New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-16
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
Tho Improvement of Southwest Pass
Recommended.

Tho Improvement of Southwest Pas
Recommended.
A special meeting of the Chamber {
Commerce was held last evening, with thi
teen members present. In the absence c
the president and vice president, Mr.. L. j
Highly called the Chamber to order. an
moved that Mr.. j. NJ. Sandidge take tn
chair.
General G. T. Beauregard stated that tn
object of calling the meeting was that tn
board of engineers, which had recent,
been examining the mouth of the rivelP ha,
recommended that South Pass be improved
instead of Southwest Pass, for the ayowed
reason that the improvement could b,
made at less expense. 1t had been sug
gested that an expression of opinion by tht
Chamber of Commerce might have a favor
able effect on Congress in the direction o1
inducing that body to change the
Dill now pending before it. South Pass
might, perhaps, answer the present pur
poses OF commerce, but the business of this
city would in the future undoubtedly re-
quire larger outlet. In 1852 he had been a
member Of board Of engineers to inyesti
gate the condition of the mouth of the
river. That board in its report recon.
mended three methods of Improvement
The first was by dredging, the second by
| Jettles, and the third was the Fort
st. Philip canal plan of Lieutenant
Chase, now deceased. The report was
very elaborate, and he had the
honor of making the drawings and designs
himself. Unfortunately the report was
never acted upon. A board of eminent
civil and military engineers had gone over
the same ground during the last year. and
had even extended their investigations to
an examination of the different rivers of
Europe. They had recommended the i'm.
provement of the river mouth by ietties.
AS an engineer he was willing to accent
their decision. with the exception that he
thought the interests of commerce required
that Southwest Pass should be improved
instead of South Pass. In view of
the probable future wants of the
country and the coming generation.
he did not think the Chamber should
hesitate to recommend the improvement
which it deemed most advantageous to their
commercial interests. As an eppineer ba
did not exactly agree with the board in the
manner OF constructing the jetties. He
thought the manner recommended by the
board OF 1852 of constructing spur ietties
was preferable. That, however, was only
his private opinion, which he had no desire
to press upon any one. He had prepared
preamble and resolution, which he thought
it proper for the Chamber to pass.
The resolution is as follows:
WHEREAS, The special board of engineers
appointed by the general government to
consider and decide upon what plan should |
De adopted for obtaining deep channel to |
connect the Mississippi river with the Gulf |
OF OF Mexico, have advised the jettying of one |
OF the river mouths or passes, giving the |
preference to the South Pass, instead Of the
Southwest Pass, because it was deemed
but mot on the ground that r.
would offer as good and desirable a nayipa-
flon for ocean vessels as would the South
west Pass" and
whereas, The present prospective COM
nerclal interests and necessities of the mil.
ions VINO are and will be inhabitants of the |
valley and the dictates of wise
economy demand that that channel should
,e improved, which alone will suffice for all
he wants OF commerce; therefore be it
Resolved by the Chamber of Commerce
It New Orleans, That our Senators and
representatives in Congress be and they
re earnestly requested to urge upon Con-
ress the Improvement of the Southwest
Ass instead Of South Pass
Mr.. Highly thought that at this late day.
nd with the small attendance at the meet
ng, 1t was hardly in keeping to press their
Jews on the subject upon Congress. The
oard had recommended the improvement
South Pass, and he thought they might
eply that they understood their business
etter than eight or ten men Of the New
'rleans Chamber of Commerce. He be-
eyed that canal might now have been
ell under way had it not been for one :
IAN IN Washington. He had prepared the
blowing resolutions, which he offered as a :,
Institute for that Of General Besuregard: =
Rcsodsed, That this Chamber of Commerce
as the utmost confidence in the ability and
tegrity of the late board of United States i
,gineers and their report in favor of the r
'uth Pass being improved so as to give
lr commerce thirty feet of water with the /
asst expense and time of completion.
heSOtred. That our Senators and Repre-
ntatlves In Congress urge the government
carry out the report of the late board of g
lglneers for improving the mouth of the | J
river.
AT this juncture another member entered
q chamber, which increased the number
esent to fourteen.
Mr.. Bayley spoke to the merits of the
'estion as to which of the two passes it y
as best to have improved. He was
rongly in favor of Southwest Pass.
Mr.. G. w. Coyle said the boat in terests q
Duld be in favor of the improvement of
uthwest Pass. South Pass was too mar .
W tor the present uses of commerce.
Mr.. Sandidge, in the chair, also spoke in IL
vor OF recommending the improvement of
uthwest Pass.
The vote was then taken on Mr.. Iigby,s q
bstltute, that gentleman casting the soli- d
~ vote which was recorded in its favor. 81
was declared lost. o
General Beauregard's original resolution =,
ls then adopted, with one dissenting jo
ice-that of Mr.. Highly. D.
The fourteen gentlemen then went away. -,
Mechanics' Institute. ~
It will be seen by the Senate's proceedings :"
yesterday that Senator Whitney intro
ced concurrent resolution, which passed
Senate, instructing the Attorney Gen. l.
II OF the State to take such action as NAV