New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-08-15


small creeks, which causes the trouble
Examples are cited OF low water char
mel seeking one previously occupied onl
at high water, uneoyering gravel du
to old foods, which is washed in
to the low water channel. In al
cases where the bars are habitually ba,
the river is CT unusual width, the regula
bar formation broken up, the heavy deposit
Of gravel remaining. through which tn
low water channel, continually shifting
must torce itself. To improve it is to re
store the curved channel way, which vii
separate the channels. leaving the high
water to deposit its gravel where it will dc
its usual amount, and the reach shortened
to increase the slope and velocity. Dredg
ing would be beneficial on the low water
channel.
| Navigation is deteriorating because the
floods are shorter and more violent. the in.
crease Of cultivation causing the water to
! run into the river sooner than from the
tough prairie sod whrre it was once retained
as reserve. Violent freshets bring down
! greater masses Of matter, and greater
erosion of banks occur. A wholesale revet-
ment of the banks would infallibly raise
the bed and cause inundations. The influx
OF sand from above must be stopped and
the river allowed to clear Itself. The man
ner that boats are run up and down tho
stream is detailed, and examples gwen of
breaches, or where the "bar cuts out" and
all boats pass through the gap. A fall may
be advantageous in this case, and rise
detrimental by filling up the cuts.
No work should be allowed that will in.
terfere with the present navigat alton, or pre-
vent the use OF the chutes. To increase the
small depth on tho bars the velocity must
be increased. There is always sufficient
water to form and maintain channel if a
proper amountoof contraction is applied.
All channels through the bars will be filed
up when the sand waves move. The object
must be to hasten il 80 the channel will al
ways be in the same location, be formed
promptly and have tho necessary depth.
The points offering most resistance will be
found in the high water channels, and it
"VuAA 40 pAOpCb W 6VUlu CuSec ana ulreCI the
new channel where lighter ma terials are to
be moved. Tho dime nsions should not be
great, lest the pool above be drained of too
rapidly. The rule is that the discharge over
the bar is not to be increased, but a portion
cut OFT and forced through it. The works
for this purpose will consist Of dykes built
out from one or both shores. One of sew
eral channels may bs closed by q dam,
allowing both ends Of the dyke to be Sc.
cured, and choosing the flood channel.
Tho height of the dykes should be as low
as possible, sufficient to deflect the water
before its volume and securing capacity
are too much diminished; ten feet above
extreme low water being considered enough
They have to be made of eand or gravel,
with q broad bed of brush, and above
layers OF brush. secured by stones, and the
root secured ct the bank. Dredging chan
nels. with heavy deposits. will be OF ad van
tage.
large extent of bank must be prote cted,
and this will be the most expensive feature
Stone dyke or reyetment is costly. but ex.
pertinent may show q cheaper fDeans
Security demands the removal Of snags and
wrecks, and fleet Of boats kept for the
purpose. The wrecks may be removed in a
few seasons. Between New Orleans and
Cairo, 81 miles, are fOrty-three localities
where less than ten feet channel depth may
be expected at low water; thirty five only
eight feet; twenty-five less than seven:
loco -;
than five. At all of these places five to
twelve miles Of river must be improve |
Some work must be tried before the whole |
plan be pronounced feasible a. any reason
able cost, as there is no experience on which |
t. base a decMion. The dykes will cost |
nearly as much as the revetment, as they
must be prevented from separating from
the banks, and the banks prevented from
caving. Fifty to sixty feet OF water is often
found at the banks.
The success of the improvement depe nds
on the stability Of the dykes, the PREACHER.
Gus bed guarded by brush, over as largo an
area as possible. well ballasted by stone
and secured by piles. This will cause
greater erasion Of the banks, which may
be guarded by proper precautions. The
current is to make a channel and keep it,
the first being the most difficult, the latter
The most important. The preliminary work
should be largely performed by dredges,
after the channel is formed it will only be
Tiled with light material easily swept out
~ the actions Of the dykes.
Major Suter concludes by recomm ending
hat nothing be done until a thorough and
exhaustive survey of the river be made.
lie considers depth of ten feet at all
tages possible. but that the cost would be !
If the work were commenced |
Without this knowledge, and tho final cost
argely increased. The proper course is to
make the improvement gradual, and
Fepth Of six feet only attempted at first. A
urvey from Cairo to Red river wo uld cost
~, 900, and he recommends al appropria-
ion Of 100000 to be applied As an expert
aent between Cairo and Memphis.
4 New Boat Club.
The merchants q. the New Basin. Mag
ola Bridge. have organized new boat
Tub. tc be called the Basinsides, and have !
btained permission from the lessee of the
Jew Canal, Mr.. Duncan +. kenner, to |
uild boathause at the bridge. They
ropose to erect building sixty feet long
v twenty feet wide, and will have it com.