The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1870-04-27
Low Water NAVIGATION

proper understanding of this questonv-of such
vital importance to the interests Of very large region
of countrys essential to any we'll devised plan for
remedyng the evil, that with pleasure give place
to the expression of any views calculated to throw
light upon it. The following communication is written
by gentleman Of intelligence, and whose long resi-
dence upon the river has given him opportunities Of
noticing its peculiarities and proclVities;
| rotced sometime since communication in the
Mansfield Reporter, copied from the Southwestern,
over the signature of Capt Thomas Moore on the sub
iect of low navigation to Shreveport, advising
the people Of your houshing city that after this
there would be no navigation to Shreveport in low
water in consequence of there being no current at
Coushatta and Dixie bars to wash them out and recon-
mending the Bayou Pierre route, and advising the
people Of Shreveport to aid in clearing out that stream
as the only route be relied for low water navga
ton. | have not the communication before me, but
this is the impression left ton my mind. Uninterrupted
navigation to Shreveport has become matter of such
paramount importance that its enterprsing citizens
will not be apt to adopt the theory of any one on that
subject without thorough investigation of its prac-
cability by parties qualified to judge of such matters
Capt Moore is an old steamboatman, and believe an
engineer yet think be has greatly over-estimated the
difficulties in the way of low water navigation on the
present route and under estimated the difficulties
the Bayou Pierre route | am living near the fall on
Bayou Pierre and have watched its progress with in
teres since it cut through the Wnsey in 1866, and
commenced its movement up the channel OF Bayou
Pierre | also Coushata and Dixie bars. Diff
ferng from Captain Moore this subject, propose
to give you my views in short communication, think.
ing that it may interest a portion of your readers.
About 1856 Gen. L. G. DeRussey made survey of
Bayou Pierre river from Tones Bayou to its mouth.
From this survey it appears that there was fall OF
fifteen feet from Bayou Pierre, through the Wlnsey, to
Red River or the level of Red River was found to be
fifteen feet below that of Bayou Pierre. In 1866 this
fall had worked up through the Winsey aud entered
Bayou Pierre, turning the channel OF Bayou Pierre
through the Winsey to Red River. This fall of fifteen
feet is now only about three four ttes above the
head of the Winsey. ''There can be no low water
nor;1-.,on through Bayou Pierre until this fall is
washed out or removed by some other means" The
action of the current may work it up to Marcele at
the foot of the lakes in few years. But here the real
difficulty of washing out begins. There is channel
through the lakes the water spreads out over wide
surface che current is nothing like so strong, and the
washing process must be much slower But it is pro-
posed to get the Legislature to make an appropriation
for the purpose of dredging out the falls and cutting
channel through the lakes. This would require much
larger appropriation than the Legislature is likely to
make unless this the only route by which Shreve
port could be reached. There is no great difficulty,
in ny opinion, in continuing low water navigation
through the present channel or in making it much
better than it has been for several years past Ac
cording to the survey of Gen. DeRussy above alluded
to, Red river at Grand Bayou is nine feet below the
level of Bayou Pierre Lake. Here you have an mex
haGsble body of water nine feet above the channel of
Red river. Bayou LaChute and Grand Bayou are both
natural feeders running out of Bayou Pierre Lake into
Red river. 1t would be an easy job to increase the
quantity of thrown into Red river through Bayou
LaChute, as to cradle boat that could pass the
bar at Grand Ecore to pass Dixie and Coushatta All
Red river seamboatmen know that prior to 1866 the
greatest difficulty in low water navigation found
in thesCampte neighborhood The washing out of the
Winsey and the additional water thrown into Red
river through that stream has removed that difficulty
entirely. Tap Bayou Pierre Lake through Bayou La.
Chute and you will produce the effect in the Cou
shata region. Then close Pascagoula Bayou, and put
a dam three feet high with broad base across the
river at the shalowes point between the cutoff and
Tones Bayou. This may be made of sand-bags, but
stone would be better, which, am told, can be pro-
cured in abundance Cross Lake, above Shreveport.
Do this, and you will have good navigation the year
round and this plan would preserve the navigation of
Lake Bisteneau which would be destroyed, Except
in very high water), by turning the river down Bayou
Pierre. DeSoto has all the navigation she needs now
in high water and will have low water navigation as
soon the fall in Bayou Pierre works up to the foot
of the lakes.
Mr.. Editor if this communication sets the people Of
Shreveport to thinking and acting shall have accom-
plished the object had in view Case