, 1879-05-08
Eads' Jetty System,

There can be no doubt that Captain
Eads' jetty system is temporary, if not
permanent, success. Whether il will
prevent the formation of bars further
out in the Gulf is still an open ques-
ton. 1t is shown by o map of the
Government engineers that in 1884
there were lao feet of water on what is
now the bar of the Southwest Pass
which has but IS feet of water at pres
ent. The official survey shows that
Captain Eads has succeeded already by
means of his jetty system in deepening
the water in the South, or Jetty Pass,
to twenty.seven and half feet at high
tide, so that the Pass is navigable for
steamships of 5000 tons burden at high
tide. BY act of Congress Captain Eads
was to.receive $500,000 when channel
two hundred feet in width with twenty
five feet of water was obtained. He
was also to receive like amount when
the Channelhad been deepened to twenty
six feet; and $500, 900 more for thirty
foot channel without regard 10 width;
and 81, 100000 in ten or twenty years
if channel was maintained twenty-six
feet deep. He has received the second
installment of $50O,000.
Captain Eads plan was a simple one
-bottomed on common sense and for
eign experience. 1t was by directing,
confning and subsequently accelerating
the mighty current of the Mississippi
river notorious for the amount of de-
bris and alluvial carried along TO be do
posted, as soon as it meets the counter
currents of the Gulf--to make it do its
own dredging; to force the water to cut,
take up and carry out sediment, and
thus clear and deepen its own bed
This he did. First, by shutting up
a bayou and two passes; then he be-
gan his jetties, by sinking two lines Of
willow mattresses, heavily anchored with
stone, from the ends of the mud banks
out into the Gulf Mattress was piled
on mattress, and load Of stone on load
of stone, until the walls appeared above
the surface and became firm and secure
through means of the river sediment
A number Of wing dams were then
thrown out at right angles to the walls
for the same purpose of directing the
river currents, and to throw greater
volume into the center.
His work is by no means done. Ho
is ROW engaged, at infinite pains and at
large expense, in strengthening the sea
ends of the jetty walls. This is done
by lowering mattresses, filed with stone
and gravel, and working it all among
the willow wattles with crow-bars, and
then pouring in liquid cement, as also
into boxes on top, which soon hardens
into massive blocks as hard as rock.
The commerce of New Orleans has
greatly increased since this river i'm
provement has been accomplished. The
largest steamships from all parts of Eu-
rope now enter the port Of New Orleans
Capt. Eads has done something to restore
lost commerce. He has taken one of
the passes of the Mississippi wholly un-
used by any large vessels, and made a
clear water way Of more than twenty
six feet. Naturally enough, his enter.
prise encountered the bitterest opposi,
tion. Success involved a great change
in the business Of transportation. Gin
Cinnati and st. Louis might be required
to make some new adjustments of busi-
ness. New Orleans, once in danger of
drying up so to speak, might become
the great city Of the Southwest. Her
port would receive the largest merchants
ahoat Business would naturally find
the cheapest channels.