New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-03-03
OUR CANAL BILL.


The Washington correspondent Of the
New York Times says:
There is no doubt that the project to com
plete the st. Philip canal around the
mouths of the Mississippi river is defeated
for this session. Representatives Hurlbut,
Stone and Bass, the subcommittee OF the
House Committee on Railroads and Canals,
appointed to investigate the matter, have
determined upon their report to the general
committee, which, there is little doubt, Will
be adopted. The subcommittee have de-
| cided that they have been placed IN possess
sion of insufficient data to recommend a
bill appropriating money for the construc'
ton of the canal.
The report shows little more than that
the plan is practicable. The engineers 90
| not even indicate a route Tor the cana l.
They estimate the minimum cost OF the
canal at $l0,0O0,O0U.
This by no means shows that Congress
has adopted. Or will adopt, the Eads OBJ
struction, which has never been examined
at all. Congress has indicated demand
! for more exact examinations. that is all.
But will Congress lend the mouth Of the
! Mississippi for an irresponsible expert
ment? VIII the Missouri delegation re-
lease the government from its obligations
to make deep water outlet and accept
joint stock company as = substitute: BY
| no means.
The proposition will be made that the
| Secretary of War shall be directed to make
! a thorough and detailed survey OF the line.
with estimates for the cost of construction.
20 report at the next session Of Congress.
1t is not. then. probable that the passes
| will be presented to Mr.. Eads as field
Of Financial photographic experiment.
| If this should be done. then any further
hurry Of the canal would be useless,
and the committee would not order it to
be done.
The best thing that can be done
would be to order some examina.
ton Of Mr.. Eads' plan Of paling in the
Mississippi with q plank fence. that its
utter absurdity may be demonstrated
again. This reconnaissance and estimate
of location should be made by the gov.
eminent, and if the chimera Of making
solid shore of rotten and bottomless
marsh is to be tried. let the government
make her experiment and execute the
work. We can. at least. stop the govern.
ment when the private contract would be
like our wooden pavement on st. Charles
street. We might neither get the con.
tract completed nor regain, without great |
damages, the use of our property again.
The Louisiana delegation should. on
finding that Mr. Eads has succeeded in |
blocking the Mississippi. introduce such |
a resolution as this:
WHEREAS, Congress. while OF opinion |
that the Fort st. Philip canal is practicable
of construction, and offers solution of the |
outlet problem of the Mississippi river, does |
not find the surveys and reconnaissance,
construction and location of that work sTf
ficiently complete or conclusive as 70 the |
cost or location thereof; therefore
Resolred, That the Secretary of War is
hereby instructed to procure, prepare and
submit to Congress at its next session :hc
facts:
J. The length and location Of canal to
connect the waters Of the Mississippi and
the Gulf OF Mexico, adequate to pass any
tonnage which may at any time use the
same: with adequate experiment and eX.
pressed opinion of experts as to the capacity
of the soil and substrata 10 bear the weight
of any structure wL!ch may be imposed
thereon.
o That similar investigation and report
shall be made CT the depth and nature OF
the port at the Gulf terminus OF the said
canal.
3. That the lines Of location shall il pos.
sble be SO adjusted as to bring the passing
commerce within the protection of the
federal forts lying on the line. and thus to
constitute the canal not merely 3; pas
sage for commerce, but a safe harbor of
refuge by which the mercantile marine of
the Union in those seas may be safely an.
chored either in peace or wa:.
Now if the friends Of the paling scheme
choose to ask . similar survey. there
would be 10 objection: it would destroy
Ill opposition. and next session the vote
Of the Mississippi would be at !eas: q
unit instead Of defeating itself and
the rival cities o: the East
md Northwest.