The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-06-02
ImpraetIeabnIty OF the Rayeu lEanehas
Project.

Mr.. r. E. McMsth communicates the following
to the St. Louis Democrat of the 29th ult.:
As, In the discussion OF the project of opening
Bayou Manchac, no considerations bearing on the
engineering branch OF the subject have been pre-.
sented that seem TO be based upon reliable
information, / suppose that o few facts and
figures will lot be amiss.
Great as may be the commercial advantages
which may be expected from the project, its
actual accomplishment depends upon the resul,
OF surveys and investigations; Il we may antici-
pate favorable result to such surveys, they
should be made; but il we have information
within our reach that shows the scheme to be
impraciicable, survey would be waste Of time
and money. .ll
AS local interests are deeply involved in this
project, statements coming from sources likely to
be influenced by such considerations are net to be
received without question. Fortunately, that
which l offer comes from witnesses who cannot
be impeached, and as name my authority, any
'one interested may determine for himself the
faithfOlness OF my rendering OF their testimony.
In the report on the physics and hydraulics Of
the Mississippi river, by Gen. A. A Humphreys,
the present chief of the bureau of engineers, and
Lieut.. Abbot, pages 1896 TO 4O2, will be found a
discussion of the project of opening OF Bayou
Msnchsc. as a relieving outlet for the Aood waters
OF the Mississippi, and view of the merits OF
similar schemes at Bonnet Care and English Turn.
Although the object Of that discussion did not in
clude the use OF the proposed passage for pur-
pOcco VI dnucr lIC ldCt5 BiNtu anu TcdbOulOR5 are
almost equally pertinent and conclusive upon this
view Of the subject
The report says, page 395, of the Bayou Man
chac, that its dimensions were always Insignificant.
Dupratz, enc hundred years ago, called Il a "che-
nal" or natural canal and quotes the report of
Mr.. A. d. Woodbridge to the Senate OF Louisiana
in 1852, when State engineer "This bayou is the
first natural outlet of the Mississippi on the east
and is fourteen miles below the termination Of the
highlands below Baton Rouge. The distance, fol-
A. a. AZ
Amite river, is about twenty-five miles, and the
total distance by this route to Lake Borgne is
about one hundred miles. ~
Nine miles from the head OF the bayou Il re-
ceives Bayou Crocodile from the south, and Bayou
Fontane from the north one half mile further on.
At its head the bayou is 90 feet wide and II feet
deep, measured at the surface of high water OF
Ss otn As 9at "a In ssGs was 81 feet above low water
water surface Of the river.
From the head Of the bayou TO the entrance OF
the Crocodile il Is usually dry and very tortuOus
One mile below the head the surface width s a
feet and depth 10 feet with a bottom width OF
only Is feet and it retains nearly these dmen-
sions TO the Crocodile. Below Bayou Fontaine
tie width from bank TO bank is 100 feet, aud
depth 10 feet. Below this point the bayou is in
some sense capable Of navigation.
From the head Of the bayou TO the Crocodile
the banks are very low, and are subject to over
flow from TO Is feet. From the bayou to Amite
river the banks are tolerably high. The bed for
the whole distance is a stiff close clay. The re-
port adds - If this bayou we're opened large
portion of Parishes Ascension and Baton Rouge
would be flooded, and several hundred thousand
acres Of valuable land must be abandoned, or
protected by continuous heavy levees from 10 to
Is feet high. Therefore it is recommended to
leave the bayou in its present condition."
From the above statements which have con-
densed. the sbsurdity OF the estimate Of $3.50 600
for opening the bayou TO navigation Is manifest,
as the excavation Of 8 channel some nine niles
in length, and from ten to thirty feet Deep is i'm
possible for that sum even if minimum width be
adopted, and the current depended on for en-
laTgement.
Passing to the consideration Of other proposed
points for outlets. the report says OF Bonnet
Care, where the Mississippi makes an approach
within six miles Of Lake Pontchartrain, that a
connection is practicable, but at great cost and
with great danger Of its becoming a main outlet
OF the river to the material injury Of the present
passes at the mouth besides the sediment thrown
into Lake Pontchartrain would certainly Gil Il in
375 years, and probably in 156.-
The third point discussed is eleven miles below
New Orleans, at English Turn, where the river
comes within i've and half miles of Lake BorRne
:" OF this distance 5000 feet Is on dry ground, two
and half miles dense swamp, aud the balance