The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-08-26
=, ,,,.s;as,npi and its 3 Mouths,


supporfed-yiz The canal from fort 81.
philip to the Gulf, and the system OF Jetties
nronosed by Captain EADEs, OF St. Louis, the
engineer Of the bridge over the Mississippi
ut that city. The latter was finally preferred,
and the bill authorizing the improvement Of
the Mississippi was passed.
We see from an article in the New YORK
Tribune that Captain EADEs commenced n's
undertaking 10 June, and has PROGRESSED
with the most signal success up to the pres
ept time. The channel has deepened so ra.
pidly that 1t is calculated that before the
present near ends the largest ships ever
tsseen In New York harbor can enter the
"south Pass at any time and proceed WITH
scout delay to New Orleans"
CAPTAIN EADEs has selected the South Pass
az tina, most favorable for bis operatlons'
The plan of the Captain is simple. It's ob'
iect is to coufne the current within narFo"
channel BIZ straight parallel walls so proper
',;oned in width to the current as TO give ia
cilty to its passage and cause scour tna.
will remove the bars that have obstructed
the channel, Something like this system OF
ie,tles had been tried In our rivers, out theie
was ALWAYS d tongue of silt formed at 'he
,o,,.r erd If the pass intended to deepen the
channel. For that reason Captain EADEs pau
,y.s received with doubtand hesitation. Buta
lefty constructed in Underwater, where the
current flows by turns in opposite directions
i very different affair from one built IN
river with the current running all the time
IN one direction. Yet, even in this sort Of
river. were the work continued into deep
water, it is likely tie difficulties that formerly
arose would not be caused.
Captain FADES vas one of the members OF
the commission seut by the Government 10
Iurope 10 examine river and harbor improve
ments. Major WHlTCoMB. OF this city, was
also n member Of that commission. he states
Tint he saw some remarkable improvements
in navigation accomplished by these Jctties'
such us deep channels cut by the securing
Of water sufficiently confined to increase It's
force-chaunels deepeued in brief time That
would have required vast deal of labor and
time TO dredge TO the same depth. Upon this
plan the channel of the James river is now
in process of being deepened, and we are
happy TO say that it is working well.
In two months time it is reported that an
increased depth of seven feet has been
aehleyed at the head of the works ut the
mouth OF the Mississippi. Captain EADBs
built the artificial walls of the river with
bload, fat MATTRESSES OF willow brush lsshed
together and anchored to al interior row OF
piles. Tire mattresses are forty feet VIDE
and TWO feet thick, locked together with
crcss.bars and hickory pins. 1t is stated
that, anchored to the piles, the mattresses Sc
ill with sediment that they sink to the DOT
tom. and the sediment go gathers upon them
a. to m Ike them more solid and enduring
than the natural bank. The piles assist te
hold the mattresses, and they again protect
the plles.
OF the preliminary line of piles $3.50 fee
b I'VE been driven on the east jetty and 1890
feet On the west. The mattresses are laid at
tn. rae Of 800 linear feet per day. The
sediment rapidly deposited upon them 6J
the Mississippi anchors them more firmly
tnan il would be possible TO anchor them by
any artificial means.
Under the law Captain EADEs gets GER
tain sum when he deepens the channel to
twenty feet, al additional sum when the
depth is twenty-five feet, and so on up to
thirty feet Twelve months after each pre-
scribed depth further sum is paid il thai
depth is maintained and 100000 per an
nun is to he paid for twenty years tor main
tanning and extending the works to preserve
required depth.
The rapid wearing away Of the bars where
The iet,es are made has filled the people o
New Orleans with satisfaction, and the nigh
est expectations are cherished with regard tt
the success of the plan. We are mucl
pleased ut these statements. An immense
population are interested in them. The Mis-
sissippi has ever been ar object ofinterest will
our greatest statesmen. For the sake of that
river Mr. CALHOUN WAS ready to have made a
gceat concession from his Ststes'.rights princi
pies, and other distinguished statesmen
JACKSON, CLAY, BENTON, and others-eve
watched the interests Of the Mississippi wilt
a jealous eye. The Federal Government
can hardly by any other single improvement
benefit so many people as she could by giVin,
entrance and exit for the largest sea.goin
vessels into and from the Mississippi.
4 In considering the Southern Pacific rail
road We cannot forget the immense import
apce of satisfactory communication viii
the Gulf from New Orleans. Could heay.
freights find easy shipment at New Oriean
it would be a saving OF thirteen huDdre
miles compared with railway route to Ees
York. Twenty-Five or thirty.feet waite
from New Orleans to sea would have pow
ertuI effect upon the tranSccntinental CON
merce by the Pacfic route, and we shall b
glad to see il. The Crescent City is entitled
by geographical position to the cream of tina
commerce, and she ought TO have it.
In considering her prospects we must re
member that that golden commerce is no
TO be shot through tube five nor four ter
eight Dda-half inches in diameter. Onl,
Missionaries pirate about controlling 1t through
the walliEg it in, so 10 speak, by moral jetties
That trade will be for tue people on both
oceans, and for the vast communities dwell.
Ing between them. 1t canno, be cribbed
and eonfusd by the cuonipg aud strategy of
any railroad kings, big or little. 10 regard
TO this matter, what is intended for mankind
is not to be SO misappropristed to the ag-
prandizemsnt of q few vain persops.