New-York tribune., 1879-02-25
TILL nLsAlNxLppL LELrLEE.

y bill reported last week from the Senate
Committee Oh Transportation Routes to the
ScabOald is designed to COrI,ct manifest
Injustice which the Government has COM
mittcd in dealing with the Improvements at
the mouth of the Mississippi River. The
value Of those improvements i no longer
matter OF dispute. The experience OF ship
masters aud the report of the Army
Engineers appointed last summer TO examine
the works. agree that the scheme of Captain
Fad, ha, been completely successful in the
South Pass, formerly accessible only 10y
vessels of seven 10 nine feet draught,
a permanent channel has been obtained
of tweuty-thrce feet at the shallowest
part, and the engineers are Of the Opln-
ION that when the jctdes are properly
consolidated mt their Outer ends this depth
will be increased to twenty-five or tWcnty-,lX
feet. The width is from POO to 800 feet, the
lesser measurement beng ample for the wants
If commerce. The prediction Of 0dyerdres
Of the jerty system that q bar would form at
the sea ends has been fal>iicd by the event,
the engineers reporting that there is, on the
contrary. Disappearance OF bar material from
the front of the jetiieS.
So much for the great work which Captain
Eads has accomplished for thc commerce of
the Mississippi. The report accompanying the
Senate bill VIII probably surprise the country
by showing that Captain Eads has done
this at enormous pecunarY cost to him
self There has been actually expended,
"in connection with the construction
d" of the works, at least the sum Of Sj,315,-
"JJ7 43, or $1,34J,JJ7 43 more than the
total amount received by Mr.. lads, and to
be received under the Act Of June, 1873,
" from the Government This mOrufyine re-
suit is attributable in part to the onerous con-
dirions with which the Government encum-
bered the original appropriation. When
the work was begun the jetty system was re-
garded AS Il somewhat rash experiment; it was
reasonable enough that Congress should guard
the National Treasury against loss by an en-
terprise which many engineers of reputation
condemned in advance. But, "nOW that the
"success Of the work has become an accom-
plIshcd fact" says the report OF the Com
uittee. "and deep channel to sea has been
secured for the commerce of the nyer, the
necessity for the stringent provision, referred
" 10 no longer exists"
The bill recommended bv the Committee
will authorize the Government to pay Nh.
Fad, and his associates the sums already
agreed upon without eXactAg the fulhment
of conditions which have been shown to be
entirely unuecC ,sary, and without waiting for
the attainment Of u iridh of channel which
The commerce of the river does not Ic-
ouire, aud which the engineers believe
would endanger the whole work To
secure channel of 200 feet width
with minimum depth OF 2G feet, Mr..
Eads propo.es to obtain in mid-chAnne a
depth of 80 feet. This wOnId have to be in
creased to 30 or 10 feet in order to get the
width required by the original act, and would
involve great increase IN the volume of
water flowing through the Pass. Il disturbance
OF The regimen of the other PASSES, and serious
peril to the improN cmcnt. Justice and common
sense, therefore, alike seem TO demand a
modification OF the contract, and we trust
that the bill will bc passed.