Washington telegraph., 1852-06-23
lFor the telegraph
Orchard, La, June 7ih, 1852

MR.. EDITOR: l learned recently, with regret,
that unkind feelings exist towards me above the
to the proper mode of improving the navigation
OF Red river through the present raft, and region
OF country surrounding it. l deem it duty to
mysell and my interest and to the interest of up
per Red river to reiterate all opinions heretofore
expressed through the columns of your paper: that
no earthly hope exists for the opening and keep
ing open navigabe channel through the old bed
of the river, from the head of the present Raft to
Shreveport. With the use of immense means,
navigation can be established for short intervals
only as the entire deficiency of width. depth, and
fail 20 the channel is such that up stream currents
are found passing through more than one half of
this Did River at all rises of water the lateral out
lets of this portion of the river large. and all
draw from the main channel actively and with
great force to the eastern and western lower level
of the valley. The passage of the raft above
MANY IF IL largest of these outlets. has thrown
more cOnnectedly the water of Red river into
Lake Soda ,lishing for upper Red river par
tial .4vi,a.lon improving in its character without
erer hssIng received, patronage, friendship, or
tavci from any quarter. fs
Several years ago | succeeded in getting sur
vey of the Bayous and Lakes around the raft,
dered by the legislature of Louisiana. The survey
was made, and report published in the Telegraph
To this report | would call the attention of those
who desire information. That report embraces
fully my views as to the practicable and certain
mode of improving the navigation and reducing
the overflow of upper Red river, any thing may
say at this moment. of excitement, against me-: in
favor CT my humble opinions regards Red river
improvements will have but little weight. My
opinions in regard to this important improvement
are waxing low in public esteem The Legisla-
tre of Louisiana. at its last session, rejected pc
ttion asking the right of making the improvement
around the raft at private expense. While upper
R a1 has SI,ch friends in IOIIISlara she need
not fear her being protected in an abundance of
Raft ard overfOWs.
As regards the difficulties that have presented
themselves in the upper Red river navigation this
season. they would have occurred with the same
management and same boats even though the raft
had been out Had the boats engaged In this trade
piled regularly to Shreveport, and not extend
ed their trips to New Orleans, they could have
done the business of their trade at one hundred
per cent less cost to the merchants and Planters
and made the same or more money Tor themselves
and would not have charged upon me, that, which
was the result of their own mismanagement.
In relation to an attempt to make private I'M
provement. between Soda and Cross Lakes; which
has been honoraby attributed to my energies, |
would say had it been made lower down twelve
mile BAYOU it would have vastly improved new
channel that has been adopted this for the
first time by steam boats passing from said Bayou
into lake Soda, which passage has shortened their
travel more than anticipated by the work
referred to- Either of the passes will shorten the
old route some three or four miles. Had the work
been done at the Lower or Keel-boat pass. it
would have possibly encountered a current that
would have washed the loose dirt away. As
inously as this work has operated on the upper
Red river navigation, increasing freight to $500
per bale, impeding the passage fthe steamer Post
Boy, and extending her time to thirty-two hours
from Shreveport to Fulton,-it had not washed
away up to the present rise in the river the loose
dirt thrown from the bitches, when the water was
passing from one to four feet over the work for
the last two months. So much for steam boat
artifce to raise the price of freight. At good
navigable stage of water lover which regret to
say have no control, they do not pass by this
work that has operated ruinously upon them
and the upper Red river navigation. The plant
ing community from its isolated state and inability
to learn the facts, often become the victims of the
widest falsehoods and theories. and give credit to
the most absurd statements.
All the money l ever made with steamboat
was by carrying cotton from Fulton and below, to
New Orleans at 50 90 per bale, when navigation
was positively not SO good it is now and this
was done by carrying cotton almost alone, as |
was sustained by the planting community only,
who did not in every instance have the control
of their supplies and consequently did but little
business in up freights. ] am not a Prophet
nor am | so fortunate to be connected with one.
but will here proclaim my honest conviction
and opinion to be- that the raft distractions in Red
river will be gotten out of the way of navi-
CATION; but by preparing Lakes above for its re-
ceptiOn, and forcing every log brought down by
freshets into them-Lake Soda have fondly look
ed to as this great reservoir and deposit of Raft.
but too late learn it has too many friends to be
used Tor such drudgerv; and even the lighter la
bour of navigation | fear, will soon be denied it.
If improvements of the smallest character should
h,, do Nv, L.
denounced unfit for any purpose except to trans
port S5 cotton to market.
| might here observe, before closing this already
extended article, that my interest on Red river
can only be injured by letting the river reman as
it is, my lands and other interests above the raft
are growing less valuable every day, while my
interests below is not being benefited by the state
of the water above. Consequently my worst enc
my cannot doubt as to the best means of anoying
me- Should the raft be opened many think. that
my planting interest will become badly over
flown region Such is not the fact as evidenced by
former openings of the raft. The large and abun-
dant outlets above my plantations and below the
raft served better to protect me from overflow
than the present raft has, consequently. have
but one fear Of this work that after expending all
we may have to work with, it will leave us as it
found us, or even in worse condition. Such has
been the result of all former efforts to effect this
desirable object. and a greater worker will never
operate on Red river, than Capt. Shreve. To
learn facts in connection With the Improvements
proposed to be made on Red river should be, and
is without doubt the object of all interested,
sequently, renew my invitation through you to
gentlemen who desire to examine the raft or lakes
to visit me at my residence, where every facility
of boats outfits &c, will be furnished them, and
either myself or some efficient guide will accom-
pany them to make their observations, when they
will be able to draw their own conclusions rela;-
tive to the best and most feasible plan OF making,
the requisite Improvements.
Very Respectfully &c,
J. B. GILMER
The PRESIDENCY AND THE UN1oN.-The New
York Times and Messenger. referring to the con-
test for a whig candidate for the Presidency.