National Republican., 1876-06-26
THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND THE JET
TIES,

THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND THE JET
TIES.
The recent letter of Mr.. Eads to the
Secretary of War, In reference to the con-
duct of the chief of engineers and Capt.
c. W. Howell, of that corps, in counec-
ton with his works at the mouth of the
Mississippi, Is q paper of much public in
terest. Mr.. Eads alleges that anonymous
reports had been repeatedly published stat
ing that the immense amount of material
which has been secured out from between
the jetties was rapidly forming a new bar
Immediately in advance of them, in conse-
quence of which his works would be
failure. This report was, of course, calcu-
lated to increase his difficulties in raising
money, and being so often repeated he
publicly asserted that it was q malicious
falsehood. Soon afterwards it was repeat
ed to q number Of distinguished visitors to
the jetties, by an assistant Of Capt How
ellis, who supported his declaration by
map Of soundings which he had just taken.
When Mr.. Eads learned this fact he again
publicly pronounced the statement false,
but declared that it would be unjust to
Capt Howell to suppose that he would
sanction the conduct of his assistant, or
aid in circulating such a report respecting
a work which was not under his control.
Thereupon Capt. Howell published let
ter in which he indulges in several unbe-
coming personalities, and declares most
emphaticaly that new bar is forming
1,C00 feet in advance of the -jetties, and
that shosl $50 feet long has made out
diagonslly from the end of the west jetty
toward this new bar; that the size of the
South Pass has diminished since the jetties
were begun, and that on the 26th of April,
when Mr.. Eads declared there was 16 feet
of water between them, there was not a
navigable channel there of over 12 feet.
These four statements Mr.. Eads proves,
by the testimony of three of his engineers,
to be absolutely false. The fact that short
tire afterwards steamers drawing as much
as seventeen feet and three inches of water
passed through the jetties certainly dis
proves Captain Howell's statement in re-
gard to the depth of the channel. He is in
charge of the dredging operations at the
Southwest Pass, where a precarious chan
mel from sixteen to eighteen feet has been
maintained by the United States dredge-
boats.
Mr.. Eads accompanies his letter to the
Secretary of War with a copy of that of
Captain Howell and from the extracts
which he refers to in Captain HoweIl's
letter, it seems evident that his official head
quarters in New Orleans have been the
source from whence these unfavorable re-
ports respectin G the jettics have emanated.
The testimony submitted by Mr.. Elds
seems to prove conclusively that Captain
Howell has uttered, over his official sigma
ture, four deliberate misstatements, the
motive for which seems to be found in the
disappointment and chsgrin which that Off
Ger has experienced in the defeat of his pet
canal scheme, which was strenuously urged
by himself and General Humphreys. Cap
tain Howell declares that since the action
of Congress ''no officer of engineers hss
"placed straw in the way of his ietty
work" but Mr.. Eads, evidently feeling
that be is supported in his hostility by his
chief, contrsdicts this statement, and refers
to the fact that after Congress had fully
decided the question General Humphreys
published, in his last annual report, four
essays to show that the jetties will be un-
successful, and that not content with giving
his individual opinion on the subject all the
weight Of his official titles and position,
these essays were also extracted from his
annual report and, illustrated with maps,
were bound in pamphlet form at the public
expense and circulated throughout the
country five months ago. The effect Of
this, Mr.. Eads declares, was to lessen
public confidence in his enterprise, and
TO that extent doubtless obstructed the
execution of a law of Congress by
increasing the difficulties he had to en-
counter. He points out the fact that after
the legislative and executive departments
of the Government had overruled General
Humphreys recommendation of the Fort
st. Phillip canal scheme, it was officious
and unjus,ifs Ole On the part of an officer
of the army TO publish officially these es-
says, as they indirectly condemn the action
of Congress and the President. Mr.. Eads
shows by his official correspondence that
while Captain Howelrs Office was open to
the public for the supply of all information
tending to discredit his work, he was
striving for three weeks to obtain the Off
cial facts to disprove Captain Howell's mis-
representations, and although he asked the
Secretary of War to instruct General Com
stock, the only inspecting officer of the
Government authorized in the concession
to measure and certify the depth of chan
mel, when he was on the SPOT, for the pur
pose, as he declares in the dispatch, of dis
proving the misstatement of Captain How
ell, he was denied this favor, and told that
when the results of q complete survey of
the South Pass improvement were received
in Washington, he would be furnished with
a copy Of them. which would probably in
volye the delay Of another month. As