Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-04-08
CAPTAIN EADs,s LETTER.

CAPTAIN EADs'S LETTER.
So long as this gentleman Is traduced and
vilh6ed, just so long will the APPEAL defend
him. The injustice OF the world is fully il
Illustrated in his case. As fast as one false
hood is exposed, another sprouts upon its
grave. Captain Eads has recently written a
long letter to the New York Tribune, i.
which he fully and most triumphanty ex-
poses the last and vilest OF all the falsehoods
that have been manufactured to his injury.
The success of the jetties are now regarded as
an accomplished fact. Only the more I'M
scrupulous enemies of Captain Eads have the
hardihood to repeat the old slang against the
jetties, and hence the more decent of his
enemies have ceased to pronounce the ietties
failure, but have resorted to new expedi-
ents for the purpose Of i0jnring Captain
Eads. 1t has recently been asserted that
he succeeded in manipulating congressman,
and bringing about a change Of contract, in
creasing the liabilities of the United States
five million dollars" There is not 4 particle
of truth in this last charge The price to be
paid under the modified contract remains
exactly what it was under the original con-
tract 1t was placed then at five million two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and it
remains now at five million two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars. What was done was
to change certain conditions and the mode
and time of certain payments, and this was
conceded as an act Of justice, which, while IT
would make the task easier for the contract
or, could inflict no injury on the government.
The question was thoroughly considered by
the senate committee, and It was agreed to |
make the changes, because the re-
suits showed that the work was tar adj |
vanced toward completion, and be- !
, cause all that the spirit Of the law
required had been ACCOMPLISHED II must
be considered that a government commission
in 1874 estimated the cost of a channel
twenty-six feet deep. with bottom width Of
two hundred feet, at FIVE million nine hum
dred and forty-two thousand one hundred
and ten dollars, whilst Captain Eads, for the
same work Is to receive only three million
seven hundred AID fifty thousand dollars.
The remainder of the money IS not due until
a channel thirty feet deep is secured The
following extract from Captain Eads's recent
letter to the New York Tribune explains
this point:
The question Of advancing money to me
beyond the requirements of the law was verv
carefully considered by both committees, and =
especially by the senate committee. The pro- !
Visions OF the original act were studIously /
1rawn to protect the government from the i
slightest possibility of paying out a dollar on [
ms tgreat work before its absolute success @
should be so far demonstrated as to give re-
suits OF unqueS6oned commercial value, fully Q
equal to the promised payments, and. also, TO f
nroW upon myself and my associates every Y
possible hazard OF the undertaking The n
eVerIty OF Its provisions may be inferred from L
ne tact that, although the works are so nearly o
ompleted, and although a channel depth Of L
Iearly twenty-five feet is secured thror7eyb | !.
hem unde" the terms of the original act we =;
yo1lS only be entitled to-day to one million e
ollars OF the agreed price for the works m, | v
less than one fifth part of that prize. |
men TO this fact 1t Is added that we under T.
)ok the deepening of this channel for nlne- ,
1.-TWO thousand one hundred and ten dol f'
rs less than seven eminent engineers ar
that 1t would cost under the al
sual mode of payment; that we assumed 9.
7ery risk of injury to the works and fail -
res OF the plan, and that we have. even II
1der the amended law, to create a channel Is
ur or hve feet deeper than they proposed to WI
cure with their estimate; | feel sure that l.,
ialr-mnded men will, In view Of the re- -
Its we have accomplished, believe that we H''
n Ne IairIy earned all the money we have yet VI
celVed from the government. After a IN
orough examination of all the facts. the
nate committee in its report saws: 1.-THE
miliittee IS OF opinion that Mr.. Eads is en-
lea TO rehef, whatever the light in which
question may be considered; whether in
2 nght OF results accomplished, proportion "a
WORK done, or money expended" The
port continues; The proposition of Mr..
as TO do the work for a sum of ninety
Thousand one hundred and ten dollars
than the cost Of construction. as esti- q, &
tea by the commission of 1874, would ,,t
NJ 70 lnGlcate tnat the total puce, FIVE vi,
lhon two hundred and fifty thousand dol NJ,
J, was a moderate estimate of the cost of as
work. The present board having certified VIC
{ three hundred and fifty thousand dollars at1I
complete the work, 1t is at once apparent ~
I put little more remains to be done, and ,,.
tne work may be regarded as substan- "a 20.
ly completed ing
his last falsehood having been. fms ev- - ci,-
co. IL Will not be long before another will late
But Captain Eads has tri- bull
Pied over all opposition, and he cannot be ,ieC
sated oy Misrepresentation. He has sur- tGai
lnted more obstacles than any public man pro,
ne pursuit OF a great enterprise ever en- wor
1tered. Two years ago the pilots Of South wa
were arrayed against him. They would Eorr
ooseiy ground vessels in the mud when The
e was plenty of water in the ietties, for ear
purpose OF destroying an enterprise which, 'S,s
lecesstul, would deprive them of the inn,
ms OF subsistence. A correspondent who. cred
years ago, regarded the jetties as a fail pioy
writing to the Charleston Netcs and e ,,5H
r'eT' says: "All the shipping now comes
TINS entrance. Southwest pass is aban-
"a, except by fishing smacks and a few NJ
ing schooners, and is of no more value I -
the belize, which was given up many lien.
ago. The jetties stretch out into the agar
In two long wave-washed lines, and be- 9d9tt
a tiiem the turbid current of the great 49, 3
dashes far out to sea, projecting SI2i
muddy waters through the blue brine He "
nd the reach of the eye. Between the oWne
3 there Is a trustworthy depth OF De
ty-three feet at average food tide, and Ne
ny laden ocean steamers of over three OF tn,
and tons burden pass out and across c7me
BAR without impeachment The govern 49,, 49,,
dredges, which used to be EMPLOYED and
ear round at great expense dredging promi
oar and the mud Jumps at Southwest reeep'
stopped work several months ago, the ii rn'
'f pilot-boats abandoned the entrance, ings.