The weekly Louisianian., 1874-08-01

p.
~ ~ - 5000 = = = "
UISIANA, SATURD
ask your attention to follow m
distinctly as I make these state
ments, because on them hinges TIL
whole matter: On the fourth o
FEBRUARY, 1874, which is the date o
it. but unfortunately these docu'
ments do not find their way into
print or into circulation until fire.
quently three, four, and sometimes
as long as ten days after their sub.
mission to the House or the Senate
the chief of engineers says; In COM
pliance with the following resolu-
ton OF the House Of Representa-
tives, dated Msret, 18th, 1871, that
the Secretary Of War be, and he is
hereby requested to cause an exam
ination and survey, with plans and
estimates of engineers for q ship
canal to connect the Mississippi
River with the Gulf of Mexico, or
the navigable waters thereof of suit
able location and dimensions for
military, naval and commercial pur-
pose, and that he report upon the
feasibility Of the same to the House
Of Representatives"
Now mark the language, gentle
men, that there is no reference
whatever to the Fort st Philip Ca
nal. There is an instruction passed
on the 18th of March, 1871, direc-
ting the engineer corps Of the army
to look for an outlet at the mouth
of the Mississippi. I mention that
matter incidentally; it is not q ma
terial one, but in the light of what
I will disclose to you subsequently,
ithas its bearing.
Captain HOWELL
Prefaces his report by the follow
ing Statements. Where that gen.
tleman gets his information from, I
don't know; possibly he might get
it from the chief Of Engineers of
army. If SO, then his course is
easily accounted for. He commences
his report, by saying "from the gen.
eral appropriation for surveys, ap-
proved March 3rd, 1871, there was
allotted the sum of $4,000 for the
survey Of a proposed route for a
ship canal to cannect the Missis-
sippi River at q point near end be-
low Fort st Philip, Louisiana"
Whether it was the general repu-
tation Of that locality; whether it was
in consequence of the preceding
Investigations that had been made
here, and the researches in which
your body had also engaged, or
whether it was under instructions
from the chief of engineers himself
that this officers attention was d.
rected to that particular locality. I
am not prepared to say. But the
fact is paten that the Congress of the
United States asked for an outlet,
and the other fact stands forth that
The officer charged with looking for
that outlet does not seem to have
given his attention to any other
method or any other means Of get
ling deep water than this particular
one. There may be some signif-
canoe in that, which perhaps sub
'equent Investigation will develop.
Now what had you a right as cit
izens Of Louisiana, and what right
had I as your representative, to ex-
pect should be done by this officer.
Did you suppose that he subordi-
mated that duty to others? Did
you suppose that that officer charg-
I'd with this duty found something
If greater consequence to do down
nerea Did not the magnitude Of
he subject aud the interest your
took in it demand of him,
md demand Of the engineer corps
# the army Of the United States,
that they should leave him free and
nnembarrassed from other duties;
md that they should supplement
if necessary, with other assist
lance to accomplish what he wanted.
r. b. H. A--A I