The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1876-11-16
EAD'S JETTIES.
The Attest Report to the Government as t.
the Condition aud Prospects of the
York or Them.
New York Tribune.

York OF Them.
New York Tribune
The report of Captain J. B. Eads,
chiefengineer of the Mississippi jetty
works, contains an account of their con-
dition up to the eighteenth of August.
The maps which accompany it show also
the state of the bar when the work was
begun, the present depth of the channel,
and other matters of interest, including
copy of the grant from the United
States to Mr.. Eads. The bar at the
mouth of the pass, through which Mr..
Esads is required to make ultimately
thirty-foot channel, is formed entirely
in the sea beyond the termination of the
banks of the pass and is two and one
fourth miles in length. The jetties are
built in two parallel lines about one
thousand feet acress the bar, into the
deep water of the gulf, throughout this
whole distance. The securing caused
by the jetties, which was manifested at
their upper ends, has made steady pro-
gress downward to the sea since October,
but so recently as last January only
seven and half feet in depth could be
found at high tide on the crest of the bar
which is about two miles distant from
the east bank Of the pass. The success
of these works, in view Of the facts, seems
marvellous, and apparently contradict
every objection that was urged against
their trial. A channel, clear through
from the deep water of the pass to the
deep water of the sea, twenty~One feet
deep, had been excavated 10y the power
of the current up to the eighteenth Of
August, and the improvement in depth
and width of the channel has gone on
steadily since that date, the survey on
fifth of September showing a channel
over twenty-one feet deep, with a least
width one hundred and eighty-fve feet,
I III which a vessel drawing twenty feet
could float without touching bottom.
Unfortunately these splendid results are
not yet available to commerce, on account
ola shOal existing in the Mississippi river
| twelve or thirteen: miles above the Jet
ties. which was there when they were
commenced. From this shOal to the jet
! ties the depth of water in the pass is
over thirty feet. Mr. Eads says in the
report:
Believing that the public interest was
concentrated wholly upon the question
OF our ability to treat successfully the
bar in the sea, the works for this pur-
pose were pushed with great vigor, while
those required for the reduction of the
shoal existing thirteen miles above, in
the Mississippi river, and Obstructing the
entrance into the pass, were not begun
50 soon nor constructed with such rapid
ity. y The same principle which
has proved so successful at the jettes,
namely, the concentration Of the flowing
water, forms the basis of the plan for the
reduction of this shoal, and the compile
ton OF the works designed cannot fail to
be equally successful. \ \
The Mississippi river rises and falls
independently OF the tides about three
feet at the head Of the pass, The water
is now extremely low, and consequently
there is less depth upon the shoNl than
there was last June and July, fact
which the enemies Of Mr.. Eads are
using to create the impression that the
iettios are failure. Vessels of sixteen
feet draft can pass over the shoal even
at the present low stage Of the water
During June and July vessels of seven
teen and one-half feot draft passed il
without difficulty. Extensive work
have been constructed there to oOncen
trate the flow Of water over the shOal
and although not yet completed, they
have already produced favorable results
To hasten their operation, contracts havD
been made with experienced persons "