The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-08-24
River Forecasts.

River Forecasts.
The Ohio--lAt Evansville, will re-
main nearly stationary during the
next several days. AT Padscah. sta
tionary. or rising slightly during the
next IL to "a honrs. AT Cairo, will
probably commence falling again by
today.
The TENNESSEE Florence "
below ohnsonville. will not change
materially d,Eing the next "a hours,
The Mississippi-From Chester 10
Cairo, not much change during the
neN "a hours.
p ii. SMYTH. Local Forecaster.
Il is reported that the Columbia
which has been lying at the wharf
here several months, will soon enter
the Cairo and Memphis trade.-St.
Louis Republic.
Where Is Sims?
The Beaver arrived from st. Louis
yesterday evening with three emp
ties including railroad transfer
baEe. She will leave for Arkansas
river for logs this morning.
The government dredges have not
yet gone TO woNS below here. and 1t
seems to be uncertain when they will
be put to work. Point Pleasant is
the worst place between here and
Memphis. There is eight feet there
but two channels and both are very
crooked, and liable to change any
moment. The spillway and diverted
reefs promise to scatter the water
aRi destroy what channel Is there.
At Checks there is but seven feet.
but 1t Is not so scattered and might
possibly work out its own salvation.
Dredging could be done at either OF
these places 10 advantage. The chan
mel is IN better shape between here
and ST. Louis.
The following Is taken from the
annual report of Mai. U. s. Chitten'
den. u. S. engineer in charge of the
Missouri river
Since the year 1876. when the first
appropriation was made for Missouri
river improvement. the government
has spent $3.50. 1885 ON this trouble
some old stream.
The subject of bank protection
seems TO be the all important one, In
view of the great losses in lands and
other property due to the erosion Of
the stream.
The question Of navigation has be.
come secondary one, although there
is still hope. so Major Chlttenden
states. that river commerce along the
historic old stream will some day be
revived.
On the subject of bank protection
Major Chittenden says.
During the past year about thirty
petitions have been sent 10 this Of
fee. either directly or by reference.
from the chief OF engineers, asking
for protection from the rayages of
the river.
The condition OF things in this
respect along the lower river is pro-
badly more serioHs than is generally
Understood and while relief from it
is not recognized as a legitimate pur-
pose of appropriation for improving
rivers and harbors. still wherever I'm
provement work can be so planned
that, without ANY sacrifice of its eff
iciency in improving the nayigsDie
channel, il may also be utilized TO
save property from destruction, the
consideration OF protection ought TO
be given due weight
The history OF the improvement OF
the river Slows that the most effec-
tive works In improving the navi-
gable channel are those which keep
the banks from caving in.
The greater part Of the difficulty
OF navigating this stream arises from
sandbars and snags, and both OF
these distractions result. in the main.
from the erosion of the banks.
Careful observation of existing
works shows. as a general rule a good
channel along stretches OF the river
protected by revetment While it
would naturally be desirable that the
works along the river be connected
as far as possible. still there is moth.
ing to support the theory that they
must be so connected in order to ac-
complsh their purpose in improving
the channel.
Better results can be obtained from
the point of view Of navigation alone
by holding the banks wherever the
river is attacking them than by pro-
ceeding continuously from a given
starting point: while the incidental
gain in the protection of property
will be vastly greater