The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-09-08
THE MISSISSIPPrS MOUTHS.
CAPTAIN EADs AND THE JETTY SYSTEM FOB THE


CAPTAIN EADs AND THE JETTY SYSTEM FOR THE
RIVER BAR.
The Advisory Board Commission of Engineers on
the Mississippi Bar Improvement assembled again yes
terda and spent several hours earnest and thorough
consideration Of the important questions before them.
The locating of Captain Eads' jetes and their width
apart having been already acted upon by the Board,
sustaining with very slight deviation, the lines previ-
ously determined upon by Captain Eads the discussion
upon the order and methods OF construction, with
a view to the earliest possible opening of channel
of at least twenty feet for the benefit of naviga-
ton With regard the priority of construction of diff
ferent parts of the work. the Board motion of Sir
Charles A. Hartley, unanimously recommend that the
seats Of both jees and of the spur dixie connecting
the west lefty with the right bank of the lands end be
protected with mattresses throughout their entire
length; that first of all the foundation of the east
jey be secured out to depth of thirty feet and of the
west jety to twenty feet This is done in order that
the caused by the progress of the etties shall
not so away the bottom which they are to rest in
such to delay their construction or rem
der it more costly The Board further recon-
mend that the ety be built the surface of the
water before raising the west jety to the level
aNd that details of the construction of the pier heads
extreme ends OF the jettes be left for con-
sdcraon till the Board meet at the South Pass this
fall
After an attentive examination of the plans of
structon, consisting of combination of willow mat
resses and stone in execution by Captain Eads,
the Board find 1t TO be modification of methods long
in in Holland and elsewhere, and, therefore, not
and untried experiment IL Is essentially the same
applied in the old cttes at the mouth OF the Oder
and also in the jeties at the mouth OF the
Mas River the latter being satisfactory AZ to draw
from the lower legislative body of Holland the decara
ton that 'their complete success has removed all
doubts TO the possibility of making persat sea ON
any coast" 1t is moreover the Board declare, essen
italy the method that adopted by the recent
Commission of Engineers, organized under the act OF
Congress of June % 1874, and which commission, after
examining the mouths of ettied rivers in Europe de-
cided favor of applying the jety system at the mouth
the Mississippi instead OF making ship canal from
the river near Fort st. Philip to Breton Sound.
In regard Bayou Grande, which leaves South Pass
about half way between its head and its mouth, and
which according to the recent survey of Lieutenant
Marindn of the United States Coast Survey carries oil
little over fifth of the water entering the head OF
the Pass the Board advise that nothing be done at
ent until the effect OF the works at the bar with the
present volume of water going out at the mouth oil the
Pass shall be developed.
After the foregoing action the Board proceeded to
consider what works will be necessary at the head OF
South Pass and had this subject under discussion
when the hour of adjournment arrived. 1t will, ne
doubt be taken up again to-day
There were present yesterday Sir Charles A. Hartley,
General Barnard, General Alexander, II. H. Whcombe.
r. r. Sickes and Colonel W. Minor Roberts. 1t Is ex-
pcced that the Board will meet at Port Eads, the new
town at the mouth of South Pass early in November,
for final action the engineering problems involved IN
the large and important work in which Captain Eads and
his associates engaged. So far the Board have
acted they seem to have recognized tho wisdom and
proprety of the plans and methods determined on by
Captain Eads and which he had frankly submitted to
them for examination and criticism in order that there
should no possibility that the public interests or his
The high professional reputation OF the gentlemen com
posing the Board gives great value to their decisions