New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-04-25
NFW YORK AND NEW ORLEANS.

It rather deserves the approval OF the
Almighty, that His creatures IN New York
have secured by their energy and enterprise
advantages even superior to those natural
endoyments bestowed upon those to
whom he has allotted the magnificent
Mississippi and its unparalleled valley
But such results often occur where those
most blessed with natural advantages are
surpassed by others less favored. We have
not sought nor obtained the aid from the
federal government to which we are en-
titled. There ought to be some relation
between the contributions of the popula
tions of the several States, and the appro-
priations for the physical improvement OF
their natural resources. The party war
waged in Louisiana for the local offices
has prevented united application of all
citizens for the ratable share Of public
money to which New Orleans and Louisi-
ana are Justly entitled. The duties col
lected at our port with the internal rev.
enue must amount annually to $40, O0O,-
600 For this we receive but small re-
turns, and for the improvement of the
Mississippi outlet but some $500, coo an
nually.
New York, who never allows Der politi-
cal quarrels to disunite her demands upon
the federal treasury, has been much more
successful in obtaining aid. She has al
ready deep water access to the ocean; but
in order to secure q somewhat shorter way
to the sea, the government is now rem
dering the pass at He'll Gate deeper and
safer by removing rock bar which greatly
| impeded navigation. This work will be
very different from that at our Ballze'
| The bottom of the channel is of rock and
the extraordinary enterprise has been I'M
dertaken of cutting coferdam IN the
rock along side of the river. From this
series of drifts or tunnels are cut in the
solid rock, radiating from the cofferdam
and running thirty or forty feet below the
bed of the river When the proper time
arrives all these radiating tunnels will be
charged and forced at once, so that super
| fee of three acres of rock will be Lifted and
| shattered at one blast. The broken
masses of rock will be dragged into deep
water or broken up by subsequent ex-
blossoms. The cost Of this and kindred
| works will be not less than Sc, 900, 900,
| or about the cost of our Fort ST. Philip
canal. 1t is an improvement not sbso-
lutely necessary to the commerce OF New
| York, while our outlet is indispensable
| to the whole commerce Of the Mississippi
valley. We publish a late report of the
progress of improving He'll Gate As a
work of paternal enterprise and scientific
| skill IL is without parallel.
Work on the rotterdam was begun in
| July, 1862 and in October of the same year
! the first excavations were made, while the
| tunneling has been going on since 1870. AT
| the present time the entire length of the
tunnels and galleries excavated is 5000 feet
and the work is pushed forward as rapidly
as the appropriations will allow Nitro
| glycerine, eight ounces to the charge, 10 the
principal material used in the excavation OF
the tunnels and galleries. The area OF
rock to be blown up at Hallett's Point
| is about three acres. In order to give
the channel the required depth of twenty
| six feet at average or mean low water
| between $4,000 and 10000 cubic yards OF
rock will have to be removed. Tunnels
and galleries have been pierced in the rock
that the whole underground area to be re-
moved may be exploded and that seams
and cavities which might interfere with the
scheme may be detected. The work of ex-
plOratiOn will be finished in about a year
Then as many Of the piers supporting the
roof as a proper regard for the safety of the
| workmen will permit are to be removed OF
reduced in dimensions, preparatory to the
| final explosion, so as TO leave as little rock
TO be removed as possible. The piers will
then be cut down by charges of giant
| powder or of nitro glycerine.
The appropriation by Congress during its
last session amounts to $250,000, which is
! about one third of what was asked for
General Newton states that the want OF
sufficient funds has been his principal STUN
| bling block. After Hallett's Point has been
reduced, operations will be begun on Flood
Rock, large reef lying opposite. The re-
moval of this rock will increase the width
of the channel from 600 to 1900 feet More
over, it's removal in connection with that at
I hdlIell ) fOlnt Is necessary 10 make Tue
| channel navigable for large vessels. These
undertakings should have been begun at
the same time. General Newton expressed
himself as highly satisfied with the present
condition of the works. The rock. said he
has been 80 thoroughly explored that there
is no fear of failure entertained. During
the past three months the number of work
men has been reduced through lack OF
funds, and at the present time only l25
men are at work where $50 could be ad
vantageously employed. In regard to the
danger attending the employment of nitro
| glycerine. he said that more than 0,00t
cartridges of this material had been used
at the works without accident. While the
work at Halletts Point has been going on
the smaller rocks, Pot Rock, Fry ing Pan
Sheldrake and Ways Reef. have also been
operated upon, and will have been removed
by the time of the completion of the larger
work. The steam-drilling scow 10 used upor