Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1855-12-29
THE GRAND JUNCTION CANAL.

tees in the New Orleans papers, with an i'm
portant work in contemplation, bearing the
above name or title.
More than eighteen months since, and long
before the above work was ever spoken of, 0,
thought of, perhaps, by any one, we wrote an
article entitled "a New Passage to the Gulf,'
in which We suggested that a cutoff be made
at the point now intended for the canal, and
that Government itself undertake Inc work, as
it would be one of very great National impor.
lance. But private enterprise, however (rhro
the energy Of our cid friend, Col. r. A. Stew.
ART, to whom the land belongs where the pro-
posed work is contemplated to be done) has
fores,ailed any action that Government might
have been disposed to take in the matter, and
there is now no question but that 4 grand ca
nal will be made at the point described below.
The following is an extract from our article
of 29th April, 1854, alluded to above, wllich'
particularly at this time, may prove interesting
to those who take an interest in the subject:
SIN looking over our Northern mail a few
days since, and clipping out the most interest,"
ing paragraphs with which to regale the minds
of our readers, our attention was attracted to
an article, showing the unusual circumstance
of a people in one section of the country ask.
ing Congress TO improve the navigation at the
mouth of a river many thousand miles from
them-showing at a glance and at thought,
the importance and the national character of
the work: it was a petition, in fact to Congress,
of a large number of the citizens of Pennsyl-
vania, praying that the bar at the mouth of the
Mississippi be sufficiently deepened, and kept
thus. to admit the largest vessels.
"In connection with the great importance of
adeep channel at the mouth Of the Mis- sissippi
which this petition awakened i in our mind, was
the extraordinary and never ceasing expense
which must ensure to the Government by ac>
ceding to it, knowing the annual outlay which
the cleaning of the channel at the mouth has
already cost the nation. 1t occurred to US,
then, the question-Would it not be a wise act
on the part of Governmental an ingress to
New Orleans from sea for the largest class
vessels is Of such importance, and the expense
of keeping the channel open at the mouth is
so enormous--would it not be wise, we re.
peat, considering the nature of the soil, and
other facilities connected with the work, for
the Government tothink .efscutting a new
passage to The sea and turning the Mississippi,
into ii? In this idea, however, we were assist
ed by recol'ecting the Recommendation Of Mr.
ELIErr to the Governmsnta shasin his report
upon the Mississippi, its .dSer1Sws, &C.. sug-
yested a point a short distance-below New Or
where, If there were a CUTOFF made to
he sea, it would afford a far better, shofeAlhd I
more expeditions route to and from the Gulf
han any now existing, for vessels of ali sizes.
cut>of would likewise be of great adj
to the State, from the fact that IT
would pass off such a vast quantity of the food
water which annually threaten to inundate
IS. The outlet proposed being at a point at
eighty miles from the Passes, would
.herefore cause the river to be much lower at
he city during high water than it has ever be-
Ore been, and the coast for a long distance up
'ould be similarly affected. A work so i'm
ortant in a commercial sense, recommended
J an eminent Government engineer, and also,
) stated by bin,, affecting so bepefcially the
'wer portien\f the State during the annual
oods--alloA spggS Is water to escape faster and .
'ereby rendeN 8 it lower-should have re- |
lived immediaA attention. Why it did not,
more than we can say, and is a culpability !
hich should continue no longer. 9
"Nishing to become thoroughly acquainted u
it'll the locality where Mr.. ELLErr recommen.
ID this new outlet to the sea to be made, we r
Mr.. BAYLEY's excellent Map ofLou. :
if the reader will now accompany :
in the examination of this map, we will con. ;,
let him to a point, on the same bank of the :
'er as the city, where is seen the number 40, E,
that it is ten miles from there to the !,
y. This is the point where Mr.. Elicit sug. ).
sts that the new passage should be cut, and :.
wonder is, from the ease in which the work -
uld be done, that it has not long since been y
complished. :,
'From this point in the river to Lake Borgne 4
, distance IS only about six miles; and in =
$ Lake, it is well known there is a channel :
eD enOnUi, for fha larroat .;,a1 r... =