Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-05-01

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FLOOD WATERS.
The people Of the lower Mississippi valley are
contending just now with conditions such as have
confronted men periodically ali over the world in all
ages. The immutable fact which lies at the base
of al the problems presented in this connection is
the instability OF water. Three-fourths of the earth's
surfaceTis covered with water, and from the great
ocean reservoirs water is carried into the air
through the process of evaporation, to form clouds
which are carried hither and thither by the winds.
until, through constant accessions from the original
source and lowering of. temperature the moisture
content passes the point of saturation, and the ex-
cess is deposited in the form of rain, which may fall
thousands of miles from the place where the water
molecules left the ocean surface. The water fall
ing on distant inland surfaces becomes impregnated
with the chemical elements Of the soil through
which it passes, and, attacking the surfaces over
which it flows, removes some of their substance
which it carries downward in the form of suspended
matter. AS the water reaches the lower levels the
velocity of it's flow is diminished, and part of the
suspended matter is deposited, while the rest, to-
gether with the dissolved elements, is carried out to
sea, leaving the solids behind, and the water returns
inland to carry fresh loads into the great body of the
ocean.
Through the cooling of the earth and the solid
flying and shrinking of its crust, nature has created
| great irregularities in its surface. Great mountain
ranges nave OCGu IOTCcQ upward. NIGaL plains nave
been tilted and vast valleys have been formed. In
these latter water has collected to form the oceans.
J. Through the interference of water from place to
place nature operated to smooth out the irregulari-
ties which she has created. Were it not for the re-
petition of those structural changes which erect
mountains where great seas once were, and which
subrnerge the higher land, the mountains would in
the course of millions of years be worn down, the
valleys would be filled, and the entire surface would
be brought to a level. This process is interrupted
hxr conyrp1c1ooc1 f uhs~k The roele nrAeop$ Sn1A1Sh1o
records, and fresh irregularities are created in new
places.
All great rivers operate similarly. The rapid
flow in the elevated interior erodes the surface, the
ated at the points of discharge, the channel is length
gcned through these fats, and there is a slow, but
constant building up of the new ground and of the
bed and banks Of the river as well. But while the
process is similar, it is varied by local condition.
The Nile, for instance, rising in equatorial Africa,
flows in its lower reaches through an arid country.
Its movements are regular and subject only to slight
variations. The lower Nile food is an annual event
whose date and degree are known in advance with
reasonable certainty. There are no years without
ant knows what to expect each year. His lands are
flooded with shallow water, imperceptibly elevated,
and richly fertilized.
The Mississippi flows through no arid territory.
Its entire basin, occupying the heart of the CONT
nent, is subject to copious, but irregular rainfall.
The average rainfall and average flood height are
known, but the variation from year to year are very
great. The tendency of the population is to adjust
itself to the normal, and because in most years the
cultivation of the lands adjoining the lower stream
is feasible, safe and profitable, farms have been i'm
proved, roads constructed, and cities built, right up
to the stream. Then comes the exceptional year,
when heavy snow falls in the mountains, and deluge
after deluge of rain falls over the entire valley. Then
the stream overRows its elevated banks and sweeps
inland, carrying destruction. and often. death on its
waters.
Control Of the Nile is a relatively simple engi-
neernng matter. The behavior of the elements there
J Is relatively regular and we'll understood. Control
( Of the Mississippi is a different matter. BY means
of reservoirs, strong and high levees with plenty of
channel room, and so forth, the ordinary freshet
may be kept within bounds. But when in an occa-
million square miles of cloud, and all that water
seeks the readiest way to the sea, the engineer is
helpless
If power were available in unlimited quantities,
one might imagine the application of Hollands plan
to the problem. The ocean is kept from consider
able areas of Holland by means of bikes, and the
country is drained by means of canals from which
the water is pumped over the bikes: The applica-
ton of tins practice to the lower Mississippi would
call for the building of, enormous bikes back from
the present banks, providing a wide and deep chan
mel with gates at the mouths Of all tributary streams.
Then, ia time of food, these gates would be closed,
and the water from the smaller streams would be
pumped into the main channel. That would work
E--IneOfercauy BUT the 1nSt2Aauon and operation
az the plant necessary for this might fairly be COM
pared to the removal of the Rocky mountains to the
other side of the continent.
WEALTH, AND IMAGINATION.
During the wal and the period Of imitation that
ssifollowed@it an utterly unfounded impression Of
wealth existed in thousands, perhaps millions of
minds throughout this country. Prices had adj
avsraced Wages were high. With the exceptionsof
The saiaried class, where the response to abnormal
Nconditions was slower and less marked than among