The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-07
THE MOUTH OF RED RIVER,

wi tn the interior OF the State by the en-
tire closing up Of the mouth OF Red
river, and this disaster will certainly
occur II immediate steps are not taken
to keep open in some permanent way
the channel of that tributary. All
boats navigating Red river, the Ouachi-
ta, Atchafalaya, Bayou Macon. Tensas.
and their tributaries, have to pass
through the mouth Of Red river, and If
IL is not kept in navigable condition the
inevitable result will be that the richest
cotton region of the State will be en-
tirely without communication with this
city.
The financial condition Of the plant
ers will not permit them to hold their
crops, and they are not dependant en-
tirely upon New Orleans for market.
The result, then, may be that we shall
see cotton shipped up stream to Shreve-
port and there sold to Eastern buyers,
who will compress it and ship 1t direct
East via Memphis and st. Louis. At
last reports there were but three and
half feet of water ct the mouth Of Red
river, and falling at the rate Of six
inches daily. Last season the blockade
was complete, and boats we're delayed,
stuck In the mud. as long as ten days
and two weeks. In view OF the immense
crops that are to come out OF the Red
river region such condition OF affairs
must needs operate the most fatal re-
suits IL not corrected this season.
AT the last session of the Legislature
an appropriation Of $4,000 was made
for the removal Of these distractions to
navigation In the mouth of Red river.
This appropriation was, Of course, in
tended to secure permanent channel,
and the work now to be done is not of q
character to effect that purpose, yet the
exigeney is such as to justify the ex-
penditure OF at least portion OF this
sum. The entirs appropriation, how
ever, is barely enough to do the work
even II 1t were cashed at par, but as the
work will have to be paid for In war;
rants, which at present would not bring
their full face value, an effort is being
made to induce our banks to agree to
take some of them at a reasonable
discount, and thus furnish the
money to do the work at
once. It ID estimated by the State
Engineer in charge, that 1t will not re-
quire exceeding $4,000 to do all the work
that is required to relieve the obstruc-
tions, so as to secure navigation for the
season, and he thinks by an economical
expenditure perhaps the sum might be
limited to $25O0. This Is very trihing
sum, even If the whole Of It had to be
subscribed, II, view of the immense in
terests at stake, and we have no doubt
arrangements can be made that will at
once accomplish all that Is necessary,
| for most assuredly our commercial men
cannot be blind or Indifferent to the i'm
mense interests involved, andswill not
allow little questions Of pique and plea
yunish calculations as to an equal d.
vision of such small outlay to defeat
| a work of such vital importance to this
city. There is not large cotton house
dealing In that country but could afford
to do the whole work at their private
cost.
The arrangements for the work on
the broken dam at Tones bayou are
complete, and that work will certainly
be done. But this will, of course, be of
no avail il we are to be cut off by the
| mud Jumps at the mouth Of the river.
Last season, when this dam was intact,
and the full volume Of water came out
of Red river, there was a fall Of several
feet at the mouth where the Red emp
tied into the Mississippi; yet 1t failed to
wash out channel. This must be
made by artificial means, and these
must be applied at once. There is,
however, great deal of work to be
done on this river In order to place it In
navigable order.
On August IA there was eleven feet Of
water from Shreveport to Tones bayou
q distance OF thirty miles, and only two
feet on the bars below that point.
Seven-eighths Of the water that passed
Shreveport escaped from the river chan
nel via Tones bayou, and hence the diff
ference In the rivers depth above ano
below that drain. This fact shows the
importance Of the work being done
there; but Of what avail will this be i
the intervening distractions at the
mouth Of the river are not removed?
Red river is the only important river
in the United States that has not had
large appropriations from the genera
government to improve it. We ques
ton if there is a river in the whole
country that more urgently needs i'm
provement, which furnishes Transports
ton to richer and more productive
region, and which which would require
less money to make it navigable all the
year round. In one or two seasons thi'
river can be so improved as to make i
navigable all the year.
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