Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1874-05-09
EADS' JETTIES.
Depth Of Twenty-eight Feet and Width
of Six Hundred for Five Millions.

Depth of Twenty-eight Feet and Width
of SIX Hundred for Five Millions.
The senate select committee on trans
portation has agreed to report a bill
in favor Of the ietty project Of Captain
Eads for the mouth Of the Mississippi
river, with the object of bring the sub
iect before the senate.
The bill provides that Jas. B. Eads
and his associates shall be authorized tC
proceed with tire deepening of the
channel of one Of the outlets of the
Mississippi river into the Gulf Of Mex,
leo, to be selected by himself, by per
manent ietties at its mouth, and may
construct such jetties, leveeg, etc, as
may be necessary, provided that he s all
not interfere with the navigation Of any
channel now used. The work must be
begun within eight months from the
approval Of the act, and. prosecuted
with due diligence. Unless Capt. Eads
shall within thirty months secure twen-
ty feet Of water, congress may revoke
the privilege hereby granted. Congress
may also revoke the privileges granted
unless Capt. EAds shall, after securing
twenty feet Of water, secure two feet OF
water additional each succeeding year,
until twenty-six feet shall have been Sc.
cured, and two feet additional within
two years after having secured twenty
six feet. In case of failure to meet
these conditions for any period of twelve
months in excess of the time fixed in
each case, then the act shall be null and
void without any action by congress.
Section two provides that whenever
Eads and his associates shall have sue
ceeded in establishing and maintaining
twenty feet depth of water at ordinary
food tide by means Of his works, and
such outlet or pass shall have a clear
width of six hundred feet between the
works or jetties, or so that ships draw
ing twenty feet of water may be nayiga-
ted safely and expeditiously through
out the channel, and such depth shall
be wide enough to allow two such ships
to be passed by each other in safety,
then the government is topay said Eads
or his legal representative 81 900, 900 at
time stated. When two additional
feet of water shall he secured, an addi-
tional million shall be paid, and 50 on,
a million for each additional two feet,
until S., 900, 900 shall be paid in all.
Section three provides that when it
shall appear that Eads and his associ-
ates have established and maintained
navigable channel-way Of twenty-eight
feet depth, he shall be entitled to an
additional sum of six million dollars.
Section four provides for a commits
sion of United States officers, to be ap-
pointed by the president, to ascertain
and report the facts upon each nOtitica-
ton by Eads that required depth Of
water has been secured and maintained,
aud for the payment Of money upon .
favorable repolt.
Section five enacts that to guard the
United States against doubtful tempo
rary results, payments for the work
shall be delayed, and also conditioned
on the petmanency Of the respective
depths OF water. The conditions being
complied with, 81, 900, 900 is TO be paid
within six months after twenty feet of
water is permanently obtained, and so
on until the twenty-eigbt feet shall be
secured, the next million to be paid
three years after permanently obtaining
twentv-eight feet, aud the remaining
payments by installments during the pc.
ROD of nine years after securing the
twenty-eigh feet depth of water.
Other sections provide for the protec-
ton of the works by the government,
ard for completing the work, in case of
Capt. Eads death, by his legal repre-
sentatiyes, and that he shall have the
right to use any adjacent material with
in twenty miles from the mouth of the
river.
The bill is very carefully drawn so as
to protect the interest of the govern
ment. The report refers to the fact
that the engineer corps is not prepared
TO recommend work upon the proposed
canal without further surveys, and cites
the report by the board of United States
engineers to show the cost of such canal
to be $40, ,273, 900.
The adverse repor Of Gen. Barnard,
presenting objections to the canal, is
quoted freely and emphasized. The
committee therefore arrived with regret
at the conclusion that it cannot now re-
commend the adoption of the bill for
the construction of the canal, but re-
commends appropriations for additional
surveys.
TIE committee next cites the various
authorities for the ietty system, and
argues that it ought to have trial, as
only two and a half years is required by
the contractors to solve the problem at
their own expense, unless they succeed
in getting twenty feet Of water. Gen.
Humphreys work on the Mississippi is
ciSed to overthrow his present positions
against the jetty system, with decided
effect. After stating the cost of the jet
ty plan, the committee says that it would
not be greater than would be adequate
compen nsation for the work proposed,
and concludes that Eads ought to be
allowed to make the trial at his own
cost and risk. An open river mouth, il
is affirmed, is the first consideration. =
Cor. Comier-Journdl.