New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-27
THE GREAT WORKS At SOUTH PASS.

MAJOR CONSTANTS REPORT-HOw THE RIVER is
MADE TO sCoUR OUT ITS OWN CHANNEL
IRON TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
WASHINGTON, April 26.-The second report
OF Major b. Comsalk Corps OF Engineers, showing the
progress made by Mr. James b. Eads In the improvement
OF the South Pass of the Mississippi River describing the
work Oh the 18th OF February 1876 has been transmitted
to Congress The plan OF improvement is to conne the
current of the river contracted channel by means
Of two parallel cte and thus force the water to scour
out deeper channel the bar Major Comsak de-
scrbes condition Of the ees the 9TH OF February
1876, as follows:
row OF piles starting from the lands end the east
and curves slightly to the westward. the intervals be-
the piles varying from to 20 feet and me length
pile was 80 feet OF water outside of the bar row
parallel to the first and II feet nearer the channel makes
a double row for 1904 feet from the lands end his
second row has line Of sbectping driven on It's east
side for its whole length. Along the channel side Of the
second row pilng, far 1t extends and then along
the channel side of the first Of piles, mattresses all
touching the piles, have been SUNK superposed on each
other SO as to make continuous dam. The lower
iayer of mattresses is usually from 40 to 80
feet wide the widths Of the layers diminishing toward
the surface OF the water where they are usually 20 cet
vide At first the mattresses allowed 10 sink In
their places by the accumulation OF sediment; atry
tlem. capt Brown states that on the mattresses - zee
wle the surface OF tbs water about I'D pounds OF
stone are used cubic foot OF mattress ana ABOUT
pounds the 35oot mattresses winch are nearer Tue
foundation On Feb this jety, Including the sheet,
png was up low water for distance oi 1921 eet
from the ands end The foundation mattresse extended
row of clle. forming the west jetty, from 16 to 90
feet apart aud 7Oi feet in length, runs approximately
parallel To- lne lower Pof4 o. 'e VI notr hi
row at what called kipps Dam, connects the head OF
this main row with the west shore OF South Pass. Mat
trsss have been placed against the upper side of this
short row, and the dam raised above water. On the
channel side of lhe main row the mattresses have been
brought M low water Tor distance of $500 ieet from
its mead and opposite point 9Jll ieet from e neal OF
faeif
plies a single tier Of mattresses has been carried down
200 feet from the head lefty. In the progress
of the WORK the jey ana apparently To obtain
some scour rapidly than by the slower process of
bringing cities up 10 the watsIlfiace an
attempt made 10 close the Kip dam ana the upper
5000 feet OF tGc west jty by panAnS called aprons
These aprons were of plank fastened to strng-pecos,
10 100 feet long. and OF such width rs to reach
the top of the first or second layer of mattresses,
already sunk, the water-surface They were Heated
places against the ne of piles, and then rlgcd
up with pie-iiiyer, or by some otEer method. Inc
aprons being IN position along the hpp Jam ne Ieah oil
water 10 inches resulting, secured out hole In
and below tile DAM carried away several piles ana par
ul the apron .hat nattressdain ana an adhitluhdl
of piles were finally needed To make the hlPp arm
on the east side Of the shectpng OF the east jetty
tho bottom has been scOurcl ont near 10 The pnS III
places 10 the depth OF several ieet ny INC acton OF
the waves and the varying difference OF Walei.eNei on
lis two sides. Both results show the Difficulty attending
the oil saeet Es or plnking IN such positions sel
cI.l mattresses low-water level, although loaded
with stone have been lifted of their beds AMI slid chan
newa los tie action OF the waves on the exposed paris
Of the Jettcs. 10 prevent this displacement IN the i
ure plan has been begun OF diving tes Gboit once
>
mattresses aud through the lower tiers. The expert
uen wa, also tried driving stout stakes OF ic,t
long through the top mattresses and into that below IL
IS reported that the piles at the outer end of the
east ty which have been driven about hVc hons are
badly hOneycombcdb by me tcrcdo.
Feb the distance from tue end OF thai portion OF
the east lefty which 10 low water marx from the
end oi tie Irty aboni 900 feet. The correspond
ing distance for the west lefty was about 800 otl As
down that point of the west JeN the river current
was thoroughly confined. ON comparing tho so'inuins-,
herewith transmitted. with those on the map accompany
inc my report OF Nov 20 1873, II VIII be seen that
counting the head OF the east Jetty doTnSmd ue
dcpih III wafer from tine fist LOCO icet rom the
head the east jetty has not materially changed.
I'm inc next 1000 feet, reaching 10 the head oi inc
wes, iety the deepest water has Increased 10y about Two
feet m the 1000 feet below head OF west Jeuy the
deepest has increased average by about four
feet the 5000 feet, which brings us 10 tie emu
portions OF The ietics which are up 10 0W water
the deepest has increased average by about
three feet From this point to the end OF the icfucs
distance OF about 600 feet the scour has averaged
about one foo but with some nllinE at the Immediate
ends the lcttcs. A few sOundngs made ON fcD 70
show ed n considerable since Zen. y ana that ny
following the pest water j. feet could then Dc carried
out Of the pass average high water On March - 4
am informed that schooner drawing IL leel was, with
some difficulty, taken to Sa through the south fdss