Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1903-11-07

Wv Hoou uI l5U3, because OF tho
TACT that, al certain points. the gauge
reading showed not only pnusnsiIv
great elevation Of the food heIgbt
but Irregular elevation. From mia n
mas been dedueed by some tbas A.
,nose places where the gauge read.
ings were the highest, there had been
as the result OF levee construction an
unusual deposit Of silt, thus raising
the ped OF the river A simple explain.
alton will destroy this theory,
In 1880, when the levees were Inv M
means continuous and were altogether
insufficient to affect the food plane in
any degree, the first thoughtful and
scientific observation Of the river be-
gan This was because Of the fact
that the Mississippi River Commission
then entered upon the discharge Of its
duties. 1t was noted that the rise and
fall OF the river was very different at
different points II was observed that
the greater annual oscillations. which
were Of about forty.flve feet, were to
be found at or near the mouths Of
the tributaries, such as the Ohio the
st, Francis, the Arkansas and the Red
rivers. 1t was also observed that the
lesser annual oscillations, which were
of about thirty.fye feet. were to be
found at intermediate points along
the fronts Of the great basins drained
by these tributaries, as for example.
at Fulton, Memphis, Greenvllle Lake
Providence and St. Joseph
A careful plotting Of the gauge read.
ings at that time exhibited a smooth
and regular high.water slope, but an
exceedingly irregular lowwater slope
This was caused by considerable de-
preston Of the river bed at or near
the junction with the tributaries Of the
river and a considerable elevation Of
the bed along the fronts Of the great
basins between them For this reason
is was noted that the rise In high
water was much greater where the
bed Of the river was depressed at or
near the points Of junction with its
tributaries
1t was observed that the discharge
at high water at these points, because
Of these depressions, was something
like 100000 cubic feet per second,
while along the intervening basin
fronts the discharge was several hun
dred thousand feet less. This differ.
ence in discharge. ranging from a
quarter to half million feet, was be-
cause of the escape OF water over the
river banks along these basin fronts,
this escape of water undoubtedly
caused the eleyation Of the bed along
these fronts. which was noted and VIC
feel justified In affirming that when
this escape shall have been perman-
emily prevented by the construction
of suitable leyees, these elevated por-
tions OF the
River Bed viii Be Gradually Lowered
to conform to the bed at the points Of
junction with tributaries thus making
a regular low,water slope When this
shall have been accomplished, un.
doubtedly the lowering OF the river
bed will steadily so on
II has also been noted that during
the food Of 1903 the heights attained
nv the food in excess Of those hitherto
recorded we're greatest at the points
along these basIn fronts as for in.
stance at Memphis where the rise
was three feet greater than any ever
known
The excess of the food height at the
nolnts Of depression referred to was
notbinp Ii,n so extreme
We therefore declare that in our
INDIGNANT there ia no warrant what.
ever for the assertion that the effect
~ lovoe construction has been. or will
no to raise the he'd of the river, but.
ON tho contrary II is our definite con.
yiction tbat the effect will be to cause
y ronnroi I,o 40 ond considerable lowering of
,ha hod
Second-We also desire to express
our 6rm onnosition to all schemes
w., Sa l1,a,na good belphts of the lower
rivar by tbo construction of reservoirs
90 so. oo1Iod ortIets We refer to and
% sndorso % fnliv all that is said upon this
.n,tGlo -HI,ot h,' tho rer, careful and able
ouoyot' , ,iI,u,ittod ~ In 1908 nv the Com.
- :, proo p Committee of the United States
tt e,le, oe Ooinn u.hioh ;s On comnlete and elab.
nrato os to axhaust the consideration
% 20 M tbo question We will add that all
" ", ,nu l,,o q",Y, ,shinh have ever been pro
1 9e.'e','O s,n H. rolIof nj the river in
poseu ~, aI ,,I ~, antlots or reservoirs
,I5 .ainu9 y, n,thor I0 rrove wholly inefficient,
Mouiu l,,Ta e,'ne no.t "ncb yaet sums and re.
y, ivy woSr" Smcb constant care and expendi-
49, 49, os 20 ontitIe them to no consid.
ation W. at1 "' W
" av.Un MY, uhuo tbo nood NJ 1903 was
ln'ru-M .,', '',e w nraot ,m os that of 1897.
osS ~ n,hilo I Inc aood plane was greatly
anu Mn.,e ."V ,hnt ~ 1907 the protec.
IN excess u ,n"I ~ ZOO % ayor that of 1897
~ sl'm 80 ' nrnot as to satisfy the minds of
70 70, so nn,iof SO I Investigators that so far
al al .n ,tnpal .a.t w" hoe conc the principle of
as ,he tes' m"I 80 &C. construction has
pao.eCrU% prov, onon,v " yindjcated In 1903 there
0.I zen %imp,y t,t ~, cravosses as against for
tvtbreo IN % in 1897 with each recurring
sood since leyee construction began
noou .nns, s,"v tbo number of crevasses
n w ealnS" nam9o mailer and smaller, and
naS Is sno"n o.on,ion afforded has grown
.no 'leo ,pr morun ond greater AS a result, in.
= .'l,1n eaeel a"" 90 oonital IN all manner of
vestmehts s,iI on,orprisos or orpr in the Missis.
ninri ,io yaiiov have increased until they
sippi sio last r" fahnIous The low-lying
are aiilos. Itch nrior TO that date
PACK ,,od lanus m os valneless are fast
We're resarueu suo 40 orG converted into
homes home for the benefit of the people, ,s,