New Orleans Republican., 1873-06-01
The Nautic al Gazette and the Mississippi
Bar.

! Bar.
| The unebstructed navigation of the Mis-
sissippi river, and especially of its outlet to
the gulf, is daily attracting more and more
| attention, not only among those who are
dependent in great measure upon it to float
| their produce to market, but also of those
| interested in the commercial and shipping
| interest OF the North and East, members of
Congress and all who desire to promote the
| prosperity Of the whole country. Among
| those who have given particular attention
to the subject, no one, perhaps, has treated
it more ably or intelligently than Mr.. B. S.
Osborn, of New York. the editor of the
Nautical Gazette. and we know of no one
whose opinions in regard either to ocean
or inland navigation Justly command
wider attention or respect. His intimate
connection with the steamboatmen of the
West, his efforts to secure the passage of
such laws as shall afford ample protection
to life and property and, at the same time,
shall not be too burdensOme to commerce,
and shipbuilding and on all other subjects
relating to our naval and commercial inter-
ests. have entitled him to the enviable posi-
ton he holds in the estimation of merchants
and shippers all over the country.
In treating of the navigation Of the Mis-
sissippi river, and especially of the passes.
Mr.. Osborn writes of what he knows. AS
he says in an editorial article. which we
herewith reproduce. and to which we in
vite the particular attention of our readers,
he lived for many months at tie passes.
where he held a position which enabled
him to observe how the channel was re-
peatedly blocked and commerce made to
suffer, in order that rich and overgrown
monopoly might levy its unrighteous toll.
If New Orleans alone was interested. the
stats of affairs described by Mr.. Osborn
might continue, perh APPS, indefinitely. But
the whole Mississippi valley is becoming
awakened, and ship-owners and captains
from Eastern and foreign ports, whose yes
sells come to New Orleans, will not always
submit.
We are permitted to print the following
private letter written by Mr.. Osborn to a
gentleman in this city:
THE NAUTICAL GAZETTE ED:ToRtA1 RooMs,
New York May la, 1873. J
DEAR S1R-Your favor of the tenth in.
slant came to hand while was confined to
my room, sick. In No. 100, | shall treat
editorially of the contents of your letter
and the papers it inclosed. l will do all in
my power to aid you in the good work you
are engaged in. | feel deep interest in
the matter and always have. | am, as you
are aware, perfectly familiar with the
manner in which the boat companies
manage matters at the pass, in their own
interest, and the captains of the tugs will
remember how | pitched into them when |
was there, for blocking the bar Some OF
the pilots are as ignorant of their duties
as they are careless about them.
Yours truly, B. S. OSBORN.
From the Nautical Gazette, May "a, 1873.
Not long since large party of New
Orleans merchants and business men made
an excursion to the passes at the mouth of
the Mississippi river, to examine the charac-
ter and condition of the work of dredging
carried on by the government under the
superintendent of Major Howell, United
States Army. The eyes of these men were
quickly opened to the Importance of taking
and of putting the pilots in the position the
law designed they should hold, viz
To be independent cf towboat cap
tains and ship-masters, and in full com-
mand of the vessels on which they are
employed, they being alone response
BILE for tho management of vessels on the
bar. The gentlemen who visited the passes
saw and acknoW lodged that the dredging
is being conducted properly and efficiently,
but that its results have been neutralized
because towboatmen, shipmasters and
vlOfa no hpaO oiinyyaH tn conduct r
ters at the bar each to suit himself with no
reference to the general interests of COM
merce.
1t is probable that bar master will be
appointed, or that the federal government
will assume the jurisdiction necessary for
the protection of work OF which it has
expended so much money.
South west Pass has been abandoned and
probably the dredge boats will never re-
turn there At Pascal Outre bar there is
sixteen and one-halt feet of water at
extreme low tide and eighteen feet at
high water. The dredge started at eleven
feet and the results are as stated above.
The pass will not be officially opened to
commerce until eighteen feet at low tide Is
| opened, as the engineer in charge does not
desire chance tor "blOcking" to be started,
and if it should occur, it will be either
| through ignorance, carelessness or design.
We fully understand the premises hav-
| ing lived many months at the passes in the
capacity of superintendent of.the very tug
boat lines complained of and as marine
agent of the Associated Press.
The recent revocation, by the Governor,
of the license of pilot who ran vessel
aground drawing but fifteen and one-half
| feet when there was an available channel
of seventeen and one-half feet at extreme
low tide, gives gratifying evidence that
| Major Howell intends to do what the writer
of the above considers important, viz:
make pilots alone responsible for the man
| agement Of vessels on the bar.
The Street Railroads.
Administrator of Improvements Lewis is
after the several street railroads with a
sharp stick. There is not a single one of
them but has broken bridges, imperfect
crossings, or deficiency in some way OF
other to the discomfort, inconvenience and
sometimes danger to owners of vehicles