New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-04-23
River Engineefing.


Last night, while deeply bordering over
the great problems in hydraulic engineer
ing that have been recently brought from
darkness into light by the unaided efforts
of superlative American genius, our old
friend Rip Arisn, in his usual hearty man
ner, burst in upon us. We were doubly
glad to see Rip; first, because he is genial,
whole-souled gentleman; second, because
our neighbor of the Times was ono prsc-
tical planter ahead of 10 on engineering.
Rip is planting on the upper coast, and,
therefore, knows all about hydraulics.
hydrostatics and hydrodynamics. When
We grssped his horny hand, We felt
that We were in duty bound to our read
ers to draw out his views about levees,
cutofs, outlets, high and low water planes,
material in suspension. currents, eddies,
crawfsh and jetties. After the usual salu-
tations, we quietly opened ON Rip with the
following:
"Does your lifetime residence on the
banks of the mighty Mississippi justify you
in saying that the amount of material car
ried in suspension by its waters is directly
proportional to the velocity of its current,
modified by its depthl"
Rip looked grave, thoughtfully reached
for his engineering, and after short 81
lence answered:
II am q peaceable citizen Of Catalonia
parish, as you know; don't seek q diff
Guilty with any man. An old friend like
you, of course, is privileged to ask such a
question; but what in hi do you mean by
modified by depthT"
We explained to him that recent discov.
cries in hydraulics had been made by per-
sons walking on the bottom of the Missis-
sippi, and that . new school Of engineers,
now springing up and claiming that for
two centuries or more hydraulic engineers,
in forming their theories of the sediment
bearing capacity of rivers, had ignored
the modifying influence of depth.
There was q twitching about the corner
of Rips eye as he said:
"Well, always thought those old
fellows were surface engineers - they
put too much braggadocio in the
newspapers; but to answer your ques-
ton can only say that the only
thing that feel sure is modified by depth
is the contract with the South Pass Jetty
Company"
As if satisfied with this witty evasion of
our question, Rip roared uproariously and
put himself again in good humor. So we
ventured to ask:
"What do you think about Strengthening
the river by few judicious cut-offs, and by
this means setting Cairo on hill, so to
speak?"
"Well," said Rip, with renewed &C.
robustness, ~ am not interested in
setting Cairo on hill, but I'll tell you
what will happen if any fellow attempts to
cut off the bend just above my plantation,
he will either first buy me out and buy out
all my neighbors, or else he will be treated
to q dose of buckshot. My little all is in
vested in that plantation. The Mississippi
takes little bite every year, but with the
help of good levees it will last my life time,
and the lifetime of my children, while if q
cutoff is made just above me the planta-
ton will all 60 into the river in few years;
perhaps in q few months. My neighbor in
the bend above would be injured by cut
off, because it would leave him many miles
from water transportation. So l think he
would Join me in the buckshot business.
Tell your UtOpian, speculative engineers
who feel like fooling with the Mis-
sissippi river, at the sole risk of the ripa-
rian planter, that it will be dangerous"
Rip appeared so much excited that we
thought it best not to ask him about the
crawfish and 'muskrats now boring his lev
ees, go we branched off on the jetties.
Siad we: "What do you think about jet
ties9"
His face lighted up; he slapped his hand
on his knee, and spoke out, in his usual
CHEEKY style: Magnificent enterprises! dar-
ing adventures! grand success. The New
Orleans special of the Catahoula Trumpet
reports that q thirty foot vessel could now
pass from the head of South Pass to the
Gulf, but for one sh0al, all that remains of
the great bar to our commerce. There are
but two shoals that will not allow the pass
age of . twenty-f00t vessel, aud when an.
other inch lie secured of, . fifteen-foot YES
eel in South Pass may 20 to sea without
much detention. Our people have much to
rejoice over!'
Rip here suddenly remembered that he
had an engagement to meet friend, and
bidding Us good by, abruptly left.
Try your luck.
Try your luck.
Try your luck.
Golden drawing,
GOldAn drawing.