New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-07-26
ale,, Orleans Republican.
0FFlClAI JOURNAL OF THE UNITED STATES
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS
.soUTBERN ENTERPRISE.
,t;.sfsssupi Ciry-The Means by Which Ii
Il to be Built Up-Pian of the Proposed

Mississippi City-The Means by Which
Il ,o he Built Up-Pian of the Proposed
Canal.
From the st. Louis Republican,
Mr. r f. Harrison, OF Mississippi, ex-
blamed to the merchants on Change yester-
day a new canal scheme OF which he is the
nr;ncipal promoter 1t is to connect Mis-
sissippi City with the anchorage grounds
on the northwest side of Ship Island. Gulf
of Mexico, by means of canal. Mlssls-
sippi CITY is a favorite watering place for
the citizens of New Orleans and Mobile,
and lies midway between these two cities
on the line of the New Orleans and Chatta-
noooa railroad. During the winter months
il has population of about three hundred.
The absence of harbor accommodations has
prevented it from prospecting as other
towns on the gulf shore have done.
The approaching completion OF the canal
to connect the Mississippi river with Lake
Borgne, has, however, given rise TO a pro-
ject for furnishing Mississippi win harpor
and an outlet to the sea. Mr.. Il. r. liar
rison has secured from the State an area OF
submerged land fronting the town. ten
miles along the coast and extending two
miles outward from it. He has organized a
comnanv with a capital of 81 ,500,0 900, with
which he proposes to dredge a channel
three hundred feet in breadth, from point
opposite the town, two miles from the shore
to the commencement of deep water-a dis
lance of five miles. The bottom along the
line of the canal is blue clay without sand
surface He proposes to use the clay thus
excavated to fill up the submerged space
between the north end of the channel and
the shore, forming an embankment and
breakwaters for the harbor. The canal and
the basin for the harbor will be excavated
to uniform depth of twenty-three feet
At present the depth of water two miles
from the shore, where it is proposed to ex-
cavate the harbor, is between eight and
nine feet. From this point it gradually
deepens till, seven miles from the shore, 1t
reaches depth of twenty-three feet, and
there is no further obstruction in the pas
sage to the Ship Island harbOr, where there
are three deep channels to the open sea.
Mississippi City is situated on a sandy
ridge, twenty feet above high water marx,
and from it the country slopes gradually
upward toward the pine forests OF the in
terror. The town is only five miles further
than Mobile is from Meridian. 1t is pro-
posed to construct railway from Meridian
to Mississippi City on the completion OF the
projected canal, making the latter place a
rival to Mobile. The anchorage ground In
Mobile Bay is twenty-five miles from the
city, and the cotton exported is conveyed
in lighters to the ships.
Mr.. Harrison explained tHd6 az -nlSoiS-
sippi City. all this expense and lnconve,
nience attending this mode of shipment will
be dispensed with, and that seargoing YES
sells will by means of the canal and harbor
load and discharge cargoes at the shore.
By the completion of the canal at Lake
Borgne affording route to the deep water
of the Gulf one hundred and thirty miles
shorter than the present one, sea-going. YES
sells from New Orleans will pass directly to
Ship Island harbor, opposite Mississippi, to
the open sea.
Mr.. Harrison does not anticipate any
trouble from drifting sands. These are CON
fined to the shallow water close by the
shore, and drift in one direction only when
the southwest wind prevails. The effect OF
the drift would therefore be to strengthen
the eastward breakwater of the harbor.
short distance in rear of the city is the
Bay of Biloxi, around which are established
a number of saw-mills. Biloxi town, with
a population of between seven and eight
hundred, is situated at the entrance OF the
bay, about eight miles distant from Missis-
sippi City, and is one of the Oldest settle
ments on the northern coast of the Gulf.