New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-05-01

ton of the eminent dam builders to
those Of our engineers whose proper prov
ince it is to refute and expose such mis-
applications Of mathematical and philo-
sophical science.
The REPUBLICAN has received gratifying
evidence that our protest against wingdams
has produced a profound impression
among practical men. Our articles have
been republished. They have had the
effect to induce Professor Forshey and
Governor Hebert to confirm them by their
scientific and practical testimony. And
now comes the last crashing of fangs from
our demolished antagonists. The st.
Louis Democrat says:
The latest manifestation of the idiotic
malignity of the New Orleans ring is seen
in articles in the REPUBLICAN, of that city,
which pretends to believe that jetties at
the mouth of the river will so dam up the
stream as to increase the danger Of over.
flow upon plantations many miles above!
Whoever writes such stuff does not seem
to know that it is seventeen miles from the
mouth of the river to the head OF the
passes, the fall of water in that distance
being 20 feet; that no possible dam at the
mouth could lift the water there three feet,
SO as to produce any perceptible effect as
far back as the head Of the passes; or that
if any such dam could be constructed,
having that effect, it would only drive more
water into the other passes from the point
of divergence, not affecting in the least the
altitude of water at points miles above,
where the plantations exist. But this
objection only illustrates the stupidity OF
the creatures about New Orleans, who
claim that nobody beside themselves can
possibly know anything about the river
If about twenty OF them could become bet
ter acquainted with the bottom of the river,
by the aid of gOCd-sized millstOnes fastened
to the neck Of each, it would be blessing
to New Orleans.
Now having seen the plan of Eads duly
covered in mud, and the zeal Of his organs
fading out as they behold the Spite Of his
cider cask drawn in and cut of, we can
afford to treat the last drivilings Of ignor-
ance, cupidity and arrogance with good
humor.
l. We can not be ignorant that it is
seventeen miles from the outlet to the head
of the passes when We said that ''the head
of the passes is about fifteen miles above
the bar" and argued to prove that it was
''in dangerous proximity to the rice and
sugar lands of Plaquemines. AS for the
assertion that, that from the mouth of the
river, to the head of the passes "the
fall of the water in that distance is 90
feet" it is met by the fact that the tidal
flow comes up to New Orleans. That is,
there is level and dead water from the
bar to this city. Now, inasmuch as during
the high water we have had to raise the
levees in front of the city to prevent the
overflow, it must follow that to add
to the height of the river surface
at the bar by wing dam or
other obstruction will be to increase
the height and pressure Of the river at
and above this point. In proof of "the
stupidity Of the creatures" we cite the
words of Albert Stein, Esq, well known
as scientific and practical authority on
the hydraulics of the Southern rivers. In
1850 he wrote:
A bar at the mouth of river, by the
resistance which it offers to the tree dis
charge, miH dam back The ,cater until it ac-
quires a sufficient height 10 enable 1t TO
overcome the impediment, and thus may
produce foundations IN the upper reach Of
The riyer.
So now we dismiss this whole subject
with two observations:
1. 1t is much better to allow local in
terests to designate the mode Of a public
in their vicinage.
2. St. Louis will now need united vote
to secure any outlet at all to the ocean.
Here beginneth the second lesson.
We have before us larger fight than
this Eads skirmish, and we trust to re-
unite in its prosecution all the forces
which have been SO unhappily divided
for the past six months.