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Show Fighting the Mississippi The levees on the Mississippi river have been In existence from the Eight- j couth century. Formerly under the slave system each planter along the I river had dikes erected for himself. I The towns then took action, finally j the counties, and the states building j levees. Then congress in 1870 Bp j pointed the Mississippi river commission, commis-sion, but made no provision for the actual building of levees or protection ! of the lands from overflow. In lsi . congress made the first appropriation . for the improvement of the .Misslssip ' pi river. From 1S7D, under the com- mission, the federal government has expended more than SM.WMJ in th j Improvement of the Mississippi river and the protection of land? from over j flow. ! |