New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-07-06
The Work Of tho Dredgeboats.

during the busiest portion of our CONNER
oial season just closing an effort was made
to have the United States dredgeboats,
which, through the whole season have by
their working given US an outlet to the sea,
withdrawn from their legitimate and neces-
sary work to aid private contractor in &C.
curing the first installment of pay under
his contract.
We take just pride in having done
our share toward defeating the project,
which then appeared to seriously thu eaten
the commercial interests of our city, and
which, in the light of subsequent events
We are now satisfied would have resulted
in the ruin of many Of our merchants.
Thanks to the answering course Of
those who have had control of the opera
tons Of the dredgeboats, and to the
steadfast support given them by the ma
jOrity OF our people, we can to- day con-
graduate ourselves on having had for the
service of our commerce during the past
year the best outlet to the sea that we have
had for over twenty years past. An outlet
not dependant for its maintenance on an
experimental work of doubtful result-an
outlet not equal to our wants, yet one SO
much to our advantage that We can not
stand passively by and see its certainty sac
riticed by reaching after an uncertainty.
In view of the repeated assertions Of the
founder OF the South Pass Jetty Company,
that he had money enough to complete his
work without calling on the government
for a dollar, an assertion made before the con-
tract was awarded him, and in view of his
public disclaimer of adeeire to have the gov
eminent give him the use of three hundred
Thousand dollars worth of its property in
the shape of dredgeboats, it was h ped that
no further effort might be made to take
from US tina. which we have and substitute
for it 'Hops''-hops without Faith"
Yet it seems that We are to be disappoint-
ed. We muet fight our way against this
project month after month. year after year.
Our rivals Of the Atlantic seaboard are
strong and active. The iron lines that tie
the Atlantic 10 the Mississippi are stronger
than the current Of the river to which we
must look for commercial greatness.
II we can hold what we now have We
shall do we'll. II will not be surprising,
however, if the next commercial season
finds us with nothing but the empty
promises and epeculations with which we
have been fed for the past year.
1t is apparent that movement is now on
foot designed to end i'll the claim that the
contract of Mr. Eads and his associates
with the Congress of the United States only
calls for channel between the South Pass
and the Gulf OF Mexico, and III It in order
| to utilize this the government must make a
channel between tho Mississippi; river and
the South Pass. The proposition is not a
new enc.
| The first plot to draw the Secretary OF
| War into quasi recognition OF the sound
ness of the proposition failed. The details
| of the second plot are as follows:
Pilot Francis reported that he could take
nineteen foot vessel through South Pass
Contractor Andrews reported that careful
soundines, taken fifty feet apart, showed a
channel of nineteen feet between the jet
| ties. After these reports the agents of the
steamship Muriel loaded her several inches
below the Plimsoll line, whereupon the
crew mutinied and refused to work. The
steamer left port manned by her officers
alone. the carpenter and steward firing. thu
engineer at the engine, and the captain anG
mate on deck.
1 ~ oC NJ
partner Redmond OF board, and in the face
of the reported capacity Of South Pass, or
dered him to take the vessel on. of South
west Pass.
The vessel drew eighteen feet, and yet
under the favorable conditions stated, wa
not grounded on the side of the channe
until she had got within about her length
from the deep water of the gulf. She wa
then backed and swung across the channel
blockading it. Her captain refused the al
sistance of fowl boats. On the twenty-fourth
finding the vessel entirely disabled, assist
ance of the dredgeboat was asked:
STEAMER MURIEL, June "a, 1876.
DEAR SIR-The writer would feel unde
very great obligation for little assistanc
in getting his ship off the bar. My crew ar
in 8 state OF mutiny, and since leaving New
self, officers and engineers. We have to d
the firing and all other work, and, an
sorry to say, We are very nearly knocke
up. If once got my ship in deep water "
could manage very well, and if you coul
assist us some little to get across the bal
YOU would confer very great favor.
Our agents in New Orleans are Messrf
A. K. Miller, who would, OF course, NEE
any cash demanded for assistance rendere
| US.
l am, dear sir, your obedient servant,
WILLIAM QUINE,
Commanding the Murlel.
To Captain c. Elweu, United States Dredgeboa
| EssayOns.
Assistance was given and the helples
vessel lowed to sea. In the meantime sue
representations had been made to the SCI
retary of War as called for report fro1
the officer in charge OF dredging at Soutl
west Pass, in regard to the blockade r.
ported and the condition Of the Pass. Thi
officer reported the Muriel at sea and tn
Pass in good condition. l. was also r
ported that two days before the groundin
of the Muriel the following vessels ha
gone to sea through Southwest Pass, Vi
Ship Baden 10 feet, Ship Western Empil
10 feet, bark Sheffield Is feet inches shi
Morris II feet, bark Lincoln l6 feet
Since the removal of the Muriel it nj
been reported that the following vesse
have crossed the bar at Southwest Pas
viz Steamship Haytien Is feet, steamshi
St. Louis 10 feet. ste amship C.. w. Lord
| feet 6 inches, Ship Scotia II feet, shi