New Orleans Republican., 1868-08-04

to comment upon the futility of attempt
ing I'd open Bayou Manchac. But as the
parties interested in that delusive project
are making snealous efforts to interest the
public in their behalf, especially by lectures
and addresses in the towns situated upon
the upper Mississippi and its tributaries,
aud by obtaining signatures to memorials
tor Congressional aid, have thought it
best TO bring this matter before your hon
orable board.
The West demands canal communication
between the Mississippi and the deep water
OF the Mexican Gulf, at the most desirable
point, in order to obviate the distractions
at the mouth of the Mississippi, and itpossi-
bic hghten, or avoid altogether the eXac-
tiOns upon commerce at New Orleans.
The West is powerful in numbers, in wealth,
and in her almost superhuman energy.
What she SO imperiously demands she is
very apt to obtain.
To omeet this just demand of the West and
to provide what every business man knows
is essential to the future growth and pros
peritS Of New Orleans, the gentlemen con-
nectGd with the Mississippi and Mexican
Gulf Ship Canal company have determined
10 open water communication between the
head If English Turn and Lake Borgne.
The company owns the franchise granted
for the purpose of establishing this commu.
nicatioh several years ago. They have un-
dertaken the work in good faith, and with
the capital at their command expect to have
the canal ready for use by September first,
1869, or in time to move the next years
crop.
The advantages of the Lake Borgne over
the Bayou ManchaC connection are that the
former route is more feasible, is shorter
cheaper, and safer.
GartTs lltTs III McAifgster gaaS and s"5i1trs General
Beauregard, Mr.. Van Week, Chief
Engineer of the New Orleans, Mobile,
and Chattanooga railroad, and Mr.. Bayley,
superintendent of the Opelousas railroad,
have given their written testimony in fa-
vor Of the Lake Borgne route. The oscil-
latiol of the Mississippi, 1. e. the difference
between the high and the low wat r levels,
is thirtytwo feet at Msnchac, and only
twelve feet at the site Of the proposed ca
nal below the city. The distance to be ex,
cavated in Bayou Manchac ia almost twenty
miles, and near the river to an enormous
depth, while only two and half miles
of excavation are required in the Lake
Borgne canal. The cost of opening Man
chac is estimated at SO, 800, 900, and an
equal expenditure of money would be re-
quired for the protection of the adjacent
parishes from overflow in consequence of
the canal. This would be u work of wears,
The Lake Borgne canal can be opened for a
fraction of this enormous sum, the work
can he done in less than year, and it will
involve no danger from overflow.
Second-The proposed route through Lake
Borgne is practically much shorter than by
Bayou Manchac for vessels descending the
Mississippi, aud bound to any point on the
Mississippi Sound. The linear distance
from Manchac to nip Island, through Lakes
Maurepas and Pontchartrain, may not be
quite so great as between the same points,
via New Orleans and Lake Borgne but
while a heavily laden steamboat or tow
of barges is threading the ManChac canal
distance of twenty-five miles, and the A1tifte
river for fifty-three miles, making alto
gether seventy-fiVe miles of narrow and tor
tuOua navigation, at speed of less than
four miles per hour, the same vessels could
have passed New Orleans accomplished the
five and half miles of canal and bayou
navigation between the Mississippi and
Lake Borgne, aud have learly reached Ship
Island
Again, as twelve feet of water can be OBJ.
tanned through Lake Borgne, against seven
feet in Lake Pontchartrain, vessels drawing
between six or seven feet of water can make
two or three more miles per hour by the
fOrgGr route, Larger vessels Can also be
employed and the cost Of transportation
be thereby diminished. The current of
the Mississippi will also be an element
in favor of the Lake Borgne canal, for
the reason that the products of the
West the grain and provisions sent
down stream are heavier and more
bulky than the groceries and provisions
sent up stream from New Orleans. An
other important item in favor of the canal
below New Orleans is the fact that she and
not Mobile is the principal market for West.
ern products. A single tug can bring half
dozen barges all the way down to the city
much cheaper than to have three of the
barges descend to New Orleans, aad the
other three taken by another tug through
Manchac to the Mississippi Sound
From the levee in front of New Orleans to
Ship Island harbor, Pascagoula, or any of
the Florida ports, the canal through Lake
Borgle would effect saving in linear dis
tance of from twelve to fifteen miles over
the routes now in use, to say nothing of the
deeper water in Lake Borgne, of the great
of avoiding the shallow and |
treacherous Pontchartraln, and of the great
saving in transfer, from drayage to the rear
OF the city, or transportation on the Pont- |
chartrain Railroad. | mention Ship Island |
and Pascagoula for the reason that should |
Bayou Manchac ever be opened, the products |
Of the West would not be transported forty |
miles directly past the very best har- |
Dor OBJ the Gulf coast, in order to be put |
on sLipboard in the very poorest. |
The seven feet OF water obtainable at |
Grants Pass are an etfectual barrier in that |
direction. Besides, the opening of the Pasea. |
can now be had into Pascagoula river (soon
10 be deepened to eleven feet at high tide) |
makes Pascagoula harbor second only to |
that Of Ship Island. egsels drawing eight. |
cen feet of water can enter the pass between |
Horn and Petit Bois islands, and find safe |
within half dozen miles of the |
point where the New Orleans, Mobile, and |
Chattanooga railroad is to cross the Pasca- |
goula river. The result Of all this is, that |
Pascagoula harbor will soon become the |
shipping point, not only fer the lumber and |
naval stores of Mississippi, but also for the |
coal and iron of Alabama, and the grain |
and other products from Alabama, Tennes- |
Set over the new road. Except for |
lhe markets of Mississippi, Alabama,
Georgia, and Florida, the Western |
products transported through the Manchac
Dr. tho Lake BOrgne canal can neverfeach a
point beyond Pascagoula harbor. They |
must be shipped mainly from New Orleans.
The only inducement that will ever lead to
.he transfer of cargoes at Ship Island, or
any other ship anchorage in the Mississippi |
Sound, is the burdens now placed upon
commerce in New Orleans in the way of |
.owaae and excessive port charges and |
.hese will, in time, be lowered so as to meet
.he demands of the business public.
So much as to the new outlet demanded
ly tho West for her products by means of
lirect communication with the deep water
If tho Gulf believe that the opening of
,he proposed canal below the city will be of
ncaldulable benefit to the commerce of
New Orleans. 1t will place her in direct
communication, by water, with large por-
ions of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia
md Florida. 1t will make tributary
% New Orleans a region larger than
he empire of France = larger than
he kingdom of Great Britain. The Pearl,
he Iascagoula, the Alabama, and Tombig-
zee, the Chatahoochee and Suwanee, afford