New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-10

The following interesting account of the
work on Red river We clip from the Shreve-
port Times of December 81:
A ride through what was once the great
raft of Old river lie not without interest but
as we jog along it may be well enough to
call to mind the labor of this great under
taking. We will not GO further back than
the work LAID out by the late Lieutenant
e. A. Woodruff, under ar appropriation of
the United States government, which up to
this time amounts to $4,000.
The survey developed the fact that the
distance from Carolina Bluhs TO the head
of the raft was thirty-one and one-half
miles, In this distance there were thirty
nix tOwheads or solid raft of lOge, dirt, etc.
aggregating two and oneeighth miles of
solid earth, and sixteen patches OF floating
raft, aggregaiing i've and twO-thirds miles,
the last twO-thiFds of a mile having formed
At the head while the work OF removal was
going on. The total raft to be removed was
about eight milea.
In the month Of December, 1872, the work
was commenced, and q route through the
whole length was effected by the last of
December, 1873. A channel 1t least sixty
feet wide was cut through all the tow-heads
and RATS, and the logs cut up and hJated
off The woI K, az the cOmmencement, WAS
under the charge of Lieutenant < A. Wood
ruff but before hnilhed be died Of yellow
laVeF. and N1P0rge WuOGFuus OFOLlEr, VINO
was his c0Bhdaut, carried out the work to q
sucoeasful termination. The credit, how
ever, of the opening Of the raft belongs to
ne late Lieutenant K. A, Woodruff.
There was good deal of necessary work
30 be done ct, not only to keep that intact
which had already been done, but to aug
-lnaut the eaviDg and securing process
which, in the eud, ii WAS anticipated would
; oHeeiually SECURE IA permanent navigation,
but the appropriation was all exhausted
mndnlhe work snrpended.
Another appropriation was made by Con.
Rress In tho spring Of 1874, bus It was the
Arst Of July before 1t was available. At
that time the steamer Sterling, Captain
John Trnpyson, and q crane bOat, under
che command OF Captain kingBbuFy, were
nut to work clearing the banks and widen
lag the channel through the tOwheads and
Rafr. This force was kept at work until the
last Of OcrobeB when Captain Kingsbury
was transferred. and the whole work left
20 the suprrinfeDdenc8 OF Captain Tenny-
son. A considerable force. under bis man.
aRoment, WAS kept in the field until the
widdis Of December, when IL was thought
~ werk aaa 20 far advanced that Bhe
Hearlsng would be- able TO hnish &c.
The ebief engineer, Major Howell, in
company with Aai'r B.nysnrd, United
@laten enRineeTs, paid the works 9 visit
nssns iimw xhn Last part Of October. After
= ahorBuAa tNaninaiion, they expressed
zhpeaealpas saiH1+d. and that everything
had been done aeeoIding 70 specifications
"a wa then that Msjar Howell iurned over
fhe works to Major Beny aDrd, nHder whose
charge fhty new aFes with headquarters al
Wieksbnra. Mississippi.
The work under tho last appropriation
kas had B maj kad etiPof The clearing 0i
tha hMnka fssnl Carolina 8lnlis down, has
3een az Mfeat brneht ~ steamboats,, ~,
bslose. 81 agrl hanging vines, trees and
bFasH Mearly met 10 the middle Of the
stream. Then. 81 high water, the river was
apparently nnrruwsr than " low water,
.anang - he overhanRing hrush. The cut
&2nm "a o. lho sin6ar will aasieS RiaieFiall y
Az 6Ae dseAy OF the Fputa, sui thna iaeili-
asmts the cA4ina * lhn banks and the ooH
aMaeas w3deuina ST ne river. b heaFly
es97r aa4hHaG fhe NhAnael hns bten
sSnad fssni SHY ete V double that
sMer. end len IL sueh s eondisien chat
3ts tniInnsiiQ wiAeniaN tE chs aaFinN "
aAa tan1f. rs t6Iae pipnAa the ehaBRe
m8nhs "a t7|is e4R hae 1sea f#magA able,
HHf at she exFaean 81 sho nliAsisA 2esl ~
e ~ tae phntRsa
8Aa sME 81 sAs saHAA l. pretty eeAelal
al 4l1a& as FiFNfs AN1 more particularly
aH4t4 aN7aA BIZ 10 n4d fly s1Da 4lsi41cz
hAta 9Ae& 4f fAE Atf4r -
y way iisGesflef' 4@e 2affsw
tt Aai3 hA aa a8 tNe HiFsF
hzfa4 81 ate Nsasea eqfs lAeaea
NaiN lo Afa Nllsspa !
aat A - eAset