New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-12-10
the JsrrlEs At SOUTH PASS.

i THE JErTiEs At SOUTH PASS.
Report Of the Csmmissisn Of Rssineer.
Especial Orders No. 22s.l s-....-
HEADQUARTERS OF THE Army.
Adjutant Generals ONCE,
Washington, November 2, 1876.
lExtract.]
l. BY direction of the President of tn
United States, commission, to consist q
the following named officers of the corp
of engineers, lie hereby appointed, to NEE
in New York city on November 6, 1876, O
as soon thereafter a. practicable, to reDor
for the information of the Secretary of Wa
an opinion upon certain subjects connecte,
with the improvement of the South Pass o
the Mississippi river.
Detail for the Commission Colonel Johl
G. Barnard, Lieutenant Colonel H. G
Wright, Lieutenant Colonel B. s. Alexan
der.
The commission will be governed by in
structions to be communicated by tho Sec
Rotary of War.
BY command of General Sherman:
ID. TOWNSEND,
Adjutant General.
l.. H. PELoUzE,
Assistant Adjutant General.
WAR DEPARTMENT,
| Washington, D. c., November g. 1876.
GENTLEMEN-I present herewith for you
guidance the instructions referred to in the
inclOsed special order.
The purpose in assembling your commits
sion is not to interfere in any way with tine
| duties of Major C. B. Comstock, the officer
| of engineers, who has faithfully performed
| the duties assigned to him under the act
viz: Ito report the depth of water and
width of channel secured and maintained
from time to time in said channel, together
with such other information a. the Score
tary of War may Direct" but to obtain
your professional advice upon certain points
War to decide upon.
The questions upon which l desire your
opinion are as follows:
First-Is the shoal at the head of the
South Pass . part of that pass, or of the
main Mississippi river'
II Mr.. Esds obtains q channel twenty
feet in depth in the South Pass, exclusive
of this sh0al, is he entitled under the law
to his first payment of half million dol
larsf
Second-What depth and width of chan.
mel Is 1t desirable to secure permanently
through this shoal?
Third-What is your Interpretation of
the words average food tide" a. used in
the second section of the act!
1t appears from the records that on the
eighteenth of May, 1875, Major Comstock
propounded this Same inquiry to the chief
of engineers (copy of his letter herewith,
and that that officer decided, and the Sec
rotary of War approved his decision, that
the average food tide should be deter
mined by excluding the effects of variations
in the rivera diaCharuo ~
Mr. Eads now appeals to have this de-
cision set aside for the reason that average
flood tide can not be determined at the
head of the pass, If any of the natural con-
ditiOns affecting that level are disregsrded."
Neither the mean effect of the
winds nor the mean effect of tho rise and
fall OF the river can be ignored in deter
mining the plane OF mean or average flood
tide even at the mouth of the pass, nor can
either one be disregarded in fixing the plane
OF average food tide at the head of the
pass"
In this connection you will please exam
inc the United States engineers gauge, and
recommend what point upon it should indi-
cate the plane of average Hood tide" or
zero of reference for all measurements of
depth.
FOURTH desire . full expression of your
opinion as to "the materials used and the
jetties are being constructed" and as to
whether the work is being constructed &C.
cording to the spirit of the act, az mentioned
in the tenth section thereof.
Fifth should be glad to rec i've any
general suggestion in conn cotton with this
very important work, which you think will
assist me in performing the duties required
of the Secretary of War by this act
In order to assist you in forming your
nv VVV6N
works at the South Pass, and to proceed to
this city, if you consider it necessary to con-
suit any records here.
The sum of $4,000 will be placed to your
credi: from the appropriation for con-
tirgencies of the army, and it is hoped that
your expenses may be kept within that
sum.
A copy of these instructions has been
sent to Major Comstock, and he has been
directed to afford you every facility in his
power to aid you in your Investigations.
Mr.. Eads has been notified OF your ap-
p0lntment, and has been informed that you
Will be ready to receive any communities.
tiOns he may wish to submit to you.
The unpublished records on this subject
are now in my office, and will be open to
your Inspections, or copies will be sent to
you if desired.
The printed documents you are probably
familiar with, including the three reports
by Major Comstock upon the progress of
the works. The fourth report of that off,
ser. dated September 20, and giving the
depth of water on August IL, lie now in the |
hands of the printer, and will be forwarded I
to you az soon as received.
Major CCmstOck has also been REQ ueeted
to make another survey during the present |
month. |
desire that your investigations be prose-
,uted with the utmost dispatch consistent |
with their great importance.
If it is feasible to send me your report, or |
\ summary of its conclusions, in time to be |
Incorporated in my annual report on No. |
7ember 20, particularly request that you |
will do 60.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
j. d. CAMERON,
Secretary of War.
COLONEL John g. Barnard. Corps of Ea9ineers Lieu
tenant Colonel H. g. Wright, Corps OF Ensin. |
eers!Lieutenant Colonel B. s. Alexander, Corps |
of Engineers.