The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-05-12
The Eads Reception at the St
Charles Hotel.

Long before 7:3O o'clock, the hour fixed
for the reception of Capt. Eads by the various
commercial bodies Of our city, the fotunda OF
the st. Charles presented quite lively ap-
pearance. The balcony was crowded with
many Of our leading merchants and financial
men, discussing the jetty question. When
the hour arrived, those assembled Adjourned
to Parlor P. There were present large dele
cations from the Merchants Exchange, Got
ton Exchange, Ship and Steamship Associa-
ton, crowding the Parlor to its fullest
capacity.
Hon. G. w. R. Bayley. entering the room
arm in arm with Capt Eads, formally intro
duced the Captain to those present.
Gen. Cyrus Bussey stepped forward, and on
behalf Of the bodies Of the respective COM
mittees represented, welcomed him to our
city.
He said that although the jetty system had
not been q favorite scheme with the citizens
of New Orleans, they were now Of different
opinion. The professional men who have e1-
amined into the subject have pronounced
against our former opinions, and the visit OF
last night he said was to show Capt Eads that
the people of New Orleans yielded to his
opinion. He then closed with the earnest
wish that the Captain would be as free visitor
to the homes of our citizens as to those of st.
Louis
He closed with an eloquent and earnest
welcome to the great engineer, and intro
duced Mr.. w. G. Raymond, who, advancing,
said:
Capt. Eads:
mercial interests of New Orleans especially
as the representative of the merchants whose
commerce is with the great West, whose in.
terests and prosperity are intimately involved
in the success of the great enterprise OF
opening and deepening the mouth OF our
noble river.
We have had our discussions, warm and
earnest, over the relative value Of the canal
or jetty system-some OF us so warmly as to
engender bitter prejudice against one or the
other of these schemes; but in the retro
spect of these antagonistic views l can only
see the heartfelt yearnings of once prosper
Gus. but now sadly depressed community, for
the adoption of some feasible plan by which
the commerce of every nation might ever and
safely find its ingress and egress to the
vharyes of our lovely Crescent City, and bear
awav the tributary wealth of half continent
in exchange for the products OF other lands.
And in the providence of God to you, sir,
there seems to have been committed the solu.
ton Of this problem. Inspired, it seems by
investigations that have carried your convic-
tons to mathematical conclusions. you have
staked your honor and reputation, and
pledged the wealth of your supporters to the
success Of the jetty plan. The Congress OF the
! United States has given it their support, and
now YOU come amongst us as the protector
and, as we most cordially hope, the success
full executor of this system.
| Our puny preiudices bow in respectful rev.
erence before the conclusions of men whose
lives have been devoted to this and kindred
problems, and as merchants and citizens OF
the great Mississippi Valley, we most heartily
wish you God speed in the completion OF q
work which will loose the fettered commerce
| Of the great West aud leave to us as it passes
| by the ingathering of richer harvest OF solid
commercial prosperity than ever filled the
horns of the Crescent City.
Capt. Eads replied:
Geutleme,,-I am exceedingly grati6ed at this
exhibition of your kindly feeling, but have
done nothing as yet to merit this flattering
testimonial Of your high regards, and it is
knowledge of this that am unable to respond
as could wish. / cannot fail to see now
how great an interest your people all take in
this great project This sssemblage, this
evening, here, is ample evidence of it.
To guard against the possibility Of failure
in the work before me, gentlemen, after
securing the valuable services OF your dis,
Il tinQuished citizen, G. W. oR Bayley, l shall
i cali to my aid others skilled in engineering,
20
A. Hartley, from whom to-day / received
Telegram Announcing the fact that he would
assist me in my labors if it became necessary
In NV conversation to-day with the business
men of your city, have learned and now
thoroughly appreciate that your people are
suffering from dearth of business ana the
dire effects of the distractions at the mouth
of the Mississippi River.
Your commerce has flown from you anc
there is great need that something should bt
, done, and that speedily, to remedy this
, Your laboring men are lacking work and you
mechanics employment, all OF which trus
| will come at an early date.
have with me q gentleman whose ability
J and rare resources, under difficulty, have
, tried. I refer to, of course, Col. Andrews
whose labor in st. Louis tunneling the street.
md sinking the piers, have amply testified
, his great capacity, and to him win be left tn
, lmatter of adjusting the labor.
! Il beg of you, gentlemen, if there be nov
any doubling Thomases amongst your citi
zens, ask that they be patient, and if God il
His providence permits me, before the countr
celebrates its Centennial, your commerce shal
, | be disenthralled from the incubus now restin
, !, upon il, and your city reacquire its pristin
glory as the great metropolis the Southwest
[Applausssl
a When Capt. Eads had ceased speaking ther
! was general interchange OF opinions by a
j present, and many Of our leading men wei
. individually introduced. From the tenor
q all the remarks it win be seen that Capt Fac
Q has overcome sea Of opposition, and has 81
listed hosts Of advocates for his plans WI
o we're enemies to it before.
o FrNr OID WHrsK1Es.-The vhiskies OF
n m GA T. ~ ~ T.ouisvi1le XIV. have won