The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1877-07-03

fourteen per cent OF over baf tntli0B cuu
yards Of sand was dropped before u reached u
end of the ietties is one of thssnest encoutsgin
features yet developed In connection with Vi
istty improvements.
Oh ths a5th 81 April the ss-foot channel, 30
feet wldss only extended uninterruptsdly dow
between the jst.ies 70 station 0B, of 0eOo fee
Forty.eight days afterward, June u. IL had Oh
lafged to 800 feet In width, and then reached l
station 30, OF 1900 feet further down thsn d
April %. thus averaging nearly 40 feet per day l
It's prpgrsss TO ths ses. Az The next psytnen
from tbs United States will be due when ehst
mel z2 feet deep by 40 feet N width IL obtaine
through the ietties, the rate of tnlsrgeinsi,
since the 2jth of April furnishes 4 basis b
which 10 found . reasonable expectation o. 3
tlss time when the next payment v Il be earned
The distance yet TO be enlarged ID "a BY 200 feet
and bhus give channel Of that sise through d
deep water, WAS, On the tatb of June 1000 ieet
Az the rate .of 40 feet per day u should b.
through by the 10Th of August. On the 9Otl
of tssis snonth the "a feet chsunel had reached
point only 450 feet frun the deep water Of th
sea, but below station 30 ID had only width D
140 feet.
THE suhF IN FHoNf OF SOUTH PASS.
A careful examination WAS made last month d
the condition Of the gulf bottom directly Ia ffon
0 the etties, In order DO ascertain what eff set at
almost uninterrupted scour Of nearly two years
duration would produce. An area Of 5l;7 acres
extending 2f8D feet sesward from the old crest
Of the bar, was covered with a large number b
6aUuHiu49 accurately ADphtau Uy rnf9FBue1 TO tltt
triansulatIun stations Of the United States Ooas
Survey. The results OF this examination were ther
compared with the chart Of the coast survey OF
MAY, 1875, when The following results were sscer-
tained:
The volume Of water within thia Bt,7 acres,
directly beyond the old crest Of the bar, wac:
n May, 1877 2,g7g, ,g4s cubic yards,
Ih May. 1875. i,p70, ,e4p cubic yards,
showing gain Of water within ths area In front
OF the bar oil 4t7gnD cubic YARDS which IL eauivs.
lent 70 an average Increase OF depth ol nearly
Ave feet over the entire area investigated. In
MHy. 1870, a similar examination had been made
OF the same area, showing an average gsin Ia
dep pih from May, 1876, to May, 1876 OF 247 feet.
From May, 1875, TO May, is1f, the average gain
III depth was q Oh feet, These Facts seetn 10
cesrly prove that az the cotipsct discharge from
che jsttes increases IL depth BY the erosiun Of
the bar, the moving prism OF river water cotnpels
the sea current which Ia almost constantly pas
sing under u on the outer slope Of the bar 4,
direction transverse 10 Che rivers discharge 10
Hcuur out more room for Itself under the on n IVY
ing volume from the letties.
The apprehended reformation OF the bar III
front OF The ettiee is shgwn by these fact 10 be
unfonnded and 1t, together with the fear that
the pass itself would deteflufate aud MI MP Under
the effect Of the jettes. may be laid aide for.
ever.
cosptfios or rHH WORKS.
The jetties are IN excellent condition The
woras have been constructed under the i,nmedi.
ate supervision OF Dol. James Andrews, whe Mad
until the frst Of June an unusually large force
employed. The PORTIONS winch had sunk BY the
compression OF the mattressee, owing 20 the de-
posltion Of sand aud other sedementsry matter
m the mattress work, have been built up above
high tide. entirely out to the aea ends of both
jettlea. The recommendations OF the commits
ders Of the Secretary Of War, inspected The South
Pass improvements Last November, have been
carefully observed, and the ettiee have been well
baliasted with stone, as suggested by them. The
grant ls being executed Ia perfect good faith, an
the structures, az far ~ then completed, were
Acknowledged by this commission 10 be OF the
permanent aud Substantial character required by
law
The works have been thoroughly tested By
a1nta very severe storms since last December,
but with the exception Of the destruction Of few
mattressea at the aea ends of the istiies, which
had not been previously bsllaHked with stone the
damage done 10 them was very slight.
bome anxiety has been expressed as 10 The de-
strnctive effscts OF the toredu upon the Willows
and piles used IN The construction Of the works.
Fears upon this point are groundess, for the
reason that the toredu does not attack wood GOV.
cred With sediment. The piles heed iu The work |
constitute no part Of the permanent istties, The
core or interior OF the stties IL formed of willow
mattresses. These become completely filled with |
sediment 80 soon az the current eeases 10 pass
Through them. Their exposed surfaces are cov- |
cred with stone ballast, which IN like Il, amer be
comes filled with sediment and this completely |
protects the willow work from ths attack oil the |
worm.
The various surveys referred TO have been made
under the supervision Of Mr. n. L. Oorihell, resi.
assistant, aided by MIR. Webb aud Mr.. Morton.
assistant engineers, TO Oil Of whom | am much
indebted for prompt and intelligent cooperation.
OFFICIAL ORDERS.
| take great pleasure In stating that the honor.
sble Secretary OF War has issued lob orders as
will permit the proApt delivery 10 me OF Che re-
rom time TO time by Cant. NJ. n. Brown, United
States Engineer Corps, United States inspecting
ofiieer OF the ietties, He has also directed |
0apt. Brown to establish such regulations for |
lhe navigation OF the pass as will protect the
injury by the too rapid movement OF the p,eam-
era ueing the pass.
Our works were begun two years ago Ia an un-
Used outlet Of the Mississippi river and have nec-
sesariy disturbed the regimen governing the out.
low 20 the Hea OF an enormous volume OF water;
but the theories upon which they were based have
been fully vindcated by the resulte produced, aud
y is now msnifeat that entire and complete euc.
,ees will reward our labprs. Among the promi-
nent results developed by our operations are the
|
|. The concentration of the water f,ewinp aeross
he sandbar 40 the mouth OF the pace hy tho
cities created channel over 900 feet witie In no
,laoe )eee than twenty feet deep, where only
about eight feet previously existed.
2. The concentration of the water flowing over
he shoal in the river at the head Of The paes
reated channel over 400 feet wide, Ia no part Of
lees than % feet deep, with the central part 80
Get deep, where but Ia TO ID feet previously
'xisted.
8. During the time In which portion OF the
low into the pass was interrupted by Che works
4 ito head, aud the current consequently siacken-
"a, temporary deposit took place in the pass
nd between the jeties.
l. The gradual restoration OF the normal flow
nto the pass through the new channel at its
lead has already begun to enlarge the pass
gain, and has, since this restored Glow CON-
nenced removed from between the jetties within
he past three months over half million cubic
ards OF deposit and given through more than
lalf the length Of the jetties . much larger and
'eeper channel than ever previously existed, the
m lse OF which is already throughout moro than
wy feet, 2s feet by 800 feet or that required TO
nutle US TO the fifth payment from the United
eet by $50 feet.
8. The gulf current athwart the iettied mouth
the pass effectually prevents the reformation