The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-07-31
THE CITY OF PORT EADS,

Whether 1t VIII ever be anything more than
castle in Spain, or whether the fancies that
have been set afoat concerning the building
of city at the Balize shall ever crystalize
into solid fact is one of the doubtful things
of the day. 1t is pleasant, however, to con-
template such q pc sibihty, and Port Eads
easily arises in the Imagination asa subs tan
tial existence, against which the waves of the
Gulf can not prevail, and with whose perpe-
tuity the mud masses of the Mississippi will
never interfere.
Given river with depth of thirty feet of
water at it's mouth, and $500 miles of free navi-
cation, to say nothing of its almost intermina-
BILE continents, and city at the union of fresh
and salt water seems to be necessity. It is
SO inevitable that it must create itself, and no
rivalry can prevent its establishment. Yet it
is by no means likely that such a city will ever
be established, and the project will go down
to posterity with the dream of the founders
of Martin Chuzz,ewit's Eden, and the plans
of our vast army of Col. Sellers
As is generally the case with such splendid
possibilities, all the arguments are in its ia
vor, and all the facts are against it. Cities
are not built in that way Small towns may
spring into being under artificial pressure,
and may even flourish; but commercial CEN
tiers establish themselves according to their
own idiosyncracies, and frequently seem to
fly right in the face of Providence. The spot
to which the laws of nature appear to point
as the most suitable location for city, is the
very spot upon which the metropolis is GER
tain not to arise.
Everybody will admit that the mouth of the
Ohio was intended by nature as the site of
great city. It was only necessary to overcome
a few disadvantages of location, and the city
would rise like an exhalation. But it never
did, and the most sanguine expectants of Cairo
possibilities have sadly settled down TO the
conviction that there is "nothing in it. :"
Venice grew up among the lagoons of the
Adriatic; but it was village of fishing huts
before it became city of palaces, and the &C.
oretions of commerce caused it to advance
with the rapidity and after the manner OF a
coral bank.
Peter the Great built St. Peters burg; but a
similar imperial power also erected the Pyra-
mids, and both these wonders of mans labor
may be said to have "cost more than they
come to-" Ostia was built at the mouth of the
Tiber, as a necessary shipping port for Rome,
aud was once large and beautiful city, with
the best artifi cial harbor west of Athens; but
its splendor has departed, and there is moth
ing left Of Ostia but few empty houses.
Commerce, like providence, "works in q
mysterious way, its wonders to perform" It's
course may be controlled to some degree, but
all efforts to change 1t result In disastrous
failure.
Aside from these points, which may be
called metaphysical considerations, the ply
steal conditions of site at the mouth of the
Mississippi are such as capital and skill can
scarcely overcome. A solid foundation may
be possible, but its cost would put it out of
the question. And then, it must be remem-
bered that the location is not permanent
one. The mud banks will still be pushing
out into the gulf, and the jetties must be
continually advanced to keep pace with the
constantly changing conditions; so that the
great city would probably be left at consid-
cradle distance from where it ought to be-
before its foundations could be firmly estab-
lished.
If the projectors of Port Eads are really in
earnest, and are not merely erecting q castle
in Spain for their own amusement, there is
but one way for them to go to work. II the
jetties do not exhaust all the willow swamps
in the country, let them construct floating
foundation of wicker work, upon which they
may easily build as big city as it will hold,
anchoring it at the mouth Of the river, and
moving it seward as the mouth advances
This plan presents many and great advan
tages, besides the charm of novelty; but
can not spare space 10 enlarge upon it.