The Greenville times., 1900-11-03
MIR. sEDDoN,s PLAN.

~ AuA' -. Sill. COppee, vi
scheme for river control, elaborat
ed by Mr. james A. Seddon be
fore a meeting of The Western
Society of Engineers, III June last
His is merely one of series
OF projects, having as an uI
innate object the accomplish
msnt of a scheme of deep
water connection between the
Great Lakes and the Gulf. Ii
the practical realization of thIt
idea the people of the entire Mis-
sissippi Valley are profoundly
interested; bat none should be
more so than the riparian dwell
ers IL its lower part.
Vast as is such an undertaking,
it would be idle to prophecy
against Its final accomplishment.
An earnest desire for and faith in
Its achievement, do not debar from
the right of criticism of methods
proposed for bringing it to pass.
Mr.. Setldon is an engineer of
large experience and great ability,
and, while we would not presume
to crlticise the technical details of
his plan, yet we do not hesitate to
say that it bears the earmarks of
being the work of man unfamll-
lar with the practical workings of
some Of the surroundings of at
least one of its essential features.
A discussion of the cost of con.
struction aud maintenance of the
embankments, locks and dams
proposed by Mr.. Seddon, should
be left to engineers; but any prac-
tical man, who is acquainted with
the values ordinarily claimed and
allowed for land, when needed
for such purposes as he has in
view, knows that his estimated
initial cost Of $1.00 per acre TO:
the land required, is simply alb
surd.
As illustrating the difference
between the theoretical and prac-
tical cost of the acquisition of such |
lands, we would institute a COM
parison between Mr.. Seddon's es-
timate,l price of$1. 90 per acre, and |
the actual price paid for the land.
in Warren county, necessary to
use in excivating the canal to con-
meet the old mouth of the Yazoo
river with Centennial Lake, at
Vicksburg. All this land was
subject to overflow.
, For the cultivated land s12s.s5 per acre
j" cleared " 4s.4s
wood 2s.s
lake and slough bottoms I4l4 +"
In the same county, the state
has SINCE sold tax, and other lands,
uncIeared, to individual purchas-
ers, at 30 cts. per acre.
We do not have to 60 as far
South as Warren county to find
instances of outrageous and extcr-
tionmtr values allowed owners for
lalnl teeced for public purposes.
We give these figures because we
happen to have them at hand.
Tnobtain the 4, 600 square miles
If land in the st. Francis basin,
n. cr-sary to Mr.. Seddcl'sscbeme, Il
would cost a sum so uncertain, ex-
crpt in its exhorbitance, as to be
heyuud the range of reasonably
accurate estimate. Ii
II Is upon the established line, K
tia, uf leyees aIdrevetments, that
rur salvation must be wrought. !
That the control of the lower river d
and tie preyention of floods, con-
stillile an essential element in the ,
success Of the general scheme, of I
q water route from Chicago to the I
Gull, IS most fortunate for us. In q
tins, ii properly handled, is hope l
for the naturalization of the en- 6
the system of river improvement. |
IL tic desire for this the people of t
he whole valley must be brought c
i.lo accord, and an iDdentlty Of p
sitrests between Chicago, Saint ii
.Unis, Memphis and New Orleans is
,c realized. Only united effort K
az accomplish it, and it is a work be
,ortby the effort and brain of DO
nv man who aspires to the lead lfes