New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-14

| DreaLn OI the macnlne, ana without It's
help the locomotive-engine, as we see it to-
day, would be An utter impossibility.
1t is a difficult and tedious matter to get
up steam on locomotive, and all round
houses are provided with special means for
temporarily lengthening out the chimney
until the fire is got fairly burning After
steam is ence raised the fire is kept up by a
jet of live steam in the chimney when
standing still, and by the fierce blast of the
exhaust steam when in motion.
So much for the facts which Mr.. Eads
asserts completely disprove this first state
ment of the board"
Before leaving the subject the board
wishes to state that the whole choice be-
tween natural and artificial draft is pretty
much matter of dollars and cents. To
run or fan a blowing machine uses up q
steam blast reduces the power Of the en-.
gines by back pressure on the pistons; the
steam jet uses live steam from the boiler,
and hence appears the most costly of all;
finally, natural draft requires the expendi-
ture of fuel for heating the air in the chin.
ney. Where the choice is unrestricted, the
cheapest and most efficient method would
naturally be adopted.
1t should. however, be stated that while
all artificial means Of producing draft in
volve direct expense, natural or chimney
draft may be created by heat, which would
otherwise go to waste. When this is the
case, it is unquestionably the cheapest and
best, and from the universal preference
given it by river men the board Judge that
the proper conditions for it's economical use
are obtained by them. n
A very important argument in favor of
tall chimneys is afforded by the fact that
the sparks thrown out Of short chimney
by powerful draft are very great source
Of danger, as hay, cotton. and similar
bulky and highly cOmbustible materials
form very important item of river freight.
extinguished before they reach the top or
| else are thrown clear of the boat.
The next question discussed by Mr. Eads
is the practicability of raising or lowering
large chimneys with facility and dispatch.
He Gays that it is perfectly feasible, at
an expense of from $1,000 to $500. This
statement may or may not be correct, but
there is no proof of it other than the state
ment itself and q document signed by "thir-
teen experienced steamboat captains" As
the apparatus recommended is not stated
| to be in use, and presumably has been
invented by Mr.. Eads or some friend of
| his. it must be received with the usual
discount due the statements Of inventors.
The real difficulty is not in raising or low
| ering a new chimney at wharf, but in
handling one not new and under the pres
sure of winds. When chimneys are raised
on steamboat under construction it is
done at favorable time, when there is
no wind, and while the chimneys have
their maximum strength. When ence up,
they are secured as firmly as possible by
chain-guys, but even this precaution does
not prevent them from being occasionally
blown overheard. These guys must be
cast off before the chimneys can be low
cred. They are thus left unsupported,
and would probably go overheard
if much wind were blowing. There
fore boat arriving in windy weather, at
lowered, would either have to risk losing
them overheard or else wait until the wind
abated, and might thus be detained for
DAYS at time.
The thirteen experienced steamboat
captains have been paraded at consider
able length as river men who are in favor
of the bridge.
OF the steamboatmen who frequent this
port, which is probably second only to New
Orleans in the amount of it's commerce, the
bridge authorities have only been able to
produce one esteamboatman, Captain Green,
who ls now in active service. His opinion
is, of course, entitled to respect. but sll the
others either left the river about the time of
the war. or are now out of employment.
The value of the opinions of ex-river men
on this point may be estimated, when it is
known that before the war the only
bridges across the Ohio were at Steuben-
vile and Wheeling; the only ones across the
Upper Mississippi were at Clinton and Rock
Island; and there were none over the Mis-
souri, or the main Mississippi. The nearest
bridge on the Upper Mississippi was 347
on the Ohio was 1917 miles distant.
The board do not think it their province
to enter on the question Of possible changes
in the character of river vessels. Opinions
will differ on such points, and speculations |
on possible changes are of little value.
Taking the navigation as it is and as 1t |
,cas before the later bridges arere built, it |
seems reasonable to suppose that the
character of construction, which is the |
result of fifty years experience, is that |
which best meets the requirements of the |
trade which it accommodates. They there
fore take for granted that there are sound |
practical reasons for having elevated pilot |
houses and high chimneys.
MIR. Eads entirely misrepresents the posi-
tion of the board on the subject of wide
and narrow spans. He states that they |
have come to the following conclusions:
II. Lights placed on an arch fifty feet
above high water are of no greater assis-
tance."
This they maintain to be absolutely true,
but nevertheless they recommended the es-
of lights on the bridge because
they are of some little service, and there |
fore they proposed using their help for what
it is worth. Something must be done to
help find the middle of the span, and al
though the remedy is an imperfect one, it is
yet the only thing that the patlry construc-
ton OF the bridge will permit, and therefore
they recommended it.
"2. Greater head-room for passing boats
g Indispensable"
This they also maintain, and in defense of
,he proposition they quote Mr.. Eads him.
'elf. In the report of the proceedings Of
Louis in May, 1873, page fifty, the following
resolution was introduced by Mr. Eads:
81. That the vast commerce depending on
he Mississippi river for cheap transpOrta-
ion demands that no artificial obstruction
)e permitted in it's channel, except upon the |
most urgent necessity, and that no bridge |
hOuld be authorized across it below st. |
louis having spans over the stream of less
width than 500 feet, and clear height of
twenty-five feet above high-water mark
hOuld be preserved under the centre OF the
of such BRIDGE
This was his opinion about any future
,ridge, but he thinks that his own bridge
reed only be forty. and halt feet
Ibove high water, and that only at the
middle of an arch, deviation from which
xact point might insure the destruction of
passing boat. The excellent principles
which he applies to others he is unwilling {
0 have applied to himself. The board are !
decidedly of the opinion, That either the
ridge under question should have been of
his height above water throughout the
pan, or else should have been built with a
raw. A more Objectionable form than the
ne adopted could scarcely have been de- +
sed. t
'.3. Piers $40 feet apart are too wide to 7
erve as guides" ,