Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1868-05-26
Communicated.
THE BAYOU MANCHAC.
REPLY TO ENGINEER BAYLEY.
EDITOR BATON RouaH GAZETTE AND COMET:


The New Orleans Times of the Goth
inst, has an article from g. w. r. Bayley,
Esq, to the effect that statement given
by me to you in reference to the Bayou
Manchac is erroneous. Mr.. Bayley takes
Messrs. Humphreys and Abbot's Report
upon the physics and hydraulics Of the
Mississippi River and cites authority there
from in proof Of his assertion that the
height Of the high water line of the Mis-
sissippi at Baton Rouge is but $50 feet
above the Gulf level and that of the low
water line only 2.s feet only above the
Gulf level.
What current must the Mississippi
then have when at its low water mark
Mr.. Humphrey gives in his Report % 100
Of a foot per mile, at high water. Very
we'll; let us see how that will agree with
my statement given in the Gazette and
Comet of the l4th inst. We have, say,
ll5 miles from Manchac to New Orleans,
and from New Orleans to the Gulf 185
miles, making in all $50 miles. Take
22-1o0 multiplied by $50 miles and we
have $50, which divided by 10 gives 55
feet high water mark Of the Mississippi at
the mouth OF the Bayou Manchac. Take
from IS feet 81 feet for fall from high
water to low water and we have "a feet
left, which is the true height at low water
mark at the point indicated.
Now, my dear sir, let US take Mr.. Hum
phrey's statement about the low water
mark. Mr.. Humphrey says that at low
water the Mississippi River falls only
o034-1oD Of foot, not quite an
inch per mile. Taking this IS basis
o.O84-looo multiplied by $50 will give IS
tenths, which, divided by 10 gives So feet
at low water Of the Mississippi at the point
Of the mouth of the Msnchac. So, you
will perceive, that even according to Mr..
Humphreys figures I am 81 feet above
the Gulf, at Manchac, contrary to Mr..
Baylev's statement.
I believe that the statement given as
Mr.. Humphreys is a mastoke of the printer.
| II must be more than 81 feet.
Now, we will say something as to the
practicabilty of making the Manchac
navigable. do not hesitate to assert that
in my opinion the object is a practicable
one. And why nots For thousands Of
years the Mississippi flowed through the
Manchac and did not fill up the lakes, as
some persons contend it would If allowed
to reach them now. The father of the
late Col. Philip Hickey, of this parish,
used to navigate that stream himself in
schooners to and from Mobile, and why
could not the same thing be done over
again
of improvement, such as the General Gov
eminent would be able to apply to the
stream, the Manchac is susceptible of being
rendered perfectly uavigable in the broad
sense aimed at by the commercial men Of
Mobile, st. Louis and other localities fa-
vorable to The on erprise.
In conclusion. would further remark,
that ] am prepared to volunteer my serv-
ices, to make all the preliminary surveys,
levels, &c, that may be required, in the
event of re-opening and improving the
Manchac the parties interested furnishing
me only with means sufficient to meet the
actual expenses I would have to incur in
the performance Of such work.
/ am very respectfully yours,
JOSEPH TROSKOLAWSKI.