File:American state papers - documents, legislative and executive, of the Congress of the United States (1832) (14780524501).jpg

Identifier: americanstatepap05unit (find matches)
Title: American state papers : documents, legislative and executive, of the Congress of the United States ...
Year: 1832 (1830s)
Authors: United States. Congress
Subjects: United States. Army United States. Navy United States Archives United States Indians of North America Finance United States Postal service Public lands
Publisher: Washington : Gales and Seaton
Contributing Library: University of Pittsburgh Library System
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Pittsburgh Library System

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
g the waters iir(carrio(l off through these natural channelsand their outlets into the lakes and the lowest and most depnsse<l parts of the plain. During this processthere are currents and counter, currents in every possilile direction; but when the floods have attainedtheir greatest known height, then this whole plain becomes covered with water, from a few inches totwelve feet deep, as its surface maybe more or less depressed, and, if it could be exposed to view, wouldexhibit the appearance of an immense lake, with a few insulated spots dispersed throughout it, such asthe island of Sicily, the banks of the Lakes Concordia, Piovidence, and Washington, and simie very narrowstrips (jartially ilistributed along the banks of the Mississippi and the other water-courses. If the wholeof the n)iper plain were reclaimed in the manner above mentioned, then the waters, being contracted intoniiicli narrower channels, would nocossarily be very considerably elevated above the point to which they
Text Appearing After Image:
\ 1829.J QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF INUNDATED LANDS. 617 now rise; and passing ofif on tlie lower plain with greater elevation and greater rapidity, and having onlythe present natural channels of outlet to the Gulf, the inevitable consequence would be that the wholeof the lower plain would be inundated, and probably parts of Attakapas and Opelousas would again besubject to inundation. The reclamation of both of the plains of Louisiana will depend, under any possible plan that may beproposed, upon the practicability of tapping the Mississippi and Red rivers at one or more points, and toan extent that may draw off rapidly such a quantity of water as will prevent the refluent waters nowcollected just above the 31st degree of latitude from rising to the heights to which they now do, and thepracticability of delivering the waters into the ocean within periods equal to those in which tlwy weredrawn oft. We have spen that the natural channels of the Lafourche, Plaqnemine, Iberville, and theChaf

Note About Images