New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-01-20
Is ST. LOUIS TIE MISTRESS OF The MS.
SISSIPPI?

, . - 81. ACU4S AhG MISIRhSS w 1th L1E
SISeIPPI!
!: has been the commercial theory Q
New Orleans that the cities seated upo
the Mississippi and its tributaries are con
jointly Interested in the removal Of ever
obstacle 20 2 tree and deep channe! iron
It's source 20 the Sea. These obstacle
have been asce.:ained ana classified
They are those OF the rivers above St
! Louis with the Desmoines rapids and fall
OF 81. Anthony. They are those between
st. Louis and Memphis. and those Of til,
Ohio between Pittsburg and the mouth
OF the Ohio. From seven hundred 70 on.
thousand miles below these lie the bars 8.
the IL oUth Of the river. 1t would seen
tina. these obstacles would be each best
understood bv the cite. and ravisators O.
their 'icinasa. IN tina: view New
Orleans has always conceded 70 :he
upper cities tie specification Of the means
by which these .pper obstacles may be
! removed. and las rendered her represent.
atives ID w.thou. limitation 20 carry out
such measures Of improvement Or appro.
priation IS the upper cities should desig.
nate. With :his considerate abstinence
from in:cuding even IN opinion as 70 the
mode or measure Of improvement. might
no: New Orleans have expected that the
particular mode Of obyiating the obstacles
which lie within the Jurisdiction OF her
local experience and intelligence should
have been LEFT 10y her sisters OF the int.
,ior 20 ne: own discretion? 10 one can
deny that ills would have been JUS. par.
tition Of intelligent duty among parties in
joint interest.
/. has been now many months since ST.
Louis. in converting the river members of
Congress. took It upon herself to indicate
in VIVA: manner the cutie. navigation
couid be best improved. It was by win:
dams o. concentration q. current.
\: tue session Of the Senate Transpo,.a.
ton Committee 81. Louis explained VIVA.
she ne eded 10: a pe,fec: navigation Of the
upper river, and kindly added testimony
as to VIVA. New Orleans needed a. tie
mouth Of the river, admitting incidentally
that gain nigh: te damaged by the
humidity ot Ouc climate, and :est:tying
through the president: OF her Board OF
Trade and Merchants Exchange tina: al,
steamers lad 70 be :owed across :he bar.
Next come: the published proposal Of
Mr.. E.ds. Of St. Louis. an eminen: bridge
builder. 20 constitute company for tee
excavation q canals and channels. a
special purpose o: which VIII BE 20 ex-
cavate or e.nbank permanently one Q: the
outlet passes. Nh. Eads. if We are no:
mistaken, :ns.iga.ed the adoption o: the
resolution adopted a. the Congressmen's
meeting. already alluded %. And last.
we have the very able memorial Of the
Merchants Exchange :neddlins still! fur
Their with this subject. and leaving i. in
doub. whether the outlets should he ::n-
proved by canal or dredging. thus:
The commerce Of thi. valley demands .
po., free 10 all. Nor IS it Impossible. or
even 4 ificuit. 10 attain that result. Since
engineerin. science in Europe has caused
one o. .be smaller mouths of the Danube to
cut out 70. itself . channel twenty feet
deep, and has united the Red sea and the
Mediterranean by ship canal. there can
BE no question that bv either method i: il
perfectly practicable 10 completely remove
the obstacle az the mouth of the Mississippi.
Il IS not tie province of this memorial. bu:
~ ,fI,.1
which method may in this ease be mos.
advantageousiy adopted: some information
as 20 the nature and cause OF the bar, and
the plans to. relief. are. however. appended.
From the official statement OF The United
states engineer IN charge. 10 appears tina:
a ship canal o. sufficient depth can be con.
stvuc.ed al . COS: .! = 100000.
Now. New Orleans las Deliberately
planted lersei. on the Fort st. Philip
cana: IS The best mode OF cutie: improve.
men:. she Ia. been fortified by two sur.
veys Of location ~ federal engineers. as
well as ty reports from numerous State
engineers. public ciice:, and professional
experts.
There IS 20: or As- press. among her
snip owne:s or agents, marine
engineers o. pilots. 20 far q. sc
know. single a:ssen:er.
The Chamber Of Commerce arl I.ac;s- !
!a:ure have :or thirty years past persisted |
in expressing \ preference .or the canal /,
Owe. the dredging. Tie concentration o:
cu-rea: By wing dams. in marsh forty |
niles IL extent, where the mud no where |
rises :4:ec &c: above she water, is 1e- /!
sariei as :r2rrac;;cab!e. The danger Of |
being continually dependen. on an eve.
increasing congressional majority against !
or outlet; all th.se and other arguments
enter into the formation Of this opinion, |
lni, we re.eat. TIA: Ill New Orleans is a
uni: for the CANAL. IS all s.. Louis may be
. unit 10: me remoya! 0. the saags OK SAID |
bars above Cairo.
There HIS been :accatlv added tie
argument. upon high engineering author
t.. tina: tie canal may be made the means
,: protecting the who!e shipping a: the
outlet, IRON: .ava! attack. by making a
larbor Q: refuge OF the whole .iver up to
New Orleans. Why, then, should 10:
re b, allowed 20 carry GU: the canal con-
'truction, !: practicable: Why should St.
Louis or her citizens divide and distrac:
he friends Of the quite. Improvement by
presenting as doubtful work which has
,een 50 Endorsed as the best. as it is the
ole, mode 81 carrying OF. the common
purpose: I