rain
fall"
With reference to the five reservoirs
in the headwaters of the Mississippi,
the committee says; They repress.
to some extent, the floods in the river
bottoms above Lake Pepin and i'm
prove the navigation of the river in
low water down to that point, but have
no material effect upon the floods or
navigation of the river below that
point"
Taking up the subject OF reservoirs
in general the committee continues:
The evidence discloses no other points
on the upper Mississippi available for
reservoir purposes. The evidence. as
well as the other data, discloses that
on the Ohio river, as we'll as its main
tributaries. where reservoirs could act
more directly on the floods than else
where, with the one exception Of the
st. Francis basin, there are no suitable
voirs could, at any moderate or rea-
sonable expense, and without working
far-reaching and extensive damages,
be constructed that would at all be ade-
quate to pen up and retain the great
downpour from innumerable mountain
torrents during the great freshets OF
January, February and March"
The committee concluded that no
substantial relief from the floods can
be obtained by means Of outlets, hence
the further conclusion that only
through properly constructed levees
can the proper relief be secured. The
committee furnishes an estimate OF the
cost of completing the levee system
from the head Of st. Francis basin to
the head of the passes, putting the fig
ure at from $1S,OOO,OOO to s200000Oo,
and the time necessary at from four
TO five years. The opinion is expressed
that with this expenditure levees suf-
ficiently high and strong 10 afford
complete protection could be assured.
Speaking Of the jetties in South Pass
the committee says that Neither these
nor the training dykes nor mattress
sills have been kept up 10 the condI-
ton they were in in 1879. but have
been allowed TO diminish and deterio-
rae and as a consequence the channel
has not been maintained without con-
siderable dredging Hence they
reach the conclusion: con the whole,
it appears that, although the jettes
have accomplished much good and
great results, they have not wholly
succeeded, owing to the causes enumer-
ated. in maintaining the fine channel
that existed from 1879 TO 1889. To
maintain the good results then OBJ
tanned. the dikes, sills and jetties car
ried away should be replaced or re-
stored as far as practicable. Besides.
the jetties should be extended seward
further than ordinarily built to keep
pace with the extension OF the bar into
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