New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-07
The Fsrt st. Philip Canal.

| before leaving here-says New Orlehn
dispatch Of Sunday-Judge Wheeler, chair
man of the Committee on Commerce. will
visit the passes, and, on returning to Wash
ington, he will make such recommen
as from his personal observations he ma,
think proper. while favoring," adds thu
dispatch, 1.-THE jetty system OF improving
the passes. he will thoroughly canvass the
other means proposed before his return"
Among the ''other MEANS" we hope Judge
Wheeler and the Committee on Commerce
will not forget the claims which the Fort
st. Philip canal has to their consideration,
The subject Of proper outlet for the vast
commerce Of the valley of the Father of
Waters has been discussed in hundred
ways. More than forty years ago the su.
periOr economy of canal to that of the
system Of perpetual dredging necessary to
the mouths of the Mississippi was pointed
out in memorial to Congress, asking to
have survey made to connect the great
river below New Orleans with the Gulf of
Mexico. Since then every year has strength
ened the belief that nothing but a canal
will ever be adequate to the needs of the
country. The various attemps to keep the
passes through which the mighty volume of
united streams, the drainage of the con-
tinent. makes its way to the gulf.
have been attended with signal fail.
ure. In 1887 an elaborate and careful
survey Of the passes and mouths was
made by the engineer crops, and some in
efectual efforts at dredging were under.
taken, but abandoned. In 1852 parallel
jetties we're put down for distance of five
miles at tho mouth Of the Southwest Pass.
and new trial at deepening was begun,
but four years afterward the condition was
as bad as when the work was commenced.
Large appropriations were then made by
the government, and the work was kept
up spasmodically. In 1868 steam dredge-
boats were placed upon the bars forming
in the passes, and by great exertion the
river mouths were rendered partially prac.
ticable for the passage Of large ships. From
time to time, however, vexatiOus DELAYS
Of one or two months have happened to
vessels loaded with valuable cargoes, and
has been very much depressed
by the lack OF tonnage at New Orleans, of
which there would be an abundance if the
facilities for arrival and departure were
better.
The founder OF the project of the Fort St.
Philip canal, Benjamin Bulsson, State en-
yineer of Louisiana. in 1882, not ONLY memo.
'ialized Congress, but he executed a chart
'hOwing that water way six and one.half
niles long, commencing on the left bank of
ne Mississippi, few miles below Fort St. |
ohilip, and entering the sea about four |
niles south of Breton Island, would afford |
afe and easy access to thefiver to vessels |
lrawing twenty feet of water Congress |
.ranted a survey, and the engineers in |
S37 reported that the scheme offered "a
alrer prospect OF certain results than any
ther plan yet agitated for opening the Mis-.
issippi to ships of the lare est class. y Twenty
ears later, NJ Montaign, another noted /
ngineer, brought up the matter again; and
reduced plan for constructing the canal
& one.third the estimates thus far thought
ecessary Meantime came the rebellion
nd the death of NJ. Montaign. and the
cheme was lost sight of once more. Last
ession it came again before the country in
shape, and a bill passed the lower
ouse for canal 200 feet wide at the bot
'm, twenty-five feet deep, to terminals at
ome convenient point in Breton Pass in
ne guilt, to be constructed by, and to re-
lain under the direct control Of the United
tates, but to be free to all nations: not to
ost more than $8,00O,000, and to be com
leted within three years.
The Suez canal cost $99, 0O0, 900: the Fort
;. Philip canal Is to cost only $4,000, 900;
1T it is doubt whether even that might,
at OF modern canal enterprises will be of
~ more benefit to the world at large than
canal from the Mississippi to the gulf.
hich can be built by our home engineers.
it'll materials and machinery easily to be
und within our own domain. The incom-
,rable riches of the Mississippi valley
Ill no longer remain undeveloped when |
q commerce Of the river is unrestricted by
ltural obstacles; the values now locked M
I'd useless will become vital and of I'm
ense benefit to the whole country. More
an 100000 of our population are
rectly Interested in the successful estab.
.nment OF permanent highway from the ,
lsslsslppl to the sea, and the whole |
'tlon can but be the gamer bv
The vast region drained by the {
ghty stream comprises 10000 SQUARE ,
lies, and in 1869 Produced more {
an l,Q00.000,000 bushels of corn, wheat. !
g. oats, barley, buckwheat and pbtatoes.
lrOpe took as much of this as she could | s
t and carry away, and, had the canal :
en- in operation, would have taken a hun .
ed times as much as she did. The grain. | I
ton and tobacco trade will, in We wears +
er the completion of the Fort ST. PhiIin | .
lal, furnish to it as much commerce "a | a
ouez canal can boast OF. The!gOvern- t
mt OF the United States will never have b
s'slon TO regret opening its principal g
nmeTciaI gatewayf.uO all the nations of D
earth. II 1t tnall resolves to build the t,
lai, it Will 90 well to seriously consider 81
wisdom OF following up so good be- .
ming by removing, as speedily de posi- v
, the impediments to the navigation of
main stream of the MississiR pi. No | f,
er material improvement that dould be Il
de Ia the country would pay for itself so ii
ckly and well.-CAicago Inter. Osean. $,
udQA John Annla%c~ Ch:e r -: II i