New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-12-13

sixteen feet deep; the contractors reporte,
1t eighteen feet deep and called for inspeC
ton: | was notified that the inspector
would be down ON certain day.
l selected the most loosely.laid lead lin
| had and stretched it over the boiler of thu
boat, fastening it at one end and attachin,
o weight at the other.
When the inspector came aboard. the lin,
was thoroughly dry and stretched. Om
other lines were put out of sight. Thu
inspector took our prepared line, carefully
measured and marked it himself. We ther
ran down to the bar. As we neared the
bar the leadsman was instructed to TAXI
soundings in water that we knew wal
over eighteen feet deep, Ostensibly to show
the depth above the bar, but really to We,
the line SO that it would be properly shrunl
before using on the bar.
We then sounded back and forth through
| the channel, the inspector standing by the
leadsman and watching every throw, as il
be thought he could Judge from mere sight
whether the leadsman was throwing and
calling honestly or not. There resulted the
| reporting OF q channel over eighteen feet
deep at mean low tide, when there was
really not channel sixteen f ct deep.
The result not only deceived the inspec.
tor. but exceeded my expectations, as l had
| taken pains to impress on the inspector the
| fact that shoaling in the channel was rap
idly effected, and that little less than
eighteen feet might possibly be found for
one or two soundings. This was the subje ct
Of remark after completing the inspection.
but the inspector did not think Of again
measuring the lead line, nor would such o
course have enlightened him, for az soon as
the sOundings we're completed l had it pnt
out of sight and another line exactly like it
and properly measured substituted for it.
This is the substance Of what one witness
stated to me in conversation.
This expose appears necessary TO put the
work OF to-day in its proper light when
comparison between it and past work il at
tempted.
1t may also suggest to future inspectors
some points OF value.
The following report is made of the sur
vey for locating the terminus Of the Fort
St. Philip canal under the lee of Sable
island:
This survey was projected on the follow.
ing suppositions:
First-That sheltered barbor excavated
under the lee Of Sable island with break
water located on the sh0al ground to the
nOrthward, if practicable, would be prefer
able as an entrance to the projected canal,
to an entrance projected from the front of
Sable island directly into the throat Of Bre-
ton island pass.
Second-That by inclosing Grand bay
tidal reservoir might be established, receiv.
ing and dischargipg through the entrance
to such hsrbor and thus creating. currents
sufficiently powerful in securing effect to
maintain the depth Of entrance given to the
harbOr.
Third-ft was assumed that this direction
given the entrance would necessitate arti.
fetal works interfering the least with the
flow of tidal currents through Breton Island
Pass; that protection of the west end Of
Breton Island would be perhaps rendered
unnecessary. and that breakwater ON the
ehOal between the east and west forks of
Breton Island Pass, while protecting the
eterance to the harboT from the north,
might be so planned as to deepen and
lengthen the west Tor harbor) fork.
Fourth-It appeared evident that the en-
trance, so located, could be better protected
by fertilization on Sable island than il
located at any other point.
The survey of 1871 and 1872 gave all tho
data for considering this location. except
First-Borings and soundiDgs along the
line of probable location OF the trunk Of
canal.
Second-For Enclosure of Grand Bay.
These data are now presented in the
following report and on the chart herewith:
UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE
New Orleans, May Is, 1874
SIR have TO make the following report
on the survey for locating the terminus of
the Fort St. Philip Canal under the lee of
Sable Island" The survey was commenced
March 10, 1874, and the field work was
finished April q. 1874.
The triangulation, soundings, level line,
and sections Of borings, have been plotted
on single sheet. which is submitted here
with.
A tide-gauge was established ut Camp
Howell, in Mississippi river, and another
near station six, in Grand Bay. A level
line has been run from Camp Howell to
station two, and from stOtiOn two to the
tide-gauge IN Grand Bay. Taking high
water of 1874 as the plane Of reference, we
have plotted the section OF the proposed
route so as to show low water in Mississippi
river, 1872. Its reference is Gas feet.
Extreme high water in Grand Bay. for
time covered by survey, 2.l3 feet.
Mean low water in Grand Bay, for same
period, $40 feet.
Extreme low water in Grand Bay, tor
same period, 7.03 feet.
In order to preserve the record Of this
work five bench marks have been estab-
lished.
Bench mark No. I is the top of stake at
the northwest corner Of the house at Camp
Howell. 1t is OT.66 below the zero of the
gauge ut Camp Howell, and its reference is
0 .z6.
Bench mark Nc. 9 is the top OF piece of |
one-inch round iron, driven into the end of
q yellow pine stick, 3 by 12" by. l2", buried
in the ground and standing upright near
the northeast corner of house at Camp
Howell 1t ia 4 85 from the northeast cor.
ner of the house, and Is. as from the north
west corner of the house. This bench mark
is Il 03 below the zero of the tide gauge at
Camp Howell, and it's reference is II3.
Bench mark No. is the head of q 5sxl6-
inch iron bolt, driven into the end of cot
tOnwoOd log, three feet long, buried in the
ground, standing upright, near the south
east corner of the house at Camp Howell.
1t is G.O5 from this corner and l6 .05 from
the southwest corner of the same house.
The bench mark is 1888 below the zero OF
the tide gauge at Camp Howell, and it's
is 1893.
Bench mark No. 4 is a stake 1913 from
station 6, in the direction of station 2 (see
Chart. The top of the stake is 2 SO below
the zero of gauge in Grand bay. Its refer
ence is 3.99.
Bench mark No. is the head of ssxl6-
inch iron bolt. driven into the end of cot
log, 3 15", buried in the ground,
upright, 49, from station 81, in the
direction Of station 2. This bench mark is
9 40 below the zero Of the gauge in Grand
bay, aid it's reference is Y.12.
Seven borings have been made, four to a
depth of 100, l to 81, to ~, and to Az.
The sections of the different strata are
shown on the next sheet.
The specimens, Sc in number, are prop
erly numbered for each boring, and the
depth from which the earth is taken ID in
dictated on each specimen. The location OF
each boring is indicated on the chart.
A photographic survey has been made of
Grand bay. This work can be added to our
general chart by reducing the scale to