New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-10-22
The Ba,atar,a Canal Scheme.

The Bniataria Canal Scheme.
At meeting Of the friends, subscriber
| and parties interested in the Baratarii
canal project, held ct the Union and Plant
ers' Bank, the objects arrived at were fully
discussed, after which the following gentle
men were elected directors of the company
T. Fargason, A. j. kellar, s. z. Reed
II. Allen, Euocn En=ley. w. L. Vance. w
B. Miller, +. S. Davis, j. G. Lonsdale. Sr.
al! o; Memphis; T.. p. Lsstbere, T. j
| Semmea, E. Connery, OF New Orleans.
B. Bayiiss was also elected president, w
b. Miller secretary and treasurer, an0
John COwden superintendent and general
manager.
| Captain Cnwden read a yoluDinous re-
port, from which we copy the following
the concluding remarks:
Mr. Presidential presenting the above
facts, il is not in the advocacy Of the St.
Philip canal, but the canal system. for then
as we'll a. now l advocated the Barataria
canal Many of its advantages l Get forth
| which shows that as between the two routes
| there is no kind of comparison.
First-The Barrataria canal, although
| much larger, will not cost as much as will
| the St. Philip canal.
Second-From New Orleans to the deep
waters of the Gulf if it is sixty-two miles
| shorter than via the river aud st. Philip
| canal.
Third-It would be not only slackwater,
| but the movement of vessels would be
| favored by the daily ebb and flow of the
| tides. enabling the canal company, with the
aid of small and inexpensive tugs, to move
heavy amounts of tonnage both ways, COW
| ering all expense of tonnage, locksge and
| pilotage for about fifty cents per ton. At
| these rates pay back the cost of construc-
| ton every year, while this small tax the CON-
merce of the country would not feel; tor the
| canal, holding from thirty-fve to forty feet
| of water would admit vessels so large that
the actual rates of freight would be reduced
| e-half. while the tonnage from St. Philip
canal, or the mouth of the Mississippi river,
for double the distance against the strong
currents of the Mississippi, would necessa-
rily have to employ more expensive tow
boats would be, as it always has been, fully
from 81 so to 81 per ton. As for steamers,
the difference in coal consumed in favor of
the Barataria canal route over the river
would nearly pay the expense of lockage.
to say nothing OF the difference IN favor OF
large over small ships in carrying cheap |
trelghts.
FOurth-There are no engineering diff |
culties in the Barataria canal route that |
have not to be overcome in the construc. !
ton of the Fort st. Philip canal. On the
contrary, there arc not go much. for the
earth all along. and at both ends Of the
Barataria canal, ia of q much older forma-
ton, consequently more solid than at the
Fort St. Philip canal.
Fifth-At the Barataria we have a bay
from forty to fifty feet deep, two miles long
BY 1000 feet wide, perfectly land locked.
fine anchorage, and one of the finest har-
bors in this or any other country. whereas
at the Fort st. Philip canal they have no
such harbor. The expense in ground wall
ing and dredg ng q channel across the bar
forty feet deep BY 1900 feet wide, SO that
vessels NAV at ali times and under all con-
ditions sail or steam In from the Gulf with
out moments detention, will be no greater
than it will be at the Fort st. Philip canal,
Sixth-At Barataria, after passing |
through the open and deep gateway" We
enter at once the bold, open Gulf. No OBJ
attractions and clear scrutiny in every direc-
tion across the gulf-eouth, southeast or
outhwest-while from the Gulf end of the
st. Philip canal we will be forced to seek
ont channel for thirty miles to the deep
waters of the guilt through reefs and dan
eerous shoals which, for sailing vessels,
will REQUIRE towboats. At least that is the {
l get from the oldest and most
reliable Balize pilots.
Seyenth-rhe Baratafia entrance will
sver remain free from obstruction, as there '
are no sand hills to wash or mud from the
to deposit, as it is some forty '
niles west from the mouth of the Missis-
,ippi, which since it's first entrance into the 6
1ulf at Baton Ration has gone two degrees |
% the eastward, and only one south, and | 8
he same laws of nature still being in force,
will cause it to continue to 20 in that direc- a
ion, which will at no distant day close all 4
pproach to the river from the Gulf from '
he east side of the river through the St. | 8
'hilp canal (if ever built) or any other t
hannel that may admit vessels of the lar 8
est tonnage, without which the Mississippi | '
8 commercial highway las already PROV a
NJ will continue to be a grand farce.
lence the necessity of going west from the o
louth of the Mississippi If we want or in &
lament, deep, cheap, reliable, and last as
,ng as time. In work of such vast mag &
itude, in which the future has. if any diff
,rence, q greater interest than has the '
resent, it does appear to me that these are q
few among the many considerations q
,hich must not be ignored, unless we, like =
IT, Eads. only look to the present, letting d
le future take care of itself. b
Eighth-The Barataria entrance, now Fl
rejected by old Fort Livingston, to guard q
lis water approach to New Orleans, in a
avail and military point of view possesses b
any advantages for permanent defense K
yer the St. Philip canal or any other ap. q
rO2Cn 20 new orleans VIA the river. The | q
round is more firm, more easy of approach fl
one the interior. The locality is more il
salthy, naturally one of the finest summer s.
sort on the Gulf or Atlantic coast.
Ninth-While vessels coming to New in
rleans from eastern or European ports
ould not have by twenty miles the dis. p'
nee to travel over this slack water route q
Om Southwest Pass they now have via the r.
yer, with its strong current to overcome, d
ssels coming or going to Galveston or &C
her Cult ports west by this canal would | al
We, in actual miles, 125 over the river W
ute. | ct
canal at the river end would Fl
We locks which would require no greater
than those now used in the Louisville al
nal. The locking, if necessary, can be b,
ne with clear lake water, thus keeping 81
the muddy water of the river. and after le
ing once opened out to depth of, say
enty.four feet, with very little additional re
rk, the expense could be betrayed by the NJ
rnings of the canal; assisted, a. it would pl
, by the constant ebb and flow of the o
ar Gulf water, it would soon wash ont to | tn
lepth of forty feet, and ever remain 90.
IL is the history of all tidal canals, and
9 win be one. ii,