The Grenada sentinel., 1903-11-07

61O9l0E 0Uo 8E0&I0Gss ~ u IG9u1t. IN
vestments Of capital In all manner of
Industrial enterprises Ia the Missis.
sippi valley have increased until they
are almost fabulous. The low-lyinx
back lands which prior to that date
were regarded as valueless, are fast
being occupied and converted into
homes for the benefit Of the people.
Towns and cities have sprung up In
every direction. Railroads now travs
erse. the valley SO that nearly every
part of it is reached by them. All OF
this affords evidence of the strongest
possible conviction on the part OF the
people that the time is sure to come
when they will have absolute protec-
llon from the floods OF the river. =.
Theorists may argue against
E The Efficiency OF Levees, -
but they do SO in vain. The strong
common sense of the people responds
by rejecting their theories. The work
must go on. 1t cannot now stop. Too
much money has been invested in
levees to suffer them to be destroyed,
and unless they are prosecuted to
completion they will be DESTROYED.
The enormous investments made be-.
cause of them and in reliance upon
their completion cannot in good faith
be abandoned now to the devastation
of the floods. We presume that no
man can be found at this stage of the
work to suggest that the plan of pro-
lection by levees should be abandoned.
at least until full and complete test
has shown them to be impracticable.
Fourth-The following abstract of
the report of the Mississippi River
Commission just made and hardly yet
lot
ion of the commission upon the levee
question, and is so comprehensive and
pertinent that we give it at length,
towit:
"The past flood established. more
clearly htan has any previous one,
both the importance and the practi-
cability of complete and sufficient
levee system. In it's present condi-
ton, incomplete both as regards ex-
tension and dimensions, it gave sub
stantial protection to three-quarters of
the alluvial valley, and its interests,
which under flood conditions without
levees, would have been q lake from
twenty to eighty miles wide from
Cairo to the gulf. This improvement
made during the past six years has
reduced the number of crevasses be-
tween Cairo and New Orleans from
thirty-eight to six. OF the area over
flowed this year, five-eighths was the
direct result of back water from the
lower ends of the basins and overflow
through unbuilt parts of projected
lines and only three-eighths from
breaks in the levees, Notwithstanding
their unfinished condition as regards
both grade and section.
Under these circumstances the i'm
portance of the earliest practicable
completion of the work is apparent
If the flood damages of 1903 may be
approximately estimated at five mil
lions of dollars, the previous expendi-
ture of that sum in permanent work
would have largely, if not entirely,
prevented them. Every years delay
in completion incurs the risk of SINH
lar loss. When the system shall have
been completed, the cost will have
been increased by many millions of
dollars, and the development of the
valley delayed by many years of anx-
iety and disaster, which could have
been saved by continuous work on a
scale commensurate with the impor-
tance and magnitude of the improve
ment. The State levee districts re-
alize this. Most OF them have antici-
pated their revenues as far as prac-
consideration plans for such increase
OF resources applicable to the work
as will shorten the time of compile
ton. The commission is so impressed
with this view of the subject that it
considers it for the best interest of
the work to now make contracts for
levee construction to the extent of
two million dollars as provided for in
the River and Harbor Act of June 80,
1902, from the amounts to be appro-
priated for the fiscal years ending
June so, 1905, and June 30, 1906 Fur
thermore. it suggests that if congress
should think proper to make addi-
tional provision for levee construction
during the fiscal years ending June
80, 1905, and June 80, 1906, the sum
of two million dollars in addition to
the amounts already provided can be
judiciously and advantageously ex-
pended during each year."
Fifth-In addition to the protection
of the lands of, the Mississippi valley
preme Importance that the mind of
the nation should be kept constantly
advised of the
Commercial importance Of the Mis-.
- sissippi
river as highway of commerce. The
marvellous growth of railroad building
within the last quarter of century
has so diverted the attention of the
public from the Mississippi river as
means of transportation that it has
been to some extent lost sight Of 1t
has remained, however, constant
safeguard against undue rates of trans
portation and promises, in the near
future, to become once more as active
a factor in interstate commerce as it
ever has been in the past. This is
owing, first, to the almost unparalleled
increase in industrial activity through
out the valley; and, second, to the
demonstration that, by means of n.y.
draulic dredges sufficient channel
for low water navigation can be Sc
cured and maintained. We earnestly