The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-22
George o. Rogers Declares This Is
the Only Way to Keep River
Within Confines.
SAYS LEvEES ARE A. MENACE.
Before Modern Improvements
Were Made, a Gauge of Fifty
One Feet Was Often
Marked.

George 0. Rogers declares the only solu-
ton of the problem of how to prevent floods
is to revet the river banks to prevent the
water from eating away Its natural con-
fines. Mr.. Rogers has made a study of
the conditions governing the course Of The
Mississippi River and says unless precau-
tons are taken. he fears that much damage
may result.
In an interview yesterday Mr. Rogers
said:
Modern improvements add to the perils
OF the Mississippi River. Years ago before
the now far-reaching levees extended north
OF Vicksburg. Miss. II was not anything
unusual to witness fifty-one-foot stage OF
water at Cairo. Ill., When spring came with
its breaking ice-gorges and floods. which
transformed the staid Mississippi into good
imitation of the Missouri River. the plant
ers along the banks of the river prepared
for the high water with no such feelings
as prevail to-day.
''On the contrary. the high water was
looked upon as a blessing. for IL not only
enriched the low lands. but was rapidly
filling in the swamp districts bordering the
river. There was no danger of farms be-
ing swept bodily away. for there were no
levees to break and the rising water sim
ply spread back on the iowlands, enrich
ing and fertilizing the ground as the river
receded.
.Levee advocates have always claimed
that by combining the vast flow of water
between great mud walls. the increased
speed OF the current would scour out the
bottom of the river. thus deepening the
channel and rendering it more navigable
as well as making 1t capable OF holding the
entire body OF water. no matter how high
the river might rise. This was a pretty
theory. but 1t never was more than a the
DRY. and the ever-recurring troubles with
the leyees have about demonstrated the
fact that IT is theory not borne out by
experience.
RIVER BED FILLS.
Common sense should teach US that no
matter how swift the current, no river can
carry with it the entire sediment of
spring food. but must eventually lose
that the bed of the river fills up during the
high water, and only washes out partially
when it falls
when the current is confined in narrow
limits naturally all this sediment is de-
posted in the channel itself. thus gradu-
ally filling 1t up and causing the waters to
one breaks, a crevass is formed and homes
and farms are swept away in twinkling.
Nor is this the only real disaster connected
rent eats away the banks Of the river. cav
ing them in and causing sandbara the
worst menace to navigation known.
MUST PROTECT BANKS.
The true solution. and the only ono
in revealing the banks. or. in other words,
protecting them with brush and timbers,
as is now being done in many p aces. thus
preventing the river from eating away its
natural confines As the water rises the
sediment is deposited in these revetments,
them and raising the banks
of the river naturally. so that in time the
river would be confined to a certain chan
mel
Let the levees be done away with, and
let the river follow its natural course.
spreading out over the low and swamp
lands, thus disposing Of the surplus water
with detriment to no one.
If this is not done / can see no other
future for the Mississippi than a constant
raising Of the bed. and continuous rails
ing OF the levees to meet it, thus assuring
all. for believe that with the raising of
the river bed and levees il is only a Ques-
ton of time when towns which lie along |
the river will be below it's level, protected |
only by the levees, and II these should be
swept away such loss of life and property
will occur that the Johnstown and Gal
weston disasters will be lost to memory by
the contrast
New Orleans itself is threatened, for II
the levees should hold in the river above.
there Is hound to be destruction and dis |
Rster in the lower river. |
Almost all my entire life has been spent |
on the bosom Of the Father of Waters |
have seen it in all its moods. and have
made close study of conditions which |
govern Its course. ! am no alarinist but |
feel that now Is the time to prepare for |
these dangers. and not wait until thou
sancs of lives and millions of dollars worth |
steps to remedy the evils which now ex-
ist."