Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1870-11-05
LOOK INTO THE FUTURE,
New Orleans the New York of the
SOuth.-The Mississippi! and Mexi.
can Gulf Ship.Canal-Riyer
Transportation the Cheap
est-NO Railroad Like
the Missls.
slppl.
IMMENSE PROSPECTS.
lFrom Applcton's Jo~rnal.l

lfTOln Appleton JO' rnal.l
At n point ten miles below New
Orleans, and one hundred and twenty
above South Pass, Lake Borgne ap-
prOaches within six miles, and, by
means of deep bayou, within three
miles OF the Mississippi. Lake Borgne
is the western prolOngation of Mis-
sissippi Sound. Both OF them con-
tain ten feet of water at ordinary low
tide, and about twelve feet with a full
tide. Into or near the Mississippi
Sound empty the Pearl, Pascagoula,
Alabama, Tombighee, Chattahoo-
chee, Flint, and many smaller rivers,
atlording an aggregate OF least sew
en- thousand miles OF navigable wa
ter. The Pascagoula alone affords
thirteen hundred miles of river navi-
CATION, now made available =. by the
.ship-cnnal through the shell-reef IL
its mouth.
Cut this narrow isthmus between
Lake Borgne and the Mississippi and
all the rivers become virtually tribu-
taries to the Mississippi. These sew
eh thousand miles of inland naviga-
ton would thereby he added to the
sixteen thousand six hundred and
seventy-four of the Mississippi, or OF
twice that number when steamers
shall be able to run from the Missis-
sippi out upon the great lakes and
into the Red riverof the North. This
! is the object of the Mississippi and
Mexican Gulf ship Canal, more gen
orally called the Lake Borgne Canal.
The work of excavation began in
April, 1859.
fhe canal, when completed, will he
seven miles long, one hundred and
twenty feet wide, with IL depth of ten
feet ut ordinary low tide in Lake
Borgne. This would admit at high
tide there is hut one tide per day in
the gulf-vessels drawing twelve feet
of water. No greater depth can be
obtained in Lake Bornge aud Missis-
slppi Sound. The lock will be three
hundred and twenty feet long, eigh-
~ feet wide and twenty-five feet
deep, !. e., about one hundred feet
longer and twenty five wider than
the famous lock at Sault ST Marie
between Lakes Huron and Superior,
anu only twenty feet narrower than
the largest docks of Liverpool and
Havre. The lock will rest on u founda-
tion of three thousand piles, and re-
quires for its construction two and "A
hall million feet oftimber. The lock-
pit now being excavated will be five
hundred and twenty feet long, and
one hundred and fifty feet wide. The
work, involving the removal of sew
enty thousand cubic yards Of earth,
is done entirely by dredges and der.
ricks.
Beginning at the lower or lake end
of the canal, Bayou Dupress has been
widened, derpened and Strengthened
for a distance of four miles, so as Ia
form canal at least one hundred and
twenty feet wide aud twelve teet
deep. One dredge is now eXcavating
the bar at the mouth of the bayou. -
Eight other machines are scattered
along the three miles of excavation
! from the head of the bayou to the
Mississippi. The longest reach to be
opened is now less than nine thous-
aud feet. At the present rate of pro-
gress, "A canal about tiuty feet wide
! and twelve feet deep will be compile
ted up TO the bank of the river, and
opened ior navigation in Novembel
~ h'iiH y VI WV
lock, the widening of the first cut
and the opening of the canal into the
riNer-the last of which can be done
only when the lock Is finished will
require in addition some three
months.
by an act of the Louisiana Lcgisla
ture, approved in March, 1869, tho
state aids the canal to the extent OI
Fix hundred thousand dollars ii
bonds, 10 he issued Mt various stage
Iof the work. This will he the frs
important public improvement com
,pleted in the State under the new
regime. The press aud people, no
iouly OF Louisiana, but Of the Who'll,
Mississippi Valley, have taken dcel
interest in the canal. 1t is becoming
very popular, and an immense busi
ness awaits its completion. The com
.pany has been notified 10y the owner
OF the principal steamer lines running
to the gulf, Flor da, and West Indian
ports, that they will avail themselve
Iofthe canal n soon ~ IL is completed
At the high stage of water In tn
Mississippi, the river surface l. ah0u
thirteen feet above tho level of LAX
E"sve. cAtTCmc low water IN III