Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet., 1868-05-14
The Manchac Navigation Project.

did not meet with opposition eithe
from conscientious or interested PAL
ties. The movement having for it
object the opening Of the Bayou Man
chac for establishing direct naviga
tion between Mobile and the Miss
issippi River. is by no means an ex
ception to the rule. With its score
of Jealous and enlightened St. Loui
and other western cities, as well al
in Mobile, the movement is not ex
empt from its share Of opposition, al
the more formidable as coming from
sources nearer home, and waged with
acknowledged force and ability, and
for which we entertain the highest
regard. But, in common with other
portions Of the South, the people oI
our own State have suffered them.
selves to lag so far behind in the
march OF progress, that many of them
have come to look upon opposing OBJ
stacles as SO many giants in the way
| which it were better to avoid than
encounter, and, by persistent effort,
triumphantly to overcome.
The interest which has been ex-
cited among the commercial men of
Mobile and the West, is telling with
an effect which promises to end in
something more than mere vaporing
words and buncombe organizations
and meetings. Once the attention
of Congress can be elected in this
matter, and there is some reason to
hope, that, the exercise of so power
tul an influence as can be brought to
bear upon it by the great West, will
lead to some favorable and decisive
Federal action in the premises.
1t is argued, among other objec-
tions which have been made to the
opening Of the Bayou Manchac, that
the scheme would be impracticabIs
for navigable purposes, because of
the lack there would be of sufficient
fall from the Mississippi to the bayou,
during low stages of water, to feed
the latter; also that the bayou itself,
as we'll as Lake Maurepas, would be
too shallow to admit of navigation
to any but vessels Of the Highest
draught. We have the aushority Of
Mr.. Troskalowski, civil engineer of
this city, for asserting to the con-
trary. Mr.. T. was formerly and for
several years employed in the U. S.
Civil Engineering Department. and
has had occasion to render himself
perfectly familiar with the Manchac
and lake regions, having been required
to make repeated surveys Of the same.
He states that the declination from
the Mississippi to the Manchac
would be amply sufficient, under all
circumstances, to afford the requisite
supply of water,-the Mississippi, at
its highest stage, being fifty-six feet
and at its lowest stage. some twenty
four feet above the level Of the Man
chac. He AYERS, moreover, as to the
of Lake Maurepas, his
ability to demonstrate, that the ad-
ditional volume of water and impet-
losity of current which would ensue
rom the opening Of the bayou,
would tend to a deepening of the
axe channel and other exit channels
o the gulf, and by this means afford
safe and easy navigation for large
,lass vessels between the lakes and
he Mississippi, via the Amite River
md the Manchac.
It is within the memory of some
# our old inhabitants, when the late
Jol. Philip Hickey, Of this parish,
vas in the habit Of receiving supplies
f merchandise direct from Mobile,
n schooners, prior to the war of
814-'15, by that route.
If, as is contended by some, the
5ayou Manchac was never suscepti-
lie of hpinp navipatad hv arv hnak