The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-17
THROUGH TO DEEP WATER.
Progress of the Work on the Mis-
sisSippi Jetties.
To the Sea in the Next
Sixty Days.
An Engineering Feat Which Was Regarded
by President Grant as the CapstOne
Of His Administration.


Captain James B. Eads, the engineer In charge OF
the opening up o. navigation to the Mississippi
Valley by tbs removing oil the obstacles at the mouth
OF The Mississippi River has been stopping Tor several
days at the st. Nicholas Captain Eads, to person
unacauainted with his pecuaries, might seem 10 be
about the last in the world who would be So
lected for the pletion OF this stupendous undertake
Ing A brief face-to-face study OF the man, however,
dispes every chance Tor such a conclusion. He Is
apparently from afty to afty-two years OF age ana
well preserved batting tho grizzly tnge OF hair and
beard that life of exposure risk and mental anxiety
would bring He is u little above the medium height
OF spare erect figure, and of strong features, de-
noting in all their placed outlines se-possession
and determination.
Captain Eads was found yesterday the st. Nicho-
las busy engaged. II has been suggested to him
turing his present visit former visit, pend
ny the decision OF the Board of Engineers
convened ut the Fifth Avenue Hotel <. two
years ago, consider the feasibility Of
the omplishmcnt OF these engineering plans that
President Grant had said that he could the
cessiu end OF this work no asked for other disnc
live mark OF his administration. There present
It that time members OF this Board the engineer
who had removed tho cions from the mouth of
he Danube, now Sir Charles Harcourt, General w. W.
humphreys and some eight ten others.
he jetties commenced almost exactly years
ago. the 14th of June, and since that time clear in
OF twelve feet depth has been secured through
The bar at the mouth OF the South Pass, and much
greater depth through the shoal in the Mississippi
River which obstrucs the entrance from the
the Pass The pass between these two distractions is
about twelve miles long, with depth OF ut least thirty
three thrtyiour feet throughout its entire length"
Mr.. Eads was DESTROYS OF improving the Southwest
Pass, and bus proposition TO that end
carried through tho House OF Representatives
BY nearly unanimous vote. Motives OF economy,
however, the part OF the Senate induced that body
10 alter the bill by which Mr. Eads required to
prove the South Pass, which is not more than
half the width and onc-hali the depth OF the South
SIS, Ooo 900 Tnat for the lesser Is SIS, ESQ, 600 No
shoa tho upper end OF Southwest Pass and
ALI OF the works Tor It's mprov ement would have been
confined its mouth. whereas the shoa the upper
OF the South Pass has involved the necessity of
works quite as great in extent though less costly
than those the mouth oil the Pass. idea OF
the extent OF the works at the head Of the Pass may
be formed when The fact is stated that the river ut this
point mile and threc-quarters wide, and that
the volume Of flowing water here IS ten times great
as that which w discharged by the South Pass, and
The works which have been constructed at this point
by Mr.. Eads absolutely control. and harness, us It
were from shore TO the other, the entire volume
OF the whole Southwest Pass discharges about
times much a South Pass and Pass l'outre
discharges about hve times much as South Pass che
principle upon which The Improvement IS based is the
concentration OF the flowing water The water enter
ing the South Pass was spread out over wide
oil probably equal to quarter the entire
With OF the river at the head oil the passes, and
lowed the Pass through funnel shaped entrance
The throat OF which not more than quarter
aide. The shoa occupied the upper widest
part OF This entrance and extended up half mile
into the main riycr the greatest depth It low
water seing about fourteen feet TO concentrate the
flow this shoa into channel Of only $50 feet
in width was the problem 10 DO solved. Works
erected obsruciing about two thousand icct Of tho
width OF the river, by which Tue flowing the
pass compelled TO enter between parallel dykes $50
feet apart Oh course this greatly reduced the quantity
fkrl and fnlu n.nJ
being the securing between the Jettes The ex-
cuded Of course thrown into the two great
passes and, 10 prevent their enlargement submerged
work willow mattress sill 70 ieet vide and feet
thick Lard down from the shore the river
depth many places of over 80 feet entirely
the each OF The great passes and
thoroughly loaded with stone. The magnitude of
nus work alone may DC inferred from the
feet In length They JON the other works at the mead
Of the Pass near the middle OF the river, and with
them embrace the entire bed OF the Mississippi, with
the exception OF the $50 loot channel they de-
signed TO through tho shoaL The exclusion or
natural flow OF water into South Pass caused de-
post be made throughout the length OF Pass
through the jetted enamel across the bar, and
Mr lads considers that the deepening OF the chan
mel between the jetties delayed SIX or eight
months from the necessity OF having to temporarily
exclude much OF the natural flow into the Pass
during the period required Tor the enlargement OF the
channel through the shoals The first flood the sea-
did not arrive al the head OF tho passes until
about the lst OF February, prior to winch time the
works at the head oil the Pass had produced little
effect The change wrought by the flood simply
BY the current to depth OF twenty feet and having
width OF EGO feet where but fourteen IN depth ex
listed before THIS rapid enlargement OF the new
cham continued for months and restored
the original volume Of discharge through the Pass
The largest ships In the world can now pass
freely through IT, When this occurred the
current went vigorously work only TO
the temporary deposits made In tho Pass aud
between the Jetties but also to enlarge the channel
prev iousy madc across the bar tho mouth rho
depth here, although u had somewhat diminished
prior to the Ist Of April was still sufficient Tor the
passa are OF yesS q
Mississippi River to tho Tho enlargement which
has recently again commenced between The jeitics
first noticed at their upper about the LIST OF
April, and II has now extended down through mile
aud thrccquarters OF their length in which distance
the least width Tor twenty-five ieet In depth
is $50 iect leaving about half = mile bo-
THIS point and the deep water
TO enlarge IRON Its present dimensions to a width Of
200 feet by depth OF ~ which Is necessary
Mr.. Eads the next payment OF $500, 900 IRON the
government. The enhancement VI the upper portion
OF tho jcity channol within. tho last three
months has been really wonderful. long stretch OF
the channel where there was originally but III or IL
feet has depth nowhere less than 10, and many
places the channel IL from 90 TO 10 feet deep Tho
regular surveys made from tfnc 10 time by the resi-
dent engineer, Mr.. n l. Corthc, show constant
advance OF this enlargement down stream
toward The sea SO much material has
the current has unable carry the
TO the deep water, AMI about fourteen
per cent OF tho amount removed has temporarily
lodged Ia the channel below The navgablc depth, |
however has rarely been reduced from this cause to
less than twenty iect and at the rate OF progress
which tnc enlargement Is making the chtrc - fcci by
2v0 feet channel will be through 10 tho about
sixty days Inc quantity OF deposit removed IN tho
last ninety days from between the Jcttes would ell
space mile long 800 feet wide the depth OF ten
feet
Careful surveys mado last May IA OF about
fty acres I'm In advance OF the 9tties tho
pucr slope OF the bar developed the remark able tact
that tho water has dccpcned ,hroaghout this entire
area an average OF nearly i've feet. This rs believed
be caused by the nttoral current OF bo sea being
driven under tho outflow OF the river IL passes tho
mouth from west and nearly al right angles TO
the river discharge and as the depth OF the rivers
volume Is now twenty ieet, the current has been
forced for itself underneath the
outflow Of the river
THE FAST TRAINS.