The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-04-14
Interesting Particulars In Re-
gard 10 the Proposed MiHSiS-
NiDDi River Improvement,

"SF. LOUIS, April IA reporter Of the
Republican has Cleaned tho following
facts from Captain Eads, Chief Engineer
Of the Mississippi River at the Southwest
Pass; The jettiOs are made Of willow
twigs. The first thing is to cut the
twigs. They are then bound into bun
dies alled"'iascines." These fascines are
say eight or ten feet In length and NJ
many inches in diameter, though Of course
their size Is varied Ut the convenience Of
the workmen and according to the re.
quiremenR Of theiwork, The fascines
are put together In the form Of a ruff,
like timber logs, towed to the required
spot, and then loaded with stones until
they sink to the bottom. This process Is
repeated with successive RATS until
continuous foundation is laid the entire
length Of tho proposed line OF jetties.
The first or foundation RATS will be from
Is to 100 feet in width, according to the
depth Of the water where they arc sunk,
the deepest water requiring the widest
RATS. AssOOn ~ the foundation Is COM
pleted in this way another limo Of willow
RATS Is sunk on top Of those already
down, and 80 on until the surface Of the
water Is reached, each line Of RATS being
narrower than the one below II until the
topmost line will not be more than 10
feet across. BY this means channel Is
created with sloping sides. Tho water
gradually ills up the intcrsticies between
the twigs with sand and sediment, and in
the course Of u few years the structure be-
comes IA solid as II wal, being III fact u
submarine lcvcu. The stOne-wOrk will
not be elaborate, inasmuch d the rock
will not require any dressing or cutting,
being used mcrelyas weight to sink and
hold the rats in position. But very lit.
tic piIe.wOrk will bo required, and Capt.
Sads said he could not tell until after II
careful survey VI the channel how much
pile.driving would have to he done. lie
did not know how much work would have
to be done ut the head Of the pass in or
der to provide for the proper regulation
Of the volume 0f water in the new chan
mel Mt various stages Of the river, and us
most Of the piling would hNve 70 DO done
| in thia work he could not now determine
its extent. 2.
with respect to tho rclatiyoimorts Of
the two passes, the South and Southwest,
for testing the prnclirability Of his plan,
Captain fSads said that while the securing
Of n permanent channel such Us he con
tcnplatcd through the Southwest Pass
would l,e Of greater commercial advantage
to the country than the channel he could
make under the provisions Of his grant
through the South Pass, yet tie work
would be less difficult and Of much small
or proportions in the latter than in the
former pass. The South Pass Ia more adj
yantageous to his own interests, both pro.
iessional and financial; while q channel
through the Southwest Pass, though more
difficult to make, would he Of greater
commercial advantage to the public and
hence to the Government, hv reason 0i
the greater volume Of the water that
would aow through II, and the leSa veloci-
tyo Of tho current--thc last being an I'M
portant item to nayigatOrs.
The Captain said II WINS his intention
10 give New Orleans and Louisiana as
much Of the benefit Of the disbursements
in prosecution Of the work "a possible, be-
cause no thought the condition Of that
community was such d. to require all the
mid and encouragement that could be NJ
forlcl. The prosecution Of his work
would furnish steady employment 10 at
lcas 1900 men for several years, besides
the additional employment that would he
afforded in carrying materials and sup.
plies.