The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1900-10-11

lem WIN CllCdSO man ~ ~
consistent to place all things.
including the solar system as
we'll as the great river and the
greater valley, as incidental to
the expansion of Chicago. But
as our folks are rather more
nearly concerned about Mr., Sed-
don's minor than his major prop
osition, we will restrict our no
tice to the lower river part OF his
scheme; which has been unfold
ed before the "Illinois River
Valley Association and the
Western Society of Engineers.
Mr.. Seddon's plan, which has
been published in the ST. Louis
Post-dispatch, embraces a reser
voir confinement of the Missls'
sippi's floods. These it is de-
signed to pour into the St. Fran
els basin-"a pocket singularly
adapted to the use proposed;
This would be accomplished by
ga safety valve"-a run way at
Cairo, through which the Mis-
sisslppi floods would be turned
into the basin, after height OF
Al feet was attained. The over
flow surplus would be retained
in the ST. Francis basin until the
flood had passed, or been absorb
ed. This would be effected by
a series of locks and dams
forming a chain of lakes which
the deep draught vessels, that
could not navigate the river
might use. Then, when needed,
the basin storage would be
drained back into the river
thus continueing the ship way
through its channel to the gulf.
There is one thing to be com
mended about this plan OF Mr..
Seddon's. 1t does not attempt
to win favor by any pretense
that the work is cheap and easy.
He says it is an enormous I'M
dertaking but we are seeking
enormous results. > Summing
up his estimates the cost OF "thls
1900 mile long 20foot water
J way is stated at from $3.50, O0o,-
600, to 5000, 100000 Consider,
ing the development it would
bring the Mississippi valley,
Mr.. Seddon says, lit would be
cheap at the greater sum.
1t is scarcely needed to apply
, criticism or comment to a plar
1 so vast, in it's inchoate stage
Yet in this day of great things
f when every search light or every
science is turned toward the
, disclosure of hidden economics
of life, we cannot call anything
> visionary which is practical ant
S promising, barring its cost. On'
r very weighty if not absolutel,
), forbidding obstacle toward tn
i use of the ST. Francis basin TO
- food reservoir, is that 1t
e being rapidly leveed around
Vt the waters which Mr.. Seddo
= would accelerate into the sam
s are being banked out. I'm
: "p9cket singularly adapted t
- the use" he would make or it i
l. being fitted for cotton planta
e tions. By the time the first ap
n preparation could be secured tn
i St. Francis valley will, only o
"A a smaller scale be duplicate
=. the Yazoo.
Whether practical or visionary
81 the following conclusion OF Nj
al Seldom s argument, as contain
a ed in the St. Louis Post-Dl'
:. patch is interesting to the vale
~ read ers-even more so to tn
10 business interests of the Easter
rs seaboard:
x The commerce of half the col
st tinent would pass through thi
90 waterway. Nothing can |
" more illustrative of what the We
nj sells of the waterway might
lis than to say that the lake freigh
IS. ers are carrying ton of co
4. from Duluth to Buffalo for lie
=. money than we can shovel tt
60 same quantity of coal from
no sidewalk into a cellar.
IS These plans of ours are nece
.al sarily in advance of any actu
work beyOuud the conStructl'