The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-09-22
THE SOUTH PASS JETTIES.
What has been done ON them, and what
accomplished Far.
New Orleans PcaYune.

| ACCOMPLISHED so Far.
New Orleans Picayune.
From the commencement, Capt. Eads
has energetically prosecuted the work of
| constructing the jetties and extending
them, with piling, mattress-work of will
! lows and stone, etc, until nearly all the
water of the pass is now confined between
them. They have yet to be raised, with
additional mattresses and stone, above
high-tide mark where low, but some two
weeks ago there had been obtained at
the pass mouth and through its bar, a
deeper channel than has ever existed at
the mouths of the Mississippi river since
its discovery-from twenty to twenty
one feet depth, at average flood tide, of
water.
We have no record of twenty feet
depth of water, even at high tide, at the
mouth of southwest pass, which now dis
charges nearly, if not quite, one-half of
the whole river, or fully four times more
than the discharge of south pass; and
the fact of its Obtainment by jetty con-
centration at the mouth of south pass,
and the deepening of the gulf bottom
outside in advance, furnishes all the
proof needed that it is entirely practica-
BILE to obtain and to maintain a deep
channel at the mouth of the Mississippi
river. That fact is now established.
AS the question of the practicability
o. obtaining a deep outlet to sea by
means of jetties may be considered as
settled--the maintenance of which is
but a question of cost-the probable re-
suit of such an outlet upon the CONNER
cial interests of New Orleans may be
considered.
1t is now conceded that grain in bulk
can be more cheaply transported to Eu
rOpean markets by the Mississippi river
and gulf route than overland via our
Atlantic ports, and Just as safely, so far
as heating or other damage is concerned,
as by any other route. In point OF fact,
grain can be delivered at Liverpool, or
elsewhere, via the Mississippi river and
gulf route, in better condition than by |
any of the overland routes
The obtainment of deep navigable |
channel through IAN open river mouth" |
will, therefore, be followed by the devel- |
Opment of an immense grain trade in this |
direction. The other exportable products |
of the Mississippi valley would, in great !
part, also seek this route to Europe and |
South America to very large extent, |
particularly when it is remembered that |
the increase of products in the valley is |
far greater, annually, than the increase |
of the already deficient and more expen- |
sive means of overland transportation. |
A new route is needed and is indispen-
sable.
The vessels engaged in the Mississippi |
river exports trade would, of course,
bring return cargoes of foreign goods,
and these would be transported to the
interior by steamers, barge lines and by
rail- All of the interior cities in the
valley would avail themselves of these
facilities for cheaper transportation, and
all would reap the benefit of it. New
Orleans would revive and prosper beyond
in the past, and her business
men would reap the full benefit of her
position.
The problem of how to obtain and
maintain deep navigable outlet TO sea,
may safely be considered as solved, Its
realization is only dependent upon con-
tinuance of work-the application of
the means necessary to complete what
has been so well begun.