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

to. Major Howell declares Ill tns leller
II you could furnish him the use of a
small steamer, the work could be exc
cuted more rapidly, and doubtless with
more satisfaction to you and himself.
The state of our funds does not enable
us to incur the expense OF steamer.
YorTs respectfully,
&C. Il. PATTERSON.
sup u r.. =. Coast Survey
Jas. Ii. Eads. c. Il. Rev Orleans. Ia.
agreed to furnish the necessary steam
boat and these soundings have now been
nearly completed
On the 2Gth ult. large party, compris.
ing many influential gentlemen, visited
the ictties on the mammoth steamer
Grand Republic. 1t was stated in the
New Orleans Tones, after the return OF
the boat to New Orleans, that an assistant
of Major Howell had gone on board the
boat at the jetties, with a chart of sound
ings Just taken by him, which he eNhib-
tied and explained to the passengers. |
was assured by several prominent citi-
Zens OF New Orleans, whose names will
be given If desired, that his apparently
reliable and official statements had Gre
ated great distrust in the ultimate sue
cess OF our work throughout the whole
city, rs it was generally believed Major
HOwell's surveys revealed rapidly form
ing shOal in advance of the jetties. |
was reliably informed that large amount
of stock subscribed in aid OF our under
taking was actually offered at the time at
half Its cost i'm consequence. AMI my
self received at the same time letter ask
ing the release of one of the parties aid
ing it, from his obligation to pay large
balance due on his subscription.
"On my own part this considerable 81
lence would not have been broken but
tor the recent insiduous attacks of Mr..
Eads, and after this date shall feel at
liberty to either repel further attack or
let the violence of Mr.. Eads Of itself
gradually disgust the public"
AS ''the recent insiduOus attacks of Mr..
Eads" seem to be the only justification
offered by Major Howell, you will, after
reading my published letters herein re-
ferred to, be able to judge of the merits
of this excuse. OF course | cannot re-
ply to Major HOwell's personalities, for
when an officer of the army makes state
ments that are untrue, and uses his Oili-
cial signature to give them additional
weight, discussions that might otherwise
be justified between us, are at once for
hidden. These untrue statements are rs
follows:
"The fact is, that on the day of the
Grand Republic splurge there was at
South Pass only q channel of twelve feet
entitled TO BE- called nayigable. while at
channel Of over eighteen feet.
81 know that on the day the Grand
Republic visited South Pass the nucleus
af lao fol f,.f I'm, ~
the jetties. and that shoal had made out
from the end of the west jetty three hun
dred and eighty feet towards this, and
diagOnally across the front of the je.ties.
IL know that since the commencement
of the jetty work the low water cross
section of South Pass, one mile below its
head, has been diminished one-siXth !;
that the velocity at this point has rela-
lively decreased, and that the volume OF
discharge of the pass which, before the
commencement OF the jetties, was found
to be fifteen per cent. Of the total dis
charge of the three passes, is now but
eleven per cent. Mr.. Eads has probably
discovered these facts, having such Sc
rious bearing on the ultimate success OF
his work, and knowing that they will
soon be made public through official
channels, seeks in advance to break theil
force by crying out 'malicc,' talsehood,'
etc.
A direct and positive refutation OF
four Of these untrue and injuriOut state.
ments will be found in the following
letters from three of the gentlemen as.
sisting me In the engineering department
OF the work, and who are no less respect
ed tor their ycracity than for their pro-
fessiOnal abilities.
New Orleans. May -. 1876.
Capt. j. Is. Eacs. Chief Engineer, South Pass
Jetty works, New Orleans, La;
DEAR SIR-Thc statements of Major
Howell, United States engineers, con-
tanned in his letter recently published
respecting this work, having been re-
terred by you to me tor examination,
have TO state that there has been no
sloallng in advance of the jetties, but OH
| the contrary. there has been "A very
marked and general increase in the deptl
Immediately in front OF the outer slope
OF the bar in advance OF the ietties as far
out rs we have made accurate eXamina-
tons, nearly 1900 feet beyond the jetties
| | am able to assert this in the most posi-
| tive manner, as we have "a number OF
| carefully located ranges covering the ban
and the deep water Ina front OF it, and
have made careful soundings all Over
IL at least once and sometimes twic,
a month Tor several months past, eacl
| sounding at the mement il was taken be,
| ing located fundamentally from fixed
and well verified points of observation
| am able to state positively that ther,
has, at no time since we commenced
| work, been any shoa making out dag
only from the west ietty towards the so.
called "nucleus off new bar" in advance
Of it, as stated by Major Howell.
can also state positively that what ho
terms "thc nucleus OF new bar" l00t
feet in front of the jetties, is the remains
OF lump shown on the coast survey
map before VIC began the jettles, and
from approximately correct estimates
| made by me, after comparing, rs care
| fully rs possible, the depths over il q
year ago, with those now existing on it,
that the cubical contents of it above 8
plane thirty feet below the mean level OF
the gulf, have diminished nearly one
hail. The depth on the shoalest part o.
II, which Is mere point or apex, was
last year fully three feet less than il is al
present. This lump seems soft, tena,
cious clay. II has deep water all around
II, ana constitutes no impeachment to the
sale anu easy navigation of the iettied
channel.
have further to state that l hay,
made recent soundings across the Soutl
Pass, one mile below the head OF it, a
the point referred to by Major Howell
and compared them with those of IN,
coast survey OF last year. find II,
such elimination OF lis section as Major
Howell has stated. Ii has certainly no
decreased, since the ietties Were com
careful souncings across the pass belov
= Grand Bayou, before the section Of th