New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-04-09
THE WING DAMS OF EhDS.

~ASA {" oCASAeAAS q ppO1i6VAoA 1H1s ZIG pOO
pie can be excluded from understanding
the true nature Of a scheme so dangerous
as the distractions proposed under The
provisional name of 'jetties." A plair
reader OF the Republican struck with the
danger to our crops from the wingdams 0!
Mr.. Eads, writes as follows
If General Bailey, in 1864, could raise
Red river by jetties or wingdams SO much
as to let out the stranded gunboats, would
not jetties at the mouth of the Mississippi
with tide running up even above New Or
leans. SO raise the river at high water as to
overflow us all, say from Donaldsonville to
the Gulfg
We will answer this pertinent inquiry
from the record. 1t is only necessary to
preface it by short statement. In April,
1854, Admiral Porter moved his feet OF
twelve gunboats and thirty transports
up Red river to cooperate with the land
forces of General Banks. This naval ex-
petition assembled to and above Grand
Ecore. It was ordered to return, and was
caught by low water above the falls at
Alexandria. Admiral Porter "saw nothing
before him but the destruction of the best
part Of the Mississippi squadron" Lieu
tenant Colonel Bailey, acting engineer,
Nineteenth Army Corps, proposed plan
Of building a series of dams across the
rocks at the falls, and raising the water
high enough to let the vessels pass over"
The work was commenced by running out
from the left bank of the river a tree-dam
made Of the bodies Of very large trees, brush
brick and stone, cross-tied with heavy tim
Der, and strengthened in every way which
ingenuity could devise. This was carried
about 300 feet into the river; four large
coal barges were then filled with brick and
sunk at the end of it. From the right bank
cribs filed with stone were built out to meet
the barges, all of which was successfully
notwithstanding there was a
current running nine miles an hour, threat.
ening to sweep everything before it.
The dam had nearly reached completion
in eight days working time, and the water
had risen sufficiently on the upper falls 20
allow the Fort Hindman, Usage and Neo-
sho to get down and be ready to pass. In
another day it would have been high enough |
to enable all the other vessels to pass the |
upper tails. Unfortunately, on the morning |
oi the ninth, the pressure Of the water De- |
came so great that it swept away two Of the |
stone barges, which swung in below the |
lam on one side. Seeing this, ordered the |
lexington to pass the upper falls, if posi-,
ole, and Immediately attempt to 60 through
he dam.
She succeeded in getting over the upper
ails just IN time, the water rapidly falling
ls she was passing over. She then steered
lirectly for the opening in the dam, through
which the water was rushing SO furiously
hat 1t seemed as if nothing but destruction |
waited her.
The silence was so great as the Lexing ton |
pproached the dam that a pin might almost
ave been heard to tall. She entered the
ap with full head Of steam on, pitched
own the roaring torrent, made two or three
pasmodic rolls, hung for moment on the
Ocks below. was then swept into deep water
y the currents, and rounded to safely hv
le bank.
Thirty thousand voices rose in one deaf |
ming cheer, and JOY seemed to pervade the
zee OF every man present. The Neosho fol. |
wed next-au her matches battened down.
1d every precautiOn taken against acct
ent. She did not fare as well as the Lex
'gton, her pilot having become frightened
he approached the abyss, and stopped
or engine. The result was that for mo-
ohC ACA AuIi disappeared from SlglC under |
le water. Every one thought she was lost.
le rose, however, swept along the rocks
ith the current, and fortunately ESCAPED
18th only one hole in her bottom, which
as stopped IN the course of an hour. The
lndman and Usage both came tbronUb Z
,autitully without touching a thing.
The accident to the dam. instead of dis
Colonel Bailey, only induced
m to renew his exertions. The men had
zen working for eight days and nights nm L
their necks IN water in the broiing sun.
ttlng trees and wheeling bricks, vet c
thing but good humor prevailed among L
EN-. a
The force OF water being too great TO con. b
'uet continuous dam of coo feet across f,
river IN SO short time, Colonel Baily D
termlned to leave a gap Of tifty-fye feet
the dam, and build series of wing dams | !,
the upper falls. This was accom- Iisbed a
three days time. and on the elevent III in :;
mt the Mound City, the Carondele- and =
ttsburg came over the upper falls. good "
al OF labor having been expended in haul a
'oked, and scarcely wide enough for b
EN-. Next day the Ozark, Chilllcotbe. 81
ulsvllle and two tugs also succeeded in N
,ssing the upper falls. &c
Immediately after, the Mound Cirv. | ST
rondelet and Pittsburg started in suc, NJ
sion to pass the dam, all their matches
tened down, and every preaution taken ca
prevent accident. r,
ne passage OF these vessels was beauti- | is
sight, only to be realized when seen. fir
ey escaped without an accident, except to
unshlpplng OF one or two rudders This az
8 witnessed by all the troops. and the y.
sells were heartily cheered. Next morn 10
the Louisville, Chillicothe, Ozark and 10
tugs passed over without any accident pa
ept the loss OF one man, who was swept :"
tne deck OF one of the tugs. Bv three Oh
ock That afternoon the vessels were all 81 81
led, ammunition replaced, and all ie'
smed down the river with the convoy of sp
nsports IN company. Words are made TO
tie to express the admiration feel for IT
aoiiity OF Lieutenant Colonel Bailey. to
low If these wingdams, with a gap of i
T-tve feet, so raised the water in the So
river as to enable the vessels draw lea
too much water for the natural chan dr.
to escape, We cannot see why the IN
gdams proposed by the Eads party ha,
not raise the water of the Mississippi the
r in precisely the same manner. And a.,
he additional rise would in the one sell
float a stranded vessel, it will, in the a
manner as the Eads wingdams, raise a o..
river above the levees and overflow Spa
whole river crops of Louisiana. We swi
at the remonstrance to our up river VII VII
rors that while they only desire to is p
en- the river to get their produce to a!
let, We have our whole crop and being
axe, and can neither dare to make ex- T
nents ourselves nor consent that we "
be eyperinoen&ad IN - | Lie