New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-04-28
Stray Notes Of the Jetty Trip.

4 0sS0y ANVSOO u t00 0ctty xF1V.
EDITOR REPUBLICAN,:
About 300 passengers took advantage o.
the jetty excursion planned in connection
with the virgin trip OF the reconstructed
Great Republic, now called the Grand Re
public. Nearly 100 Of the sightseers were
from St. Louis.
At the passes Captain Eads, Albany De
g. De Fonblanque, Esq, British consul,
and other gentlemen came on board. The
president Of the St. Louis Jetty Comp any
and the president of the Mississippi Valley
transportation Company were interested
members Of the party from the start.
The boat cast off at 10 A. N. Wednesday,
reached the passes at $50 P. NJ, started
back at 10 P. NJ, and effected q landing at
the head Of Canal street between ten and
eleven yesterday.
At the head Of South Pass, where the
jetties commence, informal soundings " ere
taken, and the leadsman thrice reported
Quarter less twain" or less than eleven
feet. Entering tho pass the water quickly
deepenec; Quarter less three" 'quarter
less four were the two next soundings, and
tho lead was cast no more from the Grand
Republic.
The ietties are not much to look at.
Imagine shrimp fishing on q large scale,
with double row of stakes, and that is
about all there is to be seen. On one side,
where it is said there was deep water befor Q
the jetties were built, deposit has formed
nearly flush with the jstties themselves /.
The current is swift between the jettie g.,
and the water appears to be deep. The
Grand Republic steamed slowly through,
and went just far enough into the Gulf to
enable her to turn round and get slight
roll in the Gulf swell. As the steamboat
re-sntered the jetties, the revenue Gu tier
Dix following close in the rear, struck q
shoal in seven feet of water, and swinging
round collided with the steamboat. The
shosk was not felt by the Grand Republic,
but the Dix was damaged to the extent of
$500 or $500.
On board the Republic, in the evening,
Mr.. Andrews, the contractor, took his
stand on the centre aangway of the cabin,
and submitted to protracted interview at
the hands of st. Louis stockholders and
press correspondents. He stated that there
were now two and half feet more water
in South Pass than had ever been obtained
by natural means in any pass of the river.
"Take away the dredgeboats and South
west Pass and Pass-a-rOutre would sh oal
up to thirteen feet in less than week.
"What extent of shallow water have you
at the head of the pass!" asked a gray
headed stockholder.
"Whst do you call shallow water" Major
Andrews cautiously replied.
"Well, say from eighteen feet to eighteen
feet"
"Better cay from twenty feet to twenty
feet" replied the major, with meaning
emile. "That is what we have to look for.
There is shoal of about 1900 feet.'
'How do you propose to remove that"
inquired the stockholder.
'Well. if hal been Captain Eads, said
Major Andrews. II never would have touch
ed it. His contract only calls for twenty
feet of water between the jetties. But,
however, that's not my affair. The best
plan seems to me to construct sills or
aprons at Southwest Pass and Pass-a-
rOutre 30 as to increase the scour."
Stockh holder-Would not two parallel
dykes be an effective way!
Major Andrews-Yes; that is to say two
dykes 80 constructed as to concentrate the
scour. think that might be done, and
presume that will have to be the way.
In reply to further questions, Major An
drews strongly insisted upon the existence
of littoral current, or as he termed it, Gan
eastern current" which would rem owe all
accumulations at the mouth of the pass.
The discussion was renewed from time to
time, and some of the engineers spent a
large part of the night in furni shing
"soundings'' to some Of the repres enta-
tives of the New Orleans and st. Louis
press.
A noticeable fact was that many of the
st. Louis delegation seemed firmly per-
suaded that the jetties were opp osed in
New Orleans because the merchants of this
city were interested in some enormous land
speculation in connection with ship canal.
The trip as a whole. was pleasa Mt one,
favored by delightful weather, but it may
be reasonably doubted whether it made or
changed an opinion on the jetty question.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.