New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-05-21
TEE FORT ST. PHILIP CANAL.

We own our surprise when the Board OF
Trade Of st. Louis adopted and recon-
mended to Congress as the sole mode OF
improving our river outlet the corcentra-
ton Of current. and the letting Of that
work TO private contract. While 81. Louis
knows her own needs. il really does Tot
seem reasonable tina: she should prescribe
4 positive mode Of executing q work
twelve hundred miles from te.. New Or
leans las never assumed to prescribe how
the Des Moines rapids should be improved
OK the defective navigation between St.
Louis ard Cairo corrected. These aye
works Q. infinite importance 20 Us, but
we have left the mode Of improvement: to
those better informed than ourselves.
New Orleans is almost the Sa.e-keeper
Of the valley, and if anything he an1iss
with the lock or hinges. would furnish
the bes: authority for their repair. The
Chamber OF Commerce, insurance com
panies and shipping interes: a: New Or
leans have studied the improvement Of
the river experimen.ally. They have de-
clared the opinion tina: the attempt 20
concentrate the current has failed. that
| dredging is perpetual labor. Two sur
veys OF location by the federal govern
ment have pronounced the For: s.. Philip
| canal feasible. and New Orleans has de-
cided to concentrate her application for
federal aid upon this work. While We
| have proper respect for NJ. Eads. the
| eninen. bridge builder. who reported in
favor G: the concentration q: current,
we would have preferred that ST. Louis
| should have asked the opinion Of Captain
George H. Rea. The presiden: O: large
company which freights more than
half the Western produce between St.
Louis and New Orleans. He recently
| accompanied an excursion made by the
! United States 20 visit all the existing ant!
proposed modes o! outlet. He saw that
thirty fee. Of water can be carried 10 the
| Cult shore. and can be united with sixty
fee. in the river by canal cut Of seven
miles. Ask his opinion. and We would
respec. il. wi.hoa: knowing VIVA. il wca!d
-
Eu, ". appeal from the Board Q: Trade.
The press u the West is in favor Of An
impartial selection Of the NOS: .t:rctuai
mode o: improving the outlet. XII. St.
Louis ;i.... wei says:
There IS always danger IL apr,"aciin.
| Congress with variety .: schemes OF H.
ternal improvement: having any :.n>,dera-
BILE degree o: similarity or OF similar local
origin. .ha. interests which are identical IN
their nature become diverse in the struggle
for favora bic action. and that because al.
can not be pressed TO success, al axe Ll...ed
at las: in a common failure.
1. declares al unqualified pre:ererc. :o,
the canal:
But there IS no question. We apprci"nc
upon which there VII! ne i"un! - great {
unanimity as the proposed r'y.: s.. v:..i!
canal.
1t also says:
The Chicago IrjI"n. favo-s neither ii.
James River and kanawha. nor :he Allan
tic and Great Western canal. bu: .Ae For
ST. Philip commands its cordial appreciation
as work OF national Importance and Ia
tioual interest. worthy OF the rr0m?: AIT
| liberal action Of the government.
There is one decisive point 81 'ie'T il
which every citizen Of St. Louis IS con
cerued. The dredge and the concentra
ton will require annual appropriations
from Congress to repair them. The cana
! will require 70 repair. There is Plan <