New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-06-10
WORK OF INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT
The mississippi and Mexican Gulf Ship Canal
INSPECTING THE LINE OF ROUTE
What Has Been Done, and What
Remains to Do.

Yesterday, party Of gentlemen. upon the
invitation of DR.. J. o. Noyes, President, Wis.
tied and inspected the works Of the Missis-
sippi and Mexican Gulf Ship Canal Com
pany. now in progress about twelve miles
below the city. The party consisted OF
Governor Warloth, Dancan F. Kenner,
lessee of the New Canal and Basin; DR.. j.
s. Copes, President of the New Orleans
Academy of Sciences; General J. r. West,
Administrator of Public improvements, and
Mr.. Millaudon, and six OF the directors OF
the company; DR.. j. o. Noyes, General c.
Bussey, Mr.. Lafayette Folger, Judge W. W.
Howe. Mr.. J. L. Gubernator, and Mr..
Charles E. Slayback.
Starting from the city at seven o'clock in
the morning, the party proceeded down the
river road in carriages distance of twelve
miles, until they reached point at the
head waters of Bayou Dupres, navigsble for
skiffs. In these contrivances the voyage
was continued until We came to Lake
Borgne. and returned in the same manner.
The survey of the canal begins at the in.
tersection of Bayou Dupres and the lake,
and follows the course of the bayou for
about four miles, when the canal turns to
the right, and continues in straight line
toward the river, which is about two miles
and three-Quarters from the point of this
latter intersection. Along this route the
company is building one of the most i'm
portant works of improvement of the kind
in the State. A canal II feet deep and l2O
feet wide is to be constructed, and is already
we'll on the way to completion. There are
now at work six of the most powerful
dredge boats We have ever seen, two der.
ricks that are used as tenders for two of the
dredges, and one pile.driver in line, and all
but two of the dredges are actively at work
throwing up mud, roots, stumps and every
thing else that lies in the way. Beginning
at Fort Dupres and going toward the river,
We find now channel ranging from eighty
to one hundred and twenty feet wide, and
from six to seven feet deep, for distance of
four miles. We believe that there are bu.
six hundred feet more Cf dredging to COM
plete this distance. Of course, the dredges
will again pass over the route thus far COM
pleted, widening in some places and deep.
enlng in others, until a uniform and proper
channel is fully achieved. There is u bar at
the mouth of the bayou, on which there
is depth of five feet of water. This bar
will receive proper attention in due season.
Two rows of piles have been driven out into
the lake, forming gateway for vessels pass
ing in and out.
In carrying on the work, nature has been
of great assistance to the company, but the
main reliance has been and yet will be upon
art. The tireless arm of steam that, at the
bidding of one man, sets the wheels and
chains of the powerful dredges revolving, is
constantly in motion, throwing up immense
loads of sand, ETC., and depositing them
carefully on the shore, Four of the dredges
are employed in the bayou, and the other
two have been carried inland, and will oe
set to work on the two and three-quarter
miles of new ditching. They are now nearly
ready to Oegin. A large pit, of the width
and depth of the canal, and ofproper length,
has been dug by hand, and water let in from
the Mississippi sufficient to float the dredge-
boats.
The canal will be completed SO as to ad-
nit boats drawing six feet of water in about
six months. In three more. it is expected,
the lock will be finished, by which boats
will be let out and into the river from the
canal. The dredges will be kept at work
until the latter is of the depth and width
first above named. These powerful machines
were built by Messrs. Atkins d Burgess, a
Chicago firm, and go ahead Of anything We
have ever had here. Mr. Kenner, who has
had some experience with these canal dig
gers, was very much attracted by the strong
and complimented their per.
fOrmance in unstinted terms.
Il the reader has followed the simple |
statement of what has been done by the |
company, he will discover that the canal, |
Of which We have all heard SO much and |
really understood SO little, is to be reality. |
1t is not one of those paper projects which |
are built up on Carondelet street and never |
seen anywhere else. We are satisfied that |
DR.. Noyes, the president of the company, is |
in earnest in the undertaking, and will GER
tainy accomplish what he has undertaken.
To the polite superintendent of the works,
Captain Merrill, the party is indebted for
highly appreciated attentions. On their
way back from the lake, the gentle
men were invited to land in a pretty
shady grove, where table had been set
under an oak covered with moss. Fish,
recently caught, and still smoking hot;
spring chicken, boiled ham, and all the
etceteras were artistically served up, away
out in the swamp, miles from anything
-esem bling civilization. The guests fell to
With will, and all ate as though they had
lot had square meal for week.
ITO DR.. Eoyes, General Bussey, and Mr.
solger, we are under special obligations for
and personal attention].
When returning home the party halted at
he Barracks, where they were Hospitality
eceived by General Charles II. Smith, and
dress parade from the spacious
,allery OF his delightful quarters.
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