New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-09-30
TIE MISSISSIPPI IMPROVEMENTS.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THU TEI8UNE1

PROGRESS or THE WORk-NO SERIOUS DAMAGE
DONE EY THE RECENT STORMs-THE EFFECT OF
CREVAssis IN DECORATING THE DEPTH OF TIE
RIvER-ADvIsABILIrY OF CLOSING rilTSE OUT
LTTS-ASSwER OF CAPT. EADs TO FALSE RE-
PORTS AND UNJUST CRllIC Ms.
Cant. james B. Eads, tine engineer whose
project for the permanent Improvement vi navigation at
The month Of the Mississippi River Is being carried
out arrived in this city yesterday. In conversation
Tuesday evening with TwnUNr reporter he made sub
snm.iay the following statement OF the cohuoh "nd
prospects OF the work:
Pr yious to the recent fearful storm which swept The
southern coas the work rad FAR advanced that lie
ale plies II The east otty had been driven from thc
land end out 10 the extreme end OF the ictty, about
2li miles, The purpose 81 those guide ptes is 10 secure
tie trcssos" III position after they have been con
stuctcd on Shore and launched into tho wafer. TIE
atresrs are olch 100 feet long about % icct vide
and Zee; c ANA made OF willow branches strongly
bound together Those noored 70 the guide piles and
stone il placed upon lAem until 1cy are sunk 10 ne
bottom. The nattr,s constitute the foundation OF
the ieuy ~ the timc Cf the recent storm these mat
ts,os qd been lad continuously on the Inc OF the east
lefty for dsanc' of 1890 feet When this line shall
have been pushed ou to .hc end Of the etty second
and n We. tier OF mattresses viii he laid upon them,
and ia this va, the willow foundation ana chef part "
the ioty eli viii be bult MP 10 the level OF high tide,
and he be covered with Stone. The west jeY has also
been begun by driying guide piles. Capt. Eds
tat these guido piles constitute portion whatever Of
IT, iusiel ctes which vii he made wholly o. U,ow
and stone the nclsticos Of which rapidly FIJI With sand
and sell eenary DEPOSITS thus soon forming a solid
mass Vhcb is absOlntely inl' cishshe.
Whcneycra mi ,res~ il s,lk is Immediately covered
with stone ald IS impossible for the 70 displaca
it, since tie more furious the ae more is the
sand and sediment Of tn bottom irr du Gni deposit,
IN ac trrttcc. Of thc adding to tlei. weight
and liability. capt lads declares Tat The reports cir
cn'atcd thG0ush some Of the New-Oroans papers
tnat great damage Las been done TO the
icttos by the storm were wholly erroneous,
rs only live guide plies, temporarily driven and
rot yet strengthened according 20 The pl;n wlch were
near tie I'd, end OF .he jcty washed oat BY the
storm Eiglt mattresses which had not yet been sunk
were dostro ed 1Y The fury If the The high tide
,a,iseJ by tho southcasoerly Wind which at one tins
blew at the rate % ~ miles per hour did not raise the
water 20 within two feet or e floors o the buildings at
TIE jctcs now 10y those engaged in the work Of
constructions dispatch from Port lads received Tuesday
sad dated the night OF Sept 81 states that another
severe storm occurred continuing from Friday last to
Monday ROOM aud that 800 fcct Of mattresses hal
bult and ready 90 be sunk soon as The weather
should permit The guide plies for the west iciiy had
BEEN driven 10 point within about 800 feet OF the sea
end Of that ie'ty.
CAPT. Eals, in answer TO en- inquiry respecting the
sloanc al tlc heal OF the passcs subject which the
Advisory Commission II Engnec,s suggested should be
lait before tie Government; stated that this matter
sremei to nave been misunderstood by Of the pa
pcis which had commented upon IT, The fact was that
the river at head Passes, IL miles abOYc the
place where TIE ic.tic. building, had Si0aled across
tie entire stream from depth OF abou 40icet ~ shown
by Yacots survey made in 1888, 10 only 30 feet,
shown b. She Grrgcy OF Nj Marndcn, Assistant United
STATES Coast Surrey, completed last July. In TalcGtts
time - ie depth AZ the bead of Pass POnrc
and Tic Southwest Pass while now 80 ect cannot be
fo.nd al The entrance OF either. The Commission
very wisely thought that dimnrtion of the area
OF bed Of the Mississippi River equal oneuarcr
OF former capacity. which had occurred within
J. mics 81 Capt. Eeass works sboud have the imnc
the channel at Tho head Of the Passes sAOut be ifc-
vented md Also for the reason that after Capt hads
snould have completed his jeles The opponents of his
system -, Improvement might not I ablo to cirs" mat
Tbs I,nrka5o alteration IN Tic ilror bed ~d' feSi
OF Ids operations
Tho ruh is. Capt Eads says, that tbs sioaiing Is
Jics'iOaGbiy GuN 70 .hc three Important i,cs HDf
giicl have been made since Tac1ts survey OF 1888.
Tlc most pportnnt o. these - Cunis crcyis-e n6ont
5I.rrndoa states in hi, report tat tcro IL eoc4pin;
2 81 ,nos as much water flows through The pass
" Ihe jump" and about nh.s above toe heW Otto
passes. Through tAis SIR hariudrn estimates tha: lie
Iss-tie two together being thus equal t. aDo; Gnf'er
oi The entire d,scarIe9 Of tAe I'S:.sifpl i,;Ver;
miles above EewOriears, through which arre portion
0t ,oi gaugodl OF the rYcr IS dis. harsed into Lake
Gulf OF Mexico Capt Eds states that Ills sbcahA@ al
tho ncad or INC passes VIII mol Pie.en i from rcg
the 80 feet depth OF channel wch hc has undertaken 10
provide, an iat 1t viii ia wise eiat the artHina-
OF lis enterprise lie, however, tiukr that is
matter OF Sreat uupnri:'e for tie pcrlnsucn OF tue
cAEHnc above MS "ofAs tAt steps sbcuIa DO itOiIrty
taken BY tho Government e. Close tlecc outlets Tie
continuance OF the Bonnet Care cIeys.se Mi
result in the destruction of the navigation OF
Lake PomtchsTrain, its waters are now as muddy
apparently those Of The Mississippi Itself Bon Of The
lower ,cyafSes ere through The natural banks ~ the
Mississippi River, ana resulted from Small artificial
canals ting cut through rom the fvcr - tue oyefr
bays in thaIr immediate ,ciny. IAat a. BoAnet Gaze