The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1907-06-07

Tennessee and Mississippi rivers
is about 900 feet. The altitude
along the banks of the Mississippi
is generally about 24e feet. II
the channels of these rivers were
nearly as straight as the valleys
through which they flow, the
streams would have fall Of about
three feet perhaps a little more)
to the mile. This is a good fall
for a stream Of moderate size-for
such streams as these-an if SO
Strengthened and distractions re-
moved from their channels, their
currents would flow swiftly. The
larger the stream the faster is the
flow of its current with the same
fall per mile. If the Tennessee
river had a fall of three feet to the
mile, with its volume Of water, it
could not be navigated, at least up
stream. Boats could not make
Roadway against the current.
The Mississippi, from Cairo to
the Gulf, has an average fall of
six inches to the mile. Yet it is
considered by boatmen a swift
stream for navigation, especially
when its waters are swollen. The
drainage canals of southeast Mis-
souri,, as the writer understands,
have falls of much less than three
feet per mile, generally, yet they
have reclaimed, practically, great
areas for cultivation. The Saint
Francis River is estimated to have
fall of less than one foot per
mile, as remembered +; yet engi-
neers are of opinion that vast re-
gions would be reclaimed for agri-
culture if the river we're straight
ened and cleaned out. Information
as to attitudes in West Tennessee
can be found in the work of SAT-
ford & Killebrew referred to, and
in some of the Government sur
veys. Some years ago the Depart
ment of the Coast and Geodetic
Survey of the Federal Government
made survey from Corinth, Miss,
to Cairo. The route followed was
along the M. & o. Railroad from
Corinth to jackson, Tenn, and
from there along the Illinois Cen.
trial to Cairo. The highest point
found on this route was at Medi |
ma, in the southeast corner of Glib
son county. The altitude there
above sea level was found to be
sos feet. The officers or employ
ees or the Federal Government
have taken the altitude at various
points on the Tennessee bank of
the Mississippi river.
But without a knowledge of ex-
act attitudes, little reflection will
convince any one that the little
rivers traversing this plateau slope
nave a fall from source to mouth.
From Pittsburg Landing the wa
,ers of the Tennessee flow north to
Paducah, thence down the Ohio to
Jairo, thence down the Mississippi
% the mouths of the Obion, Fork
ID Deer and Big Hatchie, a dis 1
ance of many hundreds of miles
With the meanders of the streams. K
The Big Hatchie and the South h
Fork of the Forked Deer have as
much fall across West Tennessee /
IS the waters of the Tennessee {
AVE in the long ditance mention ,
d, and the little rivers farther q
Iorth approximately as much, if not q
together. Measurements taken
y the Coast and Geodetic Survey !
rom Corinth to Memphis show a
egion of high altitude, for West
'ennessee, in the southwestern
art of Hardeman County and 10 y
be southeastern part Of Fayette, q
be town of Grand Junction being :,
Is feet above the sea. This indi- Z
ates that the waters of Wolf and 4
'oosahatchie rivers have as great q
Ill from that region to the Missis- a
mn % tho uuafa,.u af fho T,annaa