, 1875-02-08
Tic Fort 81. Philip Canal aud the
Eads Jetty Plan.
Bearings Of The Subject On The Cheap
Transportation Question.
Alleged Sharp Practice on the Part Of
st, Louis,
BY Which Chicago is to Be Deprived Of
Gulf Outlet,
While st, Louis Trades with Mexico
and South America Through
Galveston.

Galveston,
Special CorYt.rondenr. n we Ghfta4" Tribune.
NEW ORLEASs Jan. 31.--TAs Doatd of EEEi-
1feers appointed by the Ire lident 10 inquire M
10 the hest method Of improving the cntranco to
the mississippi Eiyer from tue Gnlf OF Mexico,
has reported IN favor OF the iesty plan ns OPP
posed to the plan Of tho Fort st. Fhilip Canal.
1t may not bo unl1lte,esting 10 the rcaders Of
TnE Tn1DESE to learn Romo few facts in relation
to this question, and the bearing Which its sulu-
ton will l,ayo upon tie people Of the Weat and
particularly upon the business interests Of CHI
cago.
THE nAd.
The present condition OF the mouth Of the
Mississippi il pretty generally known. II Is I'M
possible for vessel drawing 20 feet Of watcr,ex
ecpt under extraordinary circumstances, to csoss
tho bar. This tar is formed Of the sediment
which ia brought down III sucls largo quantities
by the river. and which, comin; in snadon corr
tact with tho sl talt water Of the Gu,', fails to
tho bottom, aud gradually aecumusates until
Ut tho outer edgoa hank ID mada, whlto
tho bar spreads out in the shape Of fan. There
nro but two Of tho pnsses which MIC now USED
Southwest Pass and pahs-a.rO rOutre. There
would normally bo about IL or Ii feet Of water
on the bar Of each Of tl,css ra1scs tic year
roun14 in case no artificial means waa employed
to tlcepen Il. curious feature is the tact that
wien tho river il discharging the gfcatce.
amount of water there is the least dcrth OH tho
bur. This results from tho tremendous amount
OF hed!nie,it which IL brought down during the
highest stages Of the river.
ruEsEsr METHOD OF IMPROVEMENT.
The method at present employed fCs lucreas-
ing tue depth il by stirring up the usrd At tho
bottom Of the 1iyrr By the powerful 1re1Re-
buats, the McA1cater md the Ereasona, which
the current tales up and carEea ofI The drtt!gc
boats nre constructed with powerful propeller
whtel at oaeh eisn of il4o beat-are III fact, n
sort Of doubla-cuaed Propeller. Tic wheel at
the bow of tho boat nsIrs Np the mud, Wills
that Of the esesn'puthcB tho boat ahead. lr
thia means q cla'lsel il kept open rauElng floul
II to - foot This IL an expensive plan, and.
willis 1t IL partial relief 1t III by ho means sats-
factory. III order to carry rlain with Jruiit.
VESSELS sho,itd 10 ablu to luaa 10 the exteut Vi
z. to II feet.
TIE PROPOSED urf1rps or IMPROVEMENT.
The remedies ~l,lrh havo been proposed
for tlB state OF afrars il vol known, are tho
Fort St. Philip Canai plan Of Capt. Z. ".
Howell. y. $. Engineers, aud the 3ctty plau of
] Capt. ]. i. Ends, of st. Louis. Capt. Howell
tue mouth 0f thu river for the paat six years.
| II MSS he vino piapncd and carried ollt
| tho breaking up uf tho He'd RIVER rift,
! and he is INV successfully deepening
! lilo eutrancc to Galveston narlor. CAEt.
| lads IL lest krown az tho architect aud builder
Of t!lo grent bridSe ut st. Luuis, which, although
it il s.lrcehs ~ billge. III HI fur lhat puols,
hoteea wagons. aud tralns Of CATS can cross It.
was, by toine straneo error. built with ntches 10
Iuw that s,eau,er5 Of tho first clnsH ct szs a,u
unablu to tasa under 1t at higl, stages Of thp
river, snn indeed. believe, at ali tsnus, 10 tat
| tho Board Of Army EnsAleers propose the build
| iHE Of canal arolinl t4o lrtlEa to remedy Tic
ev. At present it is necessary TO unload aud
! transfer freight.
| TIE FORT IT. PHILIP CANAL.
| The proposition Of Capt. Howell WAS to build
a cana! from the river hlnrt distance below
Fort 81. Philip to tho open water ,n lreton Isl
j and l'ass. which olcns INTO the Gulf. There is
but narrow strip of land DetweeIl the river mud
Tie Gulf iron the forB 10 the. month. where tho
different 11asses or branches VI the river have
little harrow Htnph on each side Of
point which WIS de4ienatc1 by Capt
Howell WAS only or miles of land. md in al
miles from dtep watcr in tic river to 20 feet of
water III Nretou Island l'ass. Thus tho canul
| at tue river end Of the canal, and tho canal was
10 10 filled with tho ealt- Of tue Gulf. The
[ river water. which would 10 used III tho lcck,
WAS TO ne carried out BY slnico-way. and not be
lot into tla cana1, to avoid tho sedimeutaly de-
/ positH Of the rTcr water.
in regard to tho feasibility OF building canal
at t!lls iuiut tlelo 1s not In,1c reasell 1or doubt,
Army, I'm 0 cumrosca - ut Ueus. Newton M 'TN We,tzel ]
barnard. Gilmore, Warren, Craivhtll. sud Howell
1witi, one oxccptiun)-un autAauty certainly IN
! Hst,oI M Lis nrrseut nuagI-,,n,la Il roI,ort
! II fayor Of tuy ratlal al ,Lu Mst nos.
Kim, tf Cnurrasa, Tie statement. tbat thn
fnrnatfou Of I5,nl iu of 40 unstable rhnractrr
! that tho foundations fur sucl, leoyv v.,rks M n
ia.'. ro,tlt not l." tn,ul ara rot topnbIa ill., III
j Mnrss ot Fort 81. 1'h,iin ar, vory honxv i,daeJ
a1a yot thoy Layo % not sunk from rirIit, As N,
..;,leyce of ti,n m,'.nr,,y md ,nrn,'s,atenrv n
,a ch0rca "a ~ ~ ,o ns1 :, r riia.ns "a niy ba
sa;i inat shont y,.sr sr, ti,ny rr's,stri AHA.
nt In,] Hnl;o;,a a - 20. ,na,o ~, tL III :, nf
i T,'"rsssi th.t rcr,o;,, uart;o. had ,u,r.
! c,,"naa t,o tn,,1. I'm, nenr tIe ' ,,rois.l
liza NJ Tho "n,a rur +tn 1,,rnnso nr hniI,,t,,, n
n'y ,i'ora n,t.i shat Nav fIrjrnns wos ~ hn icft
M IN li," cnl,i r. waa r1u,,cI AMI clrcmI,tr'
~, III. tv ~ +1,a ,r1,otn nr .rrti,,1 on,,na,.
.,om ~ I'm ~ s'o .o canal IN n,n If crso tn" IL
! fnu,,dntiou a"",vt % fnr eitv tl,eIeN,f xhfc1, T
hnxo ~, ,l"uh,M,iloro IL coTt,luiy eno,,r tn,tn.
I"t,on ~ ~ h';id in.,, ,rho ,,rascnt iI,or5 ,3o
.nt rn,sost n',,r.t Via |r,.,,,,itt,. -, ti,o
rnua1 Thcv n,ix ''iys ~" Il ~ ticr n,uulon lint