Washington telegraph., 1856-02-06
The Falls Of Red River.

We copy the following article IN relation to
the Falls at Alexandra from the Republican oi
that place:
One OF the most important matters that will
come before the Legislature at its approaching
session, will be that OF the Falls of Red River at
this point Tue work ordered done on them
has been performed according to the plan and
direction OF civil engineer and Qudsr the super
intendence Of board OF directors appointed by
the State. and the sum appropriated for it has
been exhausted
The question now will be, whether any benefit
has resulted to the people and the State from the
work already done on these Falls. and further
more neither the exIgencles oil the public require
that more work should be done upon them.
When Messrs. Meiliefert & Rasloff COM
menced their operations on the Falls. they had
great preludices to encounter. Almost all the cap
tains and officers o steamboats,, and a large and
intelligent part OF the community, believing that
the work would fail to prove the slightest advan-
tage utility. freely expressed the opinion that
it would be mere waste of time and money
Now, however that the work is completed and
Its results seen and felt, what-has been the
consequence Why, change of opinion has takeu
place in regard to it. II is now admitted Oh all
hands We believe, that the work is of very con-
siderable advantage to navigation. Any boat
that can get over other shoals and bars in the riv
cr, both above and below the Falls. no longer
meets with any obstruction them. The pres
ent spell of low water has not only been one of
unexampled duration but at times the river has
been lower than it has ever been known TO be
before Bars were formed between this and the
mouth OF the river. which there were scant
two feet water, while above the falls for period,
navigation was wholly suspended. boats OF the
very lowest draught being unable to twenty
miles. Yet even at the lowest stage of the river
there was sufficient water in the channels on the
falls TO enable boats to pass them. And since
the late slight rise has set IN, the boats that can
run to ad dvantage above and large class boats
have found no difficulty. far depth OF water
Is concerned, in crossing them. The Swamp Fox
Capt kImbail came over them with 700 bales
OF cotton, and :he Grenada with even a larger
load. had no other diff -ulty except what they
experIences from the narrow ness of the channels.
Since the rise We have spoken OF. the channels
have been much used by boats of ordinary size in
going up and descending. and the experiment. of
cutting them practically tested, and the result
has been decidedly ard universally favorable
With one accord our river men have acknowl-
edged that the work done on the falls so far has
been OF considerable advantage, but they think
more work is both desirable and necessary 20 im-
prove the navigation and still more promote the
interest OF commerce well as OF the people OF
upper Red River The channels that have been
cut while they are deep enough for all desirable
and practical purposes are too narrow. They have
only been made sixty feet, which is not as wide
as many of our boats Hence while they have
been found to he OF no service to them the small
er boats ned them too narrow for safe transit
1t desired that they should be wIdened thirty
feet more which would give them a width OF
ninety feet Apetition tor this purpose, signed
by all steamboatm-n. has been prepared TO be
presented to the Legislature, aud will We trust
receive at Its hanis the favorable consideration
which It's Importance demands.