New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-04-24
A VISIONARY SCHEME.

~ A VISIONARY SCHEME.
Mr.. John E. Gowan, who acquired some
celebrity and made money by raising the
ships sunk in Sebastopol harbor, has
brought himself to believe he can buoy
our merchant ships several miles over the
bars at the mouth of the Mississippi Sc
far as he is concerned, if left to himself
he could do no harm with his visionary,
impracticable schemes, but he has unfor.
tunately found man to assist who occu.
pies a position that enables him to dc
much mischief. Our Senator, Kellogg,
whose term fortunately expires next
March, has fallen in with Gowan's scheme,
and, in his interest, introduced bill in
Congress which proposes to give the CON-
pany which Gowan has or can convent
emily form under our laws $4,000, 900 70,
trying the experiment for ten years. The
following is copy of Kellogg's bill:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled. That for
the purpose of passing merchant vessels
drawing more than fifteen feet of water
over the bar at the mouth of the Mississippi
river, so as to enable the same to reach the
port of New Orleans and depart therefrom
with full cargoes, and for developing the
grain and produce trade of the States Dor.
dering on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers,
and their tributaries, the Secretary of the
Treasury be, and he hereby is, authorized
and directed to execute q contract. as
herein provided, with the National Ship
Buoying and Towing Company, corpora
ton organized under the laws of the State
of Louisiana, which said contract shall re-
main in force for the period of ten years
from its date, unless the same shall be alb
rogated and annulled, for the reasons and
in the manner provided in this act.
Sec. 2. That the said National Ship
Buoying and Towing Company shall,
within twelve months from the passage
of this act, construct of iron according to
the plans of John E. Gowan, civil engineer,
as set forth in the memorial of said cor
poratiOn submitted to Congress, containing
a buOying capacity of not less than five
thousand tons, supported by four docks or
caissOns, each supplied and provided with
q propeller driven by steam of a sufficient
capacity to carry the foated vessel and
docks across the bar before named, and
also supply all the necessary machinery
therefor, which said docks and their ap-
paratus, equipages and appliances shall be
stationed at the mouth OF the Mississippi
river, in such condition as shall be suffi-
with their full cargOes, drawing any depth
exceeding fifteen feet of water, across the
bar below New Orleans, with safety and
dispatch, without detriment or
damage to said vessels or their cargoes.
SEC. 3. That there shall be paid from the
treasury of the United States, for the said
period Of ten years, $25O,0OO a year, in
quarterly payments. to said corporation,
and which shall be the only and sole COM
pensatiof received by them from the gov
eminent of the United States for the transit
of all vessels drawing more than fifteen
feet of water, of all natiOnalities, and pass
toll, to or from the Mississippi river.
Sec. A. That so soon as said apparatus is
and ready for use, said CORPORA
ton shall notify the Secretary of the Treas
ury, who shall appoint such officer as he
may consider expedient, to inspect said
docks prior to their beng placed in service,
and said docks shall be subject to such po-
lice and sanitary regulations as may be
legally ia force.
Sec. S. That said corporation shall be re-
spOnsible for any damage that may be
caused by them to vessels or their cargoes
while Tightening or removing them across
the said bar.
SEC. 6. That in case the corporation fails
TO perform its stipulatiOns or services, as
in this act, then the contract
shall be abrogated.
Sec. Z. That said contract NAV be re-
newed at the end of ten years, at the option
d the United States government, or they
shall be at liberty to purchase the property
rom said corporation by an appraisement.
By the provisions of this bill it will be
'een there is but one thing definite stipu-
ated, and that is that the National Ship
Buoying and Towing Company is to re-
'eive s25O,OOO year, payable quarterly,
whether one ship or more or less is car
led over the bar. There is no obligation
imposed upon the company that the bust
less of Tightening is to be promptly and
xpeditiously performed. And as there is
low little or no delay at the Balize for the
argest ships that come to this port, it is
Unlikely that captains will care to subject
heir heavily loaded vessels to the strain
ng process of being lifted nearly out of
he water by means of sectional buoys,
nd left in deep water with increased dan
er of sinking. ...s. -.
If Mr.. Kellogg were to take the trouble
D inform himself about the local affairs
f the State he has the honor to represent,
g would have known that there was little
r no complaint about crossing the bar at
his time; that the plan Of keeping the
hannel open by the Essayons, under the
ERECTION of Lieutenant Howell works
and affords reasonable
lief
This Gowan-Kellogg scheme presents
} US the appearance of job, just such a
ne as we do not want to see perpetrated.
he Chamber of Commerce has already
I'D it under consideration, and rejected it |
J impracticable. We learn there is pc
ton now being circulated, with already
number designers, strongly protesting !
5ainst it. We hope this whole question
Ill be speedily and properly laid before
ongress, in which event there can be |
tile doubt Of the result.
we have not heard so much about the |
to taxation and the reputation
the debit cinco tba Do,x,....