Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1904-01-15

here. Three years ago,that iutted
out SO far this way as for it to be
almost impossible now 10 conceive of
its original contour after viewing the
present transformation. Yards and
yards of sand bar. then the high
bank studded with trees have been
eat away by the relentless gnawing
of the waters, till but little is eft of
what once was d formidable projcc-
tion of earth for the protection of the
bridge below OH that side of the river.
lis true that q great part of this
wearing away was done in time of
the two heavy floods in 1900, which
multiplies the menance all the more,
for who can tell when such another
rolling of waters will sweep down the
course OF u Chichasawhay? Are
not the conditions particularly favor
able to such q state of affairs for this
Spring, when we consider the almost
unprecedented dry Fall and Winter.
so far experienced? Wore the heav-
ems to turn loose their congestion of
moisture into a Jumped up downpour
of rain another mad torrent would
race down the old river and when
again within the usual confines, we
might also view an uprooted Pier to
our bridge with a part of the wood
en- way ON that side hanging over,
the then changed current. This would
mean the abandonment of the bridge
on an investment of several thousand
dollars more of Greene County S
money in extending the iron part of
its structure, perhaps a longer span
than the old.
Nature has conspircd to favor the
making of this Bridge site the most
favorable to be hit upon At the
shortest and most direct point across
the neck of land formed by the bend
route, the river has already showed
its disposition to come through by
having dented o washout of some ff-
teen feet into the bank there, and at
high enough stages poured over this
this shelf of land down through the
lake basis below till it joined the old
channel at tho lower end of the ell
bow, thus indicating that a straight
shoot is desired naturally, but pro-
Guided by the studding array of small
trees with interlacing of roots and
hard clay on the top soil. The ac-
tual ditching would not have to be
over about one hundred feet, so nice
ly has the natural causes contrivcd
the course, and at the adopted 4x4ft.
would not cost at the maximum fig
+ that many dollars. Once get
his much of u start given through
the obstacles that now will otherwise
interfere for perhaps years, when
again the river reaches the stage
necessary for the waters to dart
through this feeder, like magic it
would widen and deepen with each
flush, till the channel is diverted in
the desired trend.
That the member from this beat
is apronounccd advocate of the ditch
ing process VIC know, perhaps some
of the other members also, what we
want to do, is to impress upon them
the urgent seriousness of considera-
ton and action, gentlemen when
next you meet don't wave this mat
ter aside for later decision, for, no
matter of graver moment can posi-
bly, come up at that session. Ear be
it from our intentions to pose in a
dictatorial way, but we deem it the
discharge of an incumbency resting
upon us as a discusser of public
measures, to direct your attention TO
acts demanded by the public good.
Another thing before we leave the
subject. Chickasawhay is charted
by the U. S. Government as a navi-
gable stream, in your wisdom you
might hesitate to officially plunge
into so grave a matter as changing
the course of such a stream; this is a
move to straightcn the course, and
directly in line with the policy pur-
sued by the Department in the dis
sipation of the funds for improve
ments, we are quite certain that your
action would meet with the Govern
mcnt's hearty approval as you only
do work which they would have to
do, such has been done before, and
has apparently met their concurrence
as no kick has ever been registered.