New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-21
The Triumph of the ,Ieftfes.

|
The Triumph Of the Jetties.
The following appears as special dis
patch from Washington dated January II
in the st. Louis Repub'icon, one of the
organs of Mr.. Eads and the ST. Louis bridge
combination:
Captain Eads came over from New York
last night, and after looking around the
field feels in high feather over the prospects
of his jetty bill. The entire Louisiana
delegation, from which hot opposition came
last year, now has given its undivided sup.
port to the bill, while Mr.. McCrary, OF
Railways and Canals, to which the bill was
referred last session, and one of the most
influential men in the House, has promsed d
to do all he can to put the ietties through
on the double quick. Mr. McCrary has
favored the canal heretofore and was
largely instrumental in getting favorable
report for it into the House last year.
Senator. Window of the Senate committee
which has Captain Eads' bill in charge, is
confident that he can get it through that
body at an early day. with little or no op-
position. Senator West, of Louisiana. will
support the bill. The Senate committee
agreed last year to report the bill, being
unanimously in favor Of it, and they will
present it to the Senate as soon as they are
called. A new rule adopted last Saturday
provides that an hour of each day shall be
devoted to the calling of committees, and
that no committee shall have more than one
day at a time. Under this rule it is
believed that Senator WINDOWS committee
| will be reached in about ten DAYS, unless
the Louisiana debate shall interfere.
No intimation has been received as to
| when the report OF the commission of en-
| gineers will be sent to Congress, but it is
/ ntnl ~, e.
The department and members of the COM
| mission are extremely reticent concerning
| its context but the following is believed to
| be fair statement OF the report.
The commissioners state that they first
took into consideration the relative advan.
tages OF the various plans suggested for the
Improvement of the mouth Of the Missis-
sippi; secondly the practica bility of the diff
terent plans, and lastly the probable cost of
each. They are unanimous that the plan
for providing an open mouth by means of
Jetties is far superior to the canal, if practi-
cable. Upon the question of practicability
five of the six commissioners agree that the
letties will maintain a permanent deep
channel.
Senator Wright dissents from this opinion.
holding that they are impracricable. Upon
the canal the commission is unanimous, all
agreeing upon its practicability. In refer
ence to the cost of the two plans the report
estimates that canal upon the line sur
veyed for the Fort st. Philip canal will cost
$4,000, 600; for the jetties they place the
estimates at So, 900 for the South Pass
and SIG, 600, 900 for the South west Pass. The
report finally concludes that in view of the
superiority of an open mouth to a canal a
majority of the commission recommend the
jetties, and that upon the score of economy
they believe the South Pass presents the
most favorable opportunity tor improve
ment.
These are about all the points Of interest
covered in the preliminary report, but
from outside sources some further interest
ing facts are likely to be brought out in the
examination OF the question by the House
committee. 1t is understood in the first
place that the commission stood five to six
against the jetties when they began the ex-
animation OF the question. and that their |
change OF opinion has been worked in the
face OF this prejudice BY the stern logic of !
facts. There is also good ground for the J
statement that four of them were firmly !
convinced of the absolute impracticability |
of the canal plan, but deferred their views |
on that subject for the sake of getting a |
stronger report from the ietties. 1t is |
thought that the members Of the commits. |
sion will be called before the committee on
Railways and Canals in the House, when |
the facts as to the impracticability of the |
canal will be elected, as we'll as some other
strong points in favor of the jetties, which
were not put in the report because the
different members were not thoroughly in
accord upon them.
Regarding Captain Eads' intentions it
may be stated that he will not change his
at all, but will insist upon the |
OF the Southwest Pass. His |
is to give permanent channel of
a specified depth and maintain it at his own
expense for nine years for sum total of
y l,OO0,OOO He has calculated $20OO,O0O
for deferred interest. as, according to the
terms of his proposition, he will receive no
pay for two years and half after the work
begins. He would do the work for $9,0OOOOO
cash, so that his proposition is to do the
work for little less than half the sum
at which the estimates Of the engineer
commission place the cost. Against
The conclusion of the commission in
favor of the South Pass he states that
the .jetties would give channel width of
but 600 feet at that point and that owing to
ocal peculiarities of the bar it would take
1t least one year mono before the pass
would be ready for use than it would in |
Ease of the Southwest Pass. He proposes to
'mend his proposition to improve the South
vest vest Pass so as to guarantee a width of
oOO feet, three times that of the South Pass. |
he bill now provides for channel 1900 |
COZ "iue. Captaln Eaus VIII remain until |
he report OF the commission is transmitted |
o Congress, anu will then return to St. |
louis. A number Of Western and South
rn members, interested in this matter, |
ave exchanged views on this subject. and
ave agreed to demand the South west Pass
Improvement as the only one commensurate
.ith the magnitude OF the commerce of. the |
fssissi ppi valley.
Pass-a.fOutre.
The following dispatch was received YES