The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-02-24

under this head; but no communications will
be printed except from responsible parties.l
CAPT. EADs' PLAN FOR DIGGING OUT
THE MISSISSIPPI.
Editor DemocraLfn the New Orleans
Times of the fourth instant / find an
extended paper read bsfore the st. Louis
Chamber OF Commerce by Capt. james
of q subject ut once interesting and affect
Ing the entire interest Of the whole allu-
vial basin and arraigns most distinguished
body Of scientific mon. feel it incumbent upon
myself to assume the defense of certain sub
jects discussed as well us the gentlemen
spoken Of. propose to take up the subject
In Its regular order and discuss it upon thor
oughly impartial ground, as [ regard the
whole matter as affecting. not the personal ad-
vancetnent Of any one professional man Or
dwellers in tho great Valley Of the NJ lssissppi.
TO assume that Capt Eads is infallible
simply because he proposed u plan based
entirely upon theory which Tho says will
reclaim the entire alluvial basin would be
ridiculous. He has undertaken, through the
generous spirit of Congress o great work at
the mouth of the Mississippi river, and the
public with one accord to-day will say
CAPT. EADs AND HIS JErT1Es STAND UPON
TRIAL BEFORE THE COUNTRY,
and before we entrust him further with expert
ments let us await his SUCCESS | will not
in relation to q "so-called twenty four foot
channel ut the mouth of the Mississippi
because on referring to Capt. NJ. II. Browns
report In the DEMOCRAT of the Feb 4 [
discover that at average tide q depth ON the
bar Of only 81 90 feet existed, with least width
of 100 feet, .05 less than when Capt. Eads re-
ceived his second instalIment of $50DoOO
Capt. Eads proposes by jetties or wing
dams, etc, to produce navgable channel OF
20 feet between Cairo and the mouth of Red
river. ] would not deduct one iota from that
gentlemans professional standing. but | de-
sire to show that the plan, in SO far as wing
dams are concerned. is not original with him,
but was offered and reported upon by
MAJOR CHARLES r. suffer- UNITED STATES
CORPS ENG1NEERs.
United States Engineers Report, 1876. D. 5t8.
But 1t must not be understood by the reader
from this reference that the two plans are tden-
tioal. Upon referring to Major Suffers report
find that gentleman extremely careful In his
propositions. He says: Having settled the
direction Of the new channel. the next thing is
to determine its dimensions. which should
not be unnecessarily great, less the pool above
be drained off too rapidly. A safe rule to fol-
low 10 to so proportion the opening that the
total discharge over the bar may not be in
creased by the works Of Improvement; or. in
other words, O sufficient portion of the water
flowing over the bar must be cut off and made
to flow through the bar and on The line se-
leeted.
"Tbe works necessary to accomplish this
viii eehEst 81 bikes hHit sit fftefn
one or both shores" because, as he says, 'tthe
influx of sand from above must first be stop
ped, SO the river will have u chance TO clear
itself, and, as it's width contracts. the shores
can be reveted to prevent any further in
furious changes
But. before leaving this interesting and
learned report OF Major Suter, | must quote
for Capt. Eads benefit paragraph g. page 80: .
MANY persons have inferred that there is
even danger OF the stream raising its bed.
but this apprehension seems to bs without
foundation, for as long rs the banks offer SO
little resistance the stream has no difficulty
in obtaining all the channel way needed. and
hence no rise in the level Of water surface Ia
likely to occur: it has to destroy the banks,
leaving the heavy sand Of the bed untouched
From this action results great increase Of
width. and the depth must be reduced in like
proportion. owing to the decrease In securing
force: moreover, the bed being wider, the
but has unchecked opportunity for annoying
changes
Before leaving this question Of flood level,
which | have discussed In some previous
papers, aid Capt. Eads being possessed of the
fallacy OF nm annual increase in flood level.
would again refer to the undoubted authority
of water gauge record Mt Natchez which GER
tainly should convince him. | pronounce the
hypothesis of an annual increase OF flood
level from my experience in hydraulic prac-
ticeo on the Mississippi, and the support of
eminent authority from home and abroad to
be
TOTALLY ettNTENABIE.
Capt. Eads does not advance one line of
authority IN support of lis opinion 1t seems
entirely original with himself
His practice and observation, If he will be
generous to himself. will prove his position
bad one.
the Levee Commission with having unquali-
fed faith in the sc-called outlet theory. / do
mot assume to divine the innermost thoughts
of those gentlemen but from their report
say they are extremely careful as to the.adop-
ton Of any decided position on that theory,
for example, they did not recommend the per-
mancnt opening Of Bonnet Care. Certainly
Outlets they would have recommended an
opening there ut SO favorable q site. It s my
opinion that iudiciq1sly located outlets would
largely relieve the high water How in the
Mississippi.
The commission Of engineers say: sIn fine,
then, we must conclude chat no outlet should
be attempted until extensive borings have
established the fact that It's bed will consist Of
the hard blue clay which forms the true bed
sion" They did not feel warranted in giving
an opinion in q general way, with the necess-
sary data. In other words they did not jump
at conclusions upon subject of such impor-
lance.
AS it is my purpose here to contend princi-
pa1ly with the levee question, will leave the
improvement of the Mississippi aboveoto the
experience of men who as noble public work
ers, have made the matter as plain to us as
any such abstruse problem can be made by
intelligent practice and profound study.
Capt. Eads has frequently proclaimed it
not his intention to abandon levees as a sys-
TEN Of reclamation, and now we find him be-
fore the country boldly proclaiming it as his
opinion that by his cutoff and wing dam sys.
tenn he will, in an indefinite period of time 50
reduce the flood level as to render levees use
less. Thanks to his generosity, he leaves the
boon of retaining our levees yet little
while, Or until his qnesti?naIble, scheme shall
very truly too: This line Of flood slope
fixes the height Of the levees.' so long as
it remains at its present height the levees
must continue to be above it, to protect the
land" Quite true again; it would be strange
relief and says he can cut down the terrible
water, he can curb and control 1T, and like
Samson Of old, by his mighty hand he can
control this mighty avenpnp agency The