24th Congress-ist Sessicn.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

 APRIL r, 1886. MT. Harrison, from tho Committee on the Public Lands, made the following
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MT. Harrison, from the Committee on The Public Lands, made the following

 REPORT:

 The Committee on the Public Lends, fo

 schich wns referred Hs memorial of the

 Legislature of the Territory of .4iknn-

 sas upon iitse subject q draining the h.

 uatsaistdt funds ois tihe Mississippi and

 .4rkaHsas rivers, aad also ths report q

 the Secretary ofthe Treasury on He same

 subject made n ttte compliance teffs c

 yesoll,tion 1.-The House of Representatives

 ofthe 2d darch, 1855. beg teare to sab-

 nlH ihe toil0toiag repon'

 Although your committee have not been able to collect such precise information as they would have been glad 10 have had in .thsir power To lay before the House upon subject Of such magnitude as the present, yet they conceive that sufficient has been obtained which is here embodied, to enable tho House both To see and to feel the ne- cessity of at once entering upon the pro- posed undertaking. For the purposes of more fully understanding this subject. and of presenting II in some systematic form, your committee have considered 1t under

  the following heads:

 l. The probable expense of construct ing leveo on the public lands on the vest ern bank of the Mississippi, and oil the southern bank of the Red riyer

 2. Also, of constructing levees on, or removing obstructions from, the Missouri, Arkansas, and St. Francois rivers, through the public lands, wherever il may be neces- sary.

 3. The probable quantity, quality, and value of land belonging to the United States which will be reclaimed by such works.

 4. The probable effect upon the health of tho country in which such works may be constructed.

 6. The probable advantages and disad- santages of such works respectively, and the effect which they will likely havo upon the general prosperity of the country.

 Before entering upon the consideration Of the first head, it may be proper to remark that such data cannot be given as will lead to certain conclusions; the nature of the subject, and the character of the country which falls within the scope of the examin- sation, are such as utterly to forbid the hope that we can begin upon known and estab- lished facts, and end in safe and certain results. Covered, as the inundated lands of inc Mississippi and many of it's tribut- aries are, with impenetrahe swamps and marshes, no surveys have been made from which we can draw any taiag like exact in- formation nor is 1t possible that success full examinations can be made withoutlfirst accomplishing to some extent such objects -as are here contemplated. Enough how ever is known to justify the conclusion to wkich the committee have arrived, that the inundated lands of the Mississippi and it's tributaries can be reclaimed, and become subject 10 inc labor and industry oii ii man i all the various arts and improvements of civilized life.

 The point at which the inundated lands commence on the lower Mississippi may be said to be the sources of Cape La Croix creek, in the State of Missouri, about thfee miles from the town of Cape Girardeau. lt extends from this point south l35 miles, in a parallel direction with ihe Mississippi river; its mean breadth Is % miles, cover ing altogether an area, in round numbers. Gt about 100000 acres. This immense swamp is made principally by the high waters of he Mississippi overIlowing the sources of the La Croix, and 6udng dis charge through the swamp; it Is deemed entirely practicable to dra,n this swamp and renderit fit for cultivation, at d cost com paratively small. To accomplish this, 1t will not be necessary to construct a leyee on the banks of the Mississippi the entire length Of the swamp, but it can he effecied at less cost, and more successfully, by con struciing q levee nt the head of tho La Croix, SO as to keep out the high waters of the Mississippi. This leyee will require 10 be between one and two miles long, and, upon an average, aboni four feet high; Ii can be constructed for about $2,500. A canal from the La Croix 10 Hubble's creek n distance of eight miles, from thence to White water, six miles, and from thence to Castor creek, thirty miles, clearing out the obstructions tn each, will be required. From the mouth of Castor 10 the Missis- sippl, by he head of Portage bay, canal would be necessary of six or eight miles in. lengh. sufficiently deep and wide 10 receive the waters of the swamp, and that portinn of the St. Francois which contributes to the formation of Little river, which should be diverted from it's presen, course into the canal by a dam thrown across its channel. There heinz no streams dischargiug into the swamp south Of Castor. and the outlet of the St. Francois just mentioned. by di- verting them from their present course into the Mississippi through Portage bay, ali that portion Of country lying between the