The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1878-08-06
THE JETTY SYSTEM.

ITS MORE ELABORATE DISCUSSION LIKELY TO
COME Up AT THE NEXT sEssIOS-ISTIMA-
TONS OF RENEWED HOSTILITY On THE
PART OF THE ENGINEER CORPS.
From the Philadelphia Press.
WASHINGTON, August 1.-The petition of
Captain Eads during the late session of con.
gress, asking modification of his contract
with the government for the opening of a
ship channel of a maximum depth of thirty
feet from the mouth of the Mississippi river
into water of equivalent or greater depth in
the Gulf of Mexico has attracted public at
tim to such an extent to his system that it
not improbable at the next session of Con-
gress the question will come up for more
elaborate discussion and extended lcgsla.
ton. The committee charged with the con-
sderation OF the petition OF Captain Euds,
while disposed to facilitate his work in
every manner possible within the limits OF
the original contract, showed disposition
to obtain more information than then pos
sessed by the Government, and proposed
for that purpose the organization of Com.
mittce of Science to report generally upon
the practicability Of the ,ietty system as a
permanent system of channel improvement,
and upon various contingent forces at work
to prevent durable results.
The success of the operations Of Captain
Eadss system thus far has awakened Il
wider interest in the work, and there is cv-
cry prospect of its expansion into question
of conflict between the great rail transporta.
ton routes to the seaboard. There were
some incipient Indications of this hostility
last winter, and it is not improbable, should
any further legislation be undertaken. that
these rival interests will come in open COLI
sion. Independent of this probable opposi.
ton, strong influence is growing up in the
engineer corps of the army against Captain
Eadss enterprise, but whether from well
grounded scientific or practical objections
or from narrow sense Of opposition 10 the
execution of great works of river harbor i'm.
provemcnt by private enterprise, remains to
be demonstrated.
A gentleman Of extensive mercantile in.
tcrests in New Orleans, speaking of the
present operations in the South Pass of the
Mississippi, says that Captain Eads is en-.
titled to great consideration for the scien-
titic skill and practical enterprise displayed
as far as the work has progressed; that the
people of New Orleans fully appreciate and
applaud the success thus far; that the
government, under the direction of the
secretary Of war, could not have conducted
the experiment to the same point, without
the expenditure of Il much larger sum than
has already been dsburscd He saws that
the universal sentiment in commercial and
circles in New Orleans
is, without exception, favorable to
the project as Il successful experiment but
lacks sufficient practical 'cst MS PERMANENT
~ established work that no great storm
has yet tested It's durability in mechanic
al point Of view, or the complete correctness
OF the theory, doubt being expressed as to
the possibility of preventing the formation
of Il new bar off the mouth ofthc ictty, and
the opinion among persons representing
the shipping and towboat interest is that,
the work to he promptly complete, will cost
at least Slj,O0O,O 600, and should Dc trans
tcrred to the engineer corps, after full re-
endorsement Of Captain Eads for all the
money expended, and handsome
bonus for the skiltul mancr in which he
has conducted the enterprise. The en-
pcnsc of maintaining the work, even at its
present depth, which renders the river avail
able for all present purposes of commerce,
it is claimed, will he more than the amount
allowed 10y the terms OF the contract. 1t is
also stated rs an evidence ofthe prospective
financial embarrassment of the enterprise
that Nll the contractors have either failed
outright or been hopclcsslycmbarrasscl. The
large margin of profit allowed to the banks Of
St. Louis and New Orleans for the advances
of money to Capt, Eads, are also said TO be
the worst obstacle Is the way of even con
tinuancc of the project. II Is stated that at
least two more payments will be required
by Mr.. Eads to satisfy the demands of the
parties called stockholders. There is no
question that important legislation will bo
asked when Congress re.assemblcs so as to