New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-03-20
The Mouths Of the Mfssissippi,

The following is the letter of General
Hebert on the jetty system, which has been
extensively commented on within the past
few days:
WAsHINGToN, March Z, 1874.
Hon. William Window Senator in Congress-
SIR-You will, l trust, pardon this liberty
1t is unnecessary, at this time, to enlarge
upon the vast Importance and inealculable
commercial benefits of a permanent outlet
from deep water into deep water near the
mouth of the Mississippi river. This work
of paramount necessity has engaged the at
tention of engineers from the period of
Spanish and French occupation down to
the present day. The idea OF canal is by
no means new one. 1t has the respecta
blity of mature age. For year after year
we have "tinkered' with the mouths OF the
river7scraplng, dredging, dragging, blast
ing, jGtteeing-all to no purpose, and with
out permanent results Large sums of
public money having been literally thrown
away. 4 board OF officers OF the United
States corps OF eng gineers have, after ma
ture and deliberate consideration, reported
fayorably upon an outlet called the Fort
St. Philip canal. This report is approved
and indorsed by the chief of engineers.
The surveys upon which this report is
based are as full and complete as such pre-
liminary examinations are generally made.
In all contemplated great works-whether
Notifications, railroads, river Improvements,
canals, ,etc.--prellminary surveys are always
in order, to establish first, expediencv, prac-
ticabllity, feasibility. This being accom-
plished, a further survey, more elaborate in
details and scientific data, is made looking
to the final location of the work. SO soon
as Congress indorses the first report, it is in
order to make the second and final survey.
1t is useless to review here the reason and
arguments upon which the recommendation
of canal is based. The report is in your
hands, and speaks for itself. 1t is we'll
worthy of careful study, and will bear the
most hyper critical scientific examination.
l would simpy remark, that it would be
esta blishing an unusual and dangerous pre-
cedent to reject the opinions and convic-
tions Of men eminent in the science and
practice of engineering and adopt the crude,
visionary speculations Of Outsiders to the
profession, without surveys and examina-
tions of any kind; and that, too, when nil
lions are at stake. Money, IN my humble
opinion as an engineer, as surely Thrown
into the sea- as you adopt the ''jettee" plan.
1t is an immutable law il physics that
when the cause of an evil is periodical or
constantly recurrent, the remedy must be
of the same nature. Dredging the shoal
mouths of delta forming river is of this
complexion--a periodical, temporary, ever
costly remedy-the labor OF Sysphus.
The ''jettee' system has been tried upon
the bars of the Mississippi, and found want
ing. The record is upon the books OF the
Treasury Department, showing hundreds
of thousands sunk into the pockets of specu-
latOrs and into the waters OF the Gulf OF
Mexico.
The great Mississippi-the largest in the
world of sediment bearing rivers-has been,
in obedience to the inevitable laws of
gravitation, jettying itself for unknown and
untold centuries from the FOOT of diluvial
to the gulf margin of alluvial formations.
The result has been to stretch its hydra
heads deeper and deeper Into the gulf,
pushing the bars farther and farther into
the open sea, time over time. Artificial let
ties will only accelerate this process. This
belongs to the inevitable. The appetite OF
the jetty system will ''increase with what 1T
feeds on, and the work prove interminable.
So that a coming Metbusalah, if he lives
long enough, may yet see the day when the
mighty, uncomfortable and remorseless
Father of Waters will hurl its turbid and
aggressive floods upon the distant shores OF
peninsular Yucatan.
Surely it is not nnwise or irrelevant IN
the matter of work OF such Importance
and pregnant with results of such msgni-
tude. one which has for years staggered the
genius and inventive faculties OF the most
competent and distinguished engineers, to
respectfully suggest patient reflection, grave
consideration, intelligent investig alton, and
resort to the exhaustive resources OF
scientific and practical engineering IN its
highest sphere of application.
have the honor to be, very respectfully,
your Obedient servant,
P.O. HEBERT.