The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-06-03

gun. its ''scrious bearing upon the ulti-
mate success Of his lmyl work." can be
estimated, as well as the fairness of the
writer in leaving his readers to infer that
this slloalipg l. an evidence of the truth
of the prediction of himself and his chief
regarding the reformation of the bar.
An extention of the jetties ofseven and
a half miles in eighteen years. or nearly
SIX feet per day, would not be incompati-
bic with the following assurance given
to the New Orleans Chamber of Com
mcrce by Major Howell, and which will
be found in his. letter to Mr.. y. III.
Oglesby, president. that, as no literal
current exists at the mouth OF the Mis-
sissippi, "jctties would have to he built
further and further out. not annually,
but steadily every day of each year. to
keep pace with the advance of the river
deposit into the Gulf, provided they are
attempted and the attempt warranted BY
having the relative character of bed and
banks favorable
Iquote again from Major HowclIs
enclosed letter rs follows:
''lIolding these views, no army en-
gineer has throwna straw. in the way
of Mr.. Ead's jetty work.
There is another msstatement. after
the jetty system ,cds fnatty adopted by the
last Congress. Gen. Humphreys published
tour ESSAYS. termed by him ''memoran-
dums.'' TO prove that the jettics would be
a failure; these were published as part
of his official report to the present Con
gress. They were at the same time extract
cd from that yoluminous document and
illustrated with maps, were bound III pam
phlct form and distributed throughout
| the country liz months ago; 10 coun-
. ;,,.,, nf Ia
opinions of Gcn. Humphreys, to which
he gave all the weight of his official title
and position. deem it necessary to ex-
pose the iallacies upon which his argu-
ments were founded 10y reviewing the
United States lcycc commissioners re-
port which was based upon the same I'M
sound theories. aud to which report he
had given his emphatic approval.
Major Howell cndeavorS to excuse this
conduct of his chief in the closing words
of the following extract:
"Sncc the passage of the late jetty con-
tract those opponents of the experiment
who took part in the discussion preceding
the passage of the contract, considered
first that they were in no way RESPONSE
BILE for the experiment. Second. that
further discussion would bc useless, eX-
cept so far as required to complete that
left unfinished by the action of congress-"
Admitting General Humphrey ability
to complete discussions left unfinished by
congress, his justification in this case
woulI have been more satisfactory had
Major Howell Informed his readers by
what authority an officer of United states
engineers presumes to publish his gratu-
,totls opinions at the public expense, or
to indirectly criticse the president and
congress of the United States, for declin-
ing to be guided by the Judgment OF Gen.
Humphreys and Major Howell in this
matter.
But few persons inexperienced in the
difficulties of raising OF the.largc amounts
of money requ red in works of great
magnitude. can appreciate the injurious
effects of unfavOrablc arguments or
apparently well authenticated reports
against an enterprise, especially when
they involve, If correct. the certain loss
of capital invested. For several weeks
past we have. through the self-acknowl-
edged conduct of Major Howell, been Sc
riousiy trammelled IN the prosecution OF
the works we are constructing. by mis-
representations to which have been given
real or seeming assurance OF official
truth, while it has been out of my power
to obtain, officially. the real facts to dis.
prove them.
In view of the annoyance and embar-
easements already suffered from the oili-
cial antagonism OF Gen. Humphreys and
Major Howell, and of the fact that there
Official positions give them the ability to
CunIlIGur their -opnn inGiluUus oppn-
sition to this work, (the one being chief
of the corps OF enginees, L. s. A., and
the other stationed in this city in charge
of important engineering operations in
the vicinity.) have to respectfully ask
that any further .oillcious or unauthor-
lied official interference on the part of
these officers, be interdicted. and that in
structions be issued to the inspecting Of
iccr authorized by the act, and "de-
tailcd' by you to make the eXami-
nations. to promptly supply me with any
official information he may from time to
time acquirCrespecting these works, and
their results, which | may deem impor-
tant 10 facilitate us in carrying out the
intent of the grant. or in protecting us
from misrepresentation; and that his re-
ports hereafter be made directly to the
Secretary of War, instead OF through the
medium of the Chief of Engineers, l.. =.
A., as the Secretary Of War alone is, by
| the words OF the grant, "authorized and
directed to carry into effect the prOyi-
| sions of the act"
We are assuming all risks and cXpend-
| ing our own money under grant which
gives us no power to deceive the govern
| mcnt. even if we desired to. Our com
pensation depends wholly upon results to
be achieved, and upon the good faith of
| the government. We were entitled to
eight months to commenc the work, and
thirty months within which to secure
twenty feet OF depth, yet before fifteen
| have elapsed the largest cOasting steam
ers trading to New Orleans have been
| sent to sea over the bar on which scarcely
eight feet of water could be found last
year. We have thus shown an energy
| and good faith, not only emitting us TO
| the moral support OF the government. but
| to its confidence. cannot believe for a
moment that the policy of your depart
ment will, with your sanction. be allowed
to embarrass me in the prosecution of a
work of such, immensc.impOrtance, when
| the untrammelled control of 1t was con-
llded to me by the almost unanimous ac.
ton of congress, and the approval of the
| president of the United States.
| | have the hoLor to be. very respect
fully, your very obedient servant.
| JAS. Ii, EADs.