Alabama state intelligencer., 1831-05-11

-- Pontchariain Rail Road-For the benefit of our fellow citizens ofothers States, we sub join the following account ot the object and advantages of this road so lately opened for use The road connects the City of New-Or- leans with Lake Pontchartrain, an inspection of the map will shew their relation to each other and the Gulf of Mexico Lake Pont- chartrain is about 80 miles in circumference; at it's upper end it unites with Lake Mature pas. Into these two lakes flow number of considerable rivers, the Amite, Natalbany, Comite, Blind river, Tangipao, Chafuncta, Tickfaw, Tchapauaila, Bonfouca, Pearl River, Slc. The country on these Lakes has considerable commerce with New-Orleans The Lake shore salso the grand and only re- sort for pleasure and amusement of the inha- bitants of New7Orleans.
 At it's outlet, Lake Pontchartrain commu- cates by means fthe Pass called the Rigolets, with Lake Borgne, which may be classed as an arm of thesea. Through this outlet an extensive commerce is carried on with the States of Mississippi, Alabama, East and West Florida It is also supposed that if facilities were offerred, much of the commerce with the West Indiesand Mexico, which. is carri- ed on in small vessels, would take this course in preference to he river. Hitherto the com merce with Lakt Pontchartrain has been car ried on through ihe Bayou St. John, which is connected with he City by Canal Ii miles in length. The crookedness of the Bayou, the difficulty ofhavigating it on account of it's shallow water and tba haau,r toll nn the Cn- nal, have given rise to the present enterprise. The foad is 4b miles in length, from the Mis- sssippi to the Lake is perfectly straight, and may be called level, as the descent is not more in all than 16 inches It crosses two swamps-one of mile in length, the other l miles. The bed of the road is on mound of earth in some places filled in to the depth of feet. It is laid on red Cypress timber. The rails are of the best English rolled iron, of new pattern. The road was commenced on the 10th March, 1880, and was opened for passengers on the l24th April, 1881. The greatest difficulty and expense of the road has been the filling of the swamps, for which pur- pose there is in Lower Louisiana, great scarcity of any kind of material. The avenue on which the road runs is 150 feet in width, and being perfectly straight, the eye easily bank of the Mississippi, you readily see the vessels sailing across the opening at the end of the avenue of trees-At the extremity of the road, the Company are constructing an artificial halbor, and breakwatcr. On ac- count of the shallowness of the water, it will be necessary to carry out the pier 800 yards to attain 9 feet depth. This is to be formed for the first 400 yards by mound; 200 further by cribwork, and the residue of the distance on and by piles For the first 500 yards the bottom is sandy; beyond that it is mud clayey bottom of a tenacious and solid character.- The lake is no where more than eighteen feet deep, and cannot be navigated by vessels drawing more than seven feet, unless the ground at the entrance of the pass of the Ri- golets was .deepened, which it is supposed could readily be done. It is not possible to forssee the extent of business which these fa- cilities may give rise to, but judging from the rapid growth of New-O Orleans, and the nature of the trade it may be indefinitely increased. -LouiSiana .AduertiSer,