The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-04

the whole distance from the bay to the
mouth of the artificial canal, the Har-
vey's and Barataria, which connect with
the Mississippi river. The plan OF Capt
Cowdon Is to enlarge and deepen these
canals, and to cut across the windings
and the shallow lakes, from which the
waters OF these canals flow, making q
straight current of not more than fifty-
two miles to the Bay Of Barataria.
When this point Is reached the next
great effort Ia to open the bar which is
narrow and deep outlet between the two
islands Grand Terre and Grand Isle.
This bar is encountered abouta mile out
from the entrance of the outlet and ex-
tends three-quarters OF mile. On 1t ut
present there Is not more than six or
eight feet Of water This bar Ia created,
not as the Mississippi bar is by the de-
post Of the sediment Of the river but
by the washing of the sand by the tides.
Through this bar Capt. Cowdon pro
poses to build sea walls. which
will narrow the current and CON
tract the inland outHowing tides 80 as to
wash out depth of water great enough
for the passage OF the largest ship In the
world from the open sea into the beau
tiful waters of Barataria Bay. He main
tains with great vigor and zeal that such
work Is far moro practicable,
and will be far cheaper, than the jetty
plan now being worked at the South
Pass. This being accomplished, 1t is
obvious to oil observers, scientific and
unscientific. that the rest OF the work ID
only one OF ordinary canal work, pre-
senting, indeed, fewer obstacles and
involving less expense than any other
canal work ever undertaken, since ma
ture herself has already done the work
for us.
Thus the comparative merits Of the
two plans, II they are to be antagonized.
depend mainly upon the question, which
has already been thoroughly discussed,
whether sea walls and canals are not
preferable, cheaper, more practicable,
and likely to prove more permanent and
reliable than jetties. For the present the
engineers appear to be largely enlisted
In behalf of the jetty system. We have
been assured every three months. for
the last twelve or eighteen months, that
the jetties are complete success. We
hope this may prove to be true. There
are, however, many doubter5, who dis
trust the permanency Of this success.
There are many who are mistaken in
their preference for canals and sea
walls.
Time alone can determine which Of
Cueu l5 tu5 C0EESCb OplHlOu. medH-
time, however, we see no good reason
why both plans should not be tried aud
put In operation. Both would prove
universally serviceable and beneficial to
our commerce. There would be two
competing outlets for our shipping,
which could be In operation at the same
time without conflicting with or imped-
Ing each other.
We hope, therefore, both enterprising
projectors will enlist la favor OF their
undertaking the requisite capital and
aid Of the government. The whole val
ley Of the Mississippi demands larger
and freer outlets for its enormous
productions, so as to relieve them from
the heavy burden Of the very high costs
Of overland transportation. II either,
or, much more, both projectors accom-
plish the results Of which they are SO
confident, this city will overcome the
only obstacle which impedes her rapid
progress to the position Of the largest
commercial mart Of this continent.