The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1878-05-11
CAIRO, ILLINOIS, sAFsaDAY MORNING, MAY ii. 1873
EADS EXPLAINS.
The Proposed Thirty Foot Channel Be
tween the Jetties.


w hS the Governinent should NOT
Insist Upon II.
ISurcia 10 the Missouri Republican,
WASHINGTON. May 9.--As several dis
patches have been sent to this point regard
ing the object of Capt. Eads' visit to Wash
ington he has written the following letter:
Please permit me TO correct reports pub
lished in several journals recently that !
have asked to be released from my engage
ment tocreatc channel 30 feet deep and
have abandoned the undertaking as a fail
ure. By the terms Of the law have I'M
til September OF next year to create chan
mel 80 feet deep. This depth will be secur-
ed in all probability during this month, as
but 3,i40 cubic yards now interfere with a
channel Of that depth by $50 feet in
width. The United States COM
mission OF engineers, WHO in
in 1874 recommended the jctty system for
pass we are improving, considered u per-
mancnt central depth Of % feet sufficient
for thu wants of commerce and suitable for
the size OF the pass. The act requires a
channel nowhere less than 30 feet dcep,witll
q width OF $50 feet. To create such width
with 30 feet Of water between ietties |
think uniudicious, and may possibly re
suit in injury TO them. This opinion ex-
pressed 10 the committee when framing the
bill in 1875, and am now confirmed in
thi, opinion. | have, therefore, recon-
mcnded that the size Of the channel be so
reduced that the thirty feet depth through
it shall not be required to exceed one hun
drcd feet in width. With such width the
"a feet channel would probably not be less
than 400 feet wide. and the 90 feet channel
would probably be 800 feet wide. As We
can easily increase the flow into the pass,and
are not now using Onc-tenth part of the
whole discharge Of the river, it remains en-.
tirely for the government to say whether
stipulated sizes shall be adhered to or not
This, presume, it will determine onlyatter
advice Of its own competent experts. The
bin was framed with a view Of securing the
government from any risk, either from the
destruction of the works during THEN
progress or from any failure Of the ietty sys
TEN. Being secured on this it was intend
cd that We should receive from time e
time, g, specific depths were secured by
permanent works, reasonable repayment
on account of our OUTLAWS. II was. how
ever impossible to determine before
hand how much OF the whole works woul(
| he required 10 secure depths on which pay
mcnt, depended. and while their total cos
will exceed the original estimates a portion
/ OF tie whole that it has been necessary II
| complete has greatly exceeded our expect
/ tions. We therefore ask such 4 rcadiust
mcnt of term. Of payment as will enable u
! 10 discharge debts incurred on account o
| il ard furnish the sufficient amount to in
sure it. early completion. We only ask thi
after the country is in employment Of til
substantial benefits from il and official n
| ports confirm the confidence OF the publ
in it, pcrnancncc, and after further ad
/ hercncc 20 oppressive terms Of paymen
are no longer necessary 10 protect til
government and must react 70 the injury o
the public. We ask no alteration that vii
not leave in the hands OF the government
an ample portion Of our compensation L
insure the entire completion of the who'll
work. The total price to be paid lis is s.,
100000. We have completed fully four
titths Of il and have received only $1,000,
900 on it. This, with the fact that we hay
almost trcbled the original depth of til
channel and vessel, drawing 90 feet ca
and do pass through it without delay q
any kind, should be sufficient to prov
needless stringeacy in the terms of pay
mcnt and absurdity Of any adverse report
relating to the enterprise.
Respectfully JAMES Il. E,D>.