The St. Louis Republic., 1903-10-11
Mississippi River Improvement
and Levee Associations Plan
for Government Control.
CONVENTION ON OCTOBER 27.
Hundreds of Men of State and Ma.
tional Importance Will Dis
cuss Important Prof
ect at New Orleans.


REPUBLIC SPECIAL
New Orleans Oct 1l.-Widrsprcad IN
terest is being taken in the coming con-
ycntiOn on October q OF the Interstate
Mississippi River Improvement and Leyee
Association. and information now In the
hands OF the Committee Of ARRANGEMENTS
indicates that several hundred men prom
inent In State and national Affairs Will
attend.
The object OF the convention will be the
furthering OF the plan for the national
control Of all Mississippi River Ieyees,
which would mean the reclamation with
in few years OF some aO.oOJO0O acres Of
overflow" lands in the States OF Arkan-
sas, Louisiana and Mississippi. once
leveed. this land would prove the most
fertile in AL the world for the growing OF
cotton, and would also produce large crops
OF sugar cane. Alone. It could be made to
produce more cotton than the world to-
day consumes.
These 2o.O0o. 90 acres Of Overflow lands
are to-day practically worthless. hun
dreds OF thousands OF acres now being i'm
penetrable swamps. Thus producing moth
ing. they are not available for levee taxa
ton, and the States In which they are To-
Gated are without available revenues for
Then the element OF conflicting interests
involved In separate State and district
leNee boards. some with ample and others
with Inadequate revenues. Is a constant
source of trouble, for the breaking OF a
weak levee always devastates large tracts
behind strong leyees. Under Federal COM
trol. all leyees would be Of Uniform grade
ana strength, and II is matter OF Official
record that no Mississippi leYee under the
control OF the national Government hls
ever given way except when injured by a
break In some State or private levee line
These matters will BE- discussed sf
Ileneth oy the delegates 10 the New Or
leans Convention.
Il also Will be pointed out that the 50
co square miles OF Overflow lands
which would be reclaimed. were the Fed-
eEal Government TO assume charge OF
ard complete the Mississippi River Ieyee
system, Is an area greater in extent. and
would Be more productive. aEriculruraily
than the combined area OF A.ussa .n;Is.fts
Rhode Island, New Jersey and Maryland.
tnat, II this area. which IS as rich as tie
Valley OF the Nile, and riche- thar. airy
other portion OF this continent. we're
brought into cultivation and settled. hun
dreds OF millions OF dollars wurth OF
one utilities OF life would b. required:
that the wealth OF this country would Le
targely augmsnted; that twenty-nine
States and Territories which drain into
the Mississippi are directly Interested IN
securing all-the-year navigation which q
complete leyee system would provide;
that the States OF Louisiana, Arkansas
and Mississippi do not drain into the
Mississippi during hoOd times, and that
II Is the food waters Of other States
which must be controlled; that the Ques-
ton Involved is clearly a national one,
and "a IN no sense a sectional one.
The standard OF grade OF levees adopted
by the United States Government Is one
third greater in cubic contents than the
standard OF the several States. The Gov
ernment levees do not break. With the
partial encroachment Of Government con-
troll. the number OF crevasses has de-
creased from ~ in lSs1 10 seven in ls0s.
creased from $40 TO rs In the same time.
Hollands dixie system cost S5l 90 0o0: -
81, leo acres were reclaimed, Holland
prodtlnE some Si20oo.oOooQ0.
Government leyees would reclaim o.
ooo 600 acres IN the Mississippi Valley.