The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-16
THE MISSISSIPPI FLOODS
Ohio River and Excessive Rains the
Cnuse of the Trouble.

Ohio River and Excessive Rains the
Cnusc of the Trouble.
Washington, December 15.-The senate
committee on commerce today agreed to
the report of the subcommittee appointed
under the resolution of March. 1897. to In
vestigate and report upon the floods in the
Mississippi river and their causes and pre-.
verltion. The subcommittee, consisting Of
Senators Nelson, Elkins, Vest Mcbride.
Gallinger, Berry end Caffery. has visited
many points on the Mississippi river and
its tributaries, taking testimony at various
points, and altogether giving the subject
very careful attention The report was
prepared and submitted by Senator Nelson.
as chairman OF lihe Subcommittee,
Inc committee says that the greatest and
most destructive floods have come from
the Ono river and were due to excessive
falns, but oaher tributaries have aleo con-
tnputei to the volume OF wafer which has
so frequently, In times past, submerged
the bottom lands of the Mississippi. The
committee presents quite compI extensive
historical sketch OF levees and jetties in
| the Mississippi. With reference to the
| leyees they say that the experience of 1897
| indicates that complete enclosure of all
The river basins will require from three TO
Tour feet higher lsvees in Louisiana and
from four to six feet OF Yazoo ieyees,
| The committee concludes that no SUBJ
staMtal relief from The floods can be OBJ
tanned by means OF outlets, hence the fur
| ther conclusion that only Through PROC
erly constructed levees cam the proper re-
| lief be secured
line committee furnishes an estimate of
| tne cost OF completing THE levee system
| from the bend OF st. Francis basin to the
head of the passes, putting the figure al
from slS,o0o,0OO to 20,000,00O, and the
llme necessary at from four to five years.
Inc opinion Is expressed THAT with this ex-
! penditure leyees sufficiently high and
strong to afford complete protection could
| be assured
The committee state that good results
IN assisting navigation have been OBJ
tained from dredging with the new style
OF hydraulic dredges, which have proved
very enective, and recommend that annie
provision be made for continuing this work.
speaking OF revetment work they say:
In view of the great cost, especially in
yaew OF the results. it would be more 1u-
Wlcious 10 limit revetment work to leyee
and harbor protection. Contraction. INV
means OF jetties, bikes and dams. supple.
mented by dredging, seems to have given
the best results at least cost. There is no
eouDt That reyetments are very efficacious
Dali the cost Is so immense that its avs
Speaking OF the ietties In South pass.
une committee say that neither these nor
the training dikes nor mattress sills hays
been kept up TO the condition they were In
1873, but have been allowed to diminish
ana deteriorate and as a consequence, tho
channel has not been maintained without
considerable dredging"
Hence they reach the conclusion. "On
the whole II appears that although the let
hes nave accomplished much good and
great results, they have not wholly sue
c.sdlsd. owing to The causes enumerated
~ maintaining ihe fine channel that ex-
isted from 1879 to 1889. To maintain the
good results then obtained the bikes. sllis
ana letdies carried away should he replaced
or restored as far as practicabiea Besides.
the jetties should be extendsd seward ftir
ther than originally built in order 10 keep
pace Win the extension OF the bar Into
the gulf. For practical purposes the pass
Is not Inadequate for vessels drawing over
"a. or at most % feet of water. This is in
sufficient for the wants OF modern COM
merce. Vessels drawing from "a to 30 fact
ana over are now quite common and much
more economical than small vessels
The committee conclude that ii Is very
dctIbtful WHISTLER channel sufficient for
The large class OF vessels. can be obtained
In the South Pass.
The committee then turns its attention Ia
the Southwest Pass. saying: '.Ths com
mercs OF the Mississippi valley asks and IL
entltled 70 much deeper and broader
channel to the sea than now amended or
likely to be afforded by the South Pass.
Ihs Southwest Pass Is regarded in many
quarters-lay and expart-as the cheapest
ana most feasible route through which 10
Obtain tho requtsite deep navigation. con-
,,Ie has already made provision tor .
thorough examination and survey ~ shas
route. Engineers having the work in. charge
have not yet made their report nor com
pie'ed their work and until they do 1t wiz
Wise" e'N'' ~ a."
me report, as prepared BY Senator Nell
only IN one or two particulars. ara fhes =
amendments were in the nature OF addi-