Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-06-05
THE BRAZILIAN EMPEROR.
I'm Inspection OF the south Pass
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SONAArbs
MONTGOMERY. ALA, May %. 1876.
The visit made by the Emperor
yesterday to Port Eads proved sim
gularly interesting, not only from
the importance Of the engineering
experiments there being successfully
made, but as an illustration of the
untiring energy and invincible
pluck Of the American character.
His Majesty was accompanied by
the Viscount de Bonn Retro, and
went on board the yacht Julia,
belonging to the contractor, Col.
Andrews. 1t is a very gem of a
steam yacht. New Workers will be
interested to know that this craft is
no other than the VIM. M. Tweed,
the fayorite boat Of the fugitive
Boss.
Captain Eads met the imperial
party on the wharf and conducted
them on board, where a few promi-
nent merchants of New Orleans in
terested in the construction of the
jethes were presented. The sail
down the river at night was inter
esting, the city, with its leagues of
shore lights, appearing to great
advantage, By five o'clock Sunday
morning the jetties at the mouth
of the South Pass of the Mississippi
were reached, and the party landed
to examine the system of preparing
the materials for the construction
of the jetties. Nothing could be
more simple, more effective, as is
amply demonstrated by the work
already accomplished.
The system followed consists in
the construction of large willow
mattresses which are towed to the
place they are to occupy in the line
of the jetties and sunk by stones
being placed upon them and the
gradual saturation of the willows
The river water, flowing through
these layers Of twigs, deposits clay
and sand, and in a short time a
solid bank is formed.
The jetties already formed ex.
tend over a mile, and the land be-
hind them is rapidly shoaling, thui
securing their permanence.
The object proposed to be at.
tanned by jettying the South Pass
of the Mississippi is the deepening
of the mouth of that river so as t
allow ships Of heavy draught tt
reach New Orleans.
Congress has made law author
izing these jetty works, but stipulat
ing that the work should be carried
on wholly at the risk of the conceS
sionaries. Congress agreed to pa,
the sum of IS, 100000 when the en-.
gineerS appointed by the govern
ment shall report the existence o
thirty feet of water in the Soutl
Pass of the Mississippi, agreeing
however, to pay $5OO,OOO as soon a
depth Of twenty feet had been oh
tanned. In other words, the under
takers of this important improve
ment were obliged to accept tn
whole risk of their undertaken.
and are not to receive dollar o
the public money until they hav
achieved success.
: When the jetty works were un
dertaken the South Pass was who'll
useless for commerce. Accordin,
to the careful coast survey map til
depth Of water was only seven an
eight feet on the bar.
During His Majesty's visit SOUND
ings were taken out to the dee
sea, and the depth ranged fror
thirty-fye to seventeen feet, th
last depth only occurring once on
point of hard clay bottom, which
wearing away, butmore slowly tina
. the other points Of the river.
I This wonderful result has bee
obtained by simply con6ning tf
waters at the mouth of the rive
and forcing them out in compa,
column. Following a natural la
, the river is rapidly ploughing out
channel large enough to accomm,
date the volume that is forced
? pass between the jetties instead
r speeding itself over a vast area
shoal. The increased depth
water ha6 therefore been ereatad |