The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-11-21
RED RIVER NAVIGATION.

RED RIVER NAVIGATION.
we have ropeIyel from tion. Randall l..
| ailann Il report aF Major w. II r. llenyairek
tho t'nitea Statea engineer who has had
charge Vf the work al the mauth of Red
| rlvor. to lsrgatlior General II. 81. Wright
| Chief nj linAncnra United States army, Tho
report waa ellniteti by the action taken In tho
| matter II tho obatruetiona ut the mouth Of
Nsi river, nv the Cotton Exchange Of this
aty and by Iinnorahlaa Randall II. Gibson
and D. Floyd King. In asking fnr rolief from
Tho Secretary nf War. and ls q very interest
Ing document.
It ahows that Major Benyaard. while not
aho with tho means at his command to keep
open tho bar nj tho mouth of Hod ,Ivnr. has
devoted much time and thought and labor 10
the matter and more especially 10 tho elur~
dalton Of The extremely difficult problem pro-
scented hy tho condition of affairs That obtain
At thu junction uf tho Rod and Mississippi
rivers. llo has given much study MS To The baat
means Of making II permanent improvement,
aud Ia that very important and desirable ond
hnp carefully examined all the different plans
which have obtained favor among those in
toroetcd III tho navigation Of Red river. and
especially that which ooutempates Tho con-
attraction Of dam just below the head Of
Turnhulla Island. 80 M 10 leoct tho water
Of lied rIvor from tho present channel "n tho
lower eide Or thoisand into thc old channel on
tho upper Ridn aud conduct II thenon into
the Mississippi by n CUTOFF preventing tho
rae Of tho old channel at the lower end OF tho
laIanh by another dam. This plan would ont
thu linI otf entirely from tho AtehafaIaya,
which would then be fed Ivy tho Mississippi
alone.
This plan is highly approved by most Of
those III interest and nj first blush seems to
be q simple and not very expensive solution
Of difficulty that has been puzzling nngln-
cers aud steamhoatmen for many years, but
though favnrably impressed with 1t, Major
senynurd's Investigations have satisfied him
that there nro almost insuperable obstaelee In
tho way Of its satisfactory consummation iIe
says In hts report: AT first sight tho pltI,
seems feasible but the results OF tho survey
reveal q very different state of affairs e5lst-
Ing al the mouth from that generally sup
posed, and very Acknowledgements, SO far rs
tho success OF the plan Is concerned" He
shows that tho main trouble consists In the fact
that the valley OF Rod river Is belor that OF
tho Misslssippi. and that as the plano of the
slope Of the Rcd has y less inclination than
the Mississippi, the water OF the latter
stream Is constantly and necessarily backed
NJ into the Rcd for many miles, and also into
Its tributary streams. This naturally Inn
pedes tho current and causes q precipitation
Of sediment, which form the bars and pro
duee all the trouble. In view of this condi-
ton Of affairs Major Benyaurd concludes
that the now plan proposed, like those which
have been resorted to In the past. would fall,
and for the same reason, On this point he
makes the following observation:
| AS 1t was observed oven In former tmes Red
river had not sufficient fall to clean out tho do,
postts at Its mouth. In tho present condition Of
affairs. and with Its mouth moved several miles
| to the east ward. 1t Is still more apparent that 1t
| ca not be projected into the Mississippi with
| ali tflcftnt velocity TO insure M open mouth ut
all sa1sai Expensive dredging operations
would Da necessary every low water season.
Ending this plan beset with such difficulty
Major Benyaurd then examined the one pre-
sented many years ago oy the former Chief
State Engineer Of Louisiana, J. X. Duncan,
which contemplates adopting Bayou Plaque
mno as the route to Red river, and which
would necesstate lock at the junction of
the bayou and the Mississippi. lie says that
the result Of the survey he has had made,
and with all the lights before him, Incline
him to the belief that this Is by far the best
| method OF keeping up the communication OF
the Mississippi with the Red and the Atcha-
falaya though it will no doubt be bitterly
opposed BY the navigation interest OF Red
river"
This, 1t must be admitted. would cause a
very radical change In the Red river trade, and
the proposition will no doubt meet with strong
opposition. We should like to hear from the
parties most deeply interested what their
views are as to the proposed change, ard also
from some Of our engineers as to the feasibii-
ity Of the new route. The DEMOCRAT is anx-
ious In this matter to elicit Information and
to subserve the best interests OF the large and
rich section Of our State that will be affected