The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-30
SENATOR BURTON's PLAN.

y !. T. = Z Z
Several days ago we discussed briefly
Senator Burton's plan to store the sur.
plus waters of the Mississippi to prevent
overnows and to irrlgate arid lands with
the surplus.
Mr. r. D. Haislip, late editor OF the
stanton News, and now OF the Norfolk
yirglnian- Pilot, who has given the ques-
ton study, says that the plan is not orig
inal with Senator Burton. Fle says that
he and others have written on the sub
iect from time to time, and he thinks that
this is the only plan which offers sat
isfactory solution of the problem.
In further discussing the subject Mr..
Haislip says:
mo doubt many of your readers think
that II a stone wall We're constructed on
each bank of the river and carried to con-
siderable height, nothing more would be
necessary to confinc the Mississippi with
in It's bounds. Or this being prohibitive,
on account of cost, they cannot UNDER
stand why the levees already there can
not be strengthened and carried to a
sufficient height to afford adequate pro-
lection.
Are they or yourself aware of the fact
that the mud held In suspension IN the
water is constantly settling. and that
through this process OF sedlmentatlon the
bed OF the river Is constantly filling up,
causing the water level to rise higher
and higher all the time?
"Wel, this Is what is taking place.
was born In Louisiana not far from the
Mississippi River, and through the Civil
War lived as n boy back from Vicks-
burg on ono of the numerous bayous that
arc formed In the Mississippi lowlands
| At that time little attention was paid to
| tho levees, and many of them We're cut.
| When the high waters came they spread
over the whole Mississippi alluval region,
| and in places the river would be fifty or
| sixty miles wide. 1t went over the PLAN
| tations q few feet to few Inches Deep
all the bayous and lagoons were syolen,
| and for day or two there was some
Inconvenience from 1t, but because of the
immense area over which the waters
spread, there We're not the disastrous re-
| suits that come from flow of waters that
| suddenly hurst their bounds, There are
I conversations In every overflow OF this
| kind which cnriches and renews the soil.
Note the change that has taken place
| In the height of the levees from that day
to this, venture to say that the levees
! of to-day arc from ten to fifteen feet
| higher than they were at the beginning
of the Civil War. and IL any OF the old
| levees can be found as ! have no doubt
/ they can, believe this disparity will APP
4 pear, The effort to conf1ne the waters
has neeessitated building higher and
| higherS>as the channel filled UP. SO that
| now in high water when you travel on
| the Mississippi by boat you look down
| way below to see the houses. the land
and the people. This bank of EARTH soft
alluvial earth at that is all that prevents
the waters from tumbling over on the
houses and the people, Every time the
waters rise they bring fresh mud to dis
1 tribute in the bottom OF the river, and
/ for every inch Of mad that accumulates
en- the bottom an inch more of dirt must
be put on TOP Of the loyees,
,.''As result the struggle of the waters
10 get down to the lower level, where the
houses and the people are, becomes In
tensified Nature at times gets the bet
ter OF the struggle, and break occurs
followed by disaster,
"Whereiis this piling up of the waters
TO end, and what is to be the result?
| NOW, as to the alternative. There are