The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-04-10
New Orleans TiTes. April 5ts.l
The JcffieS.


EAps THE LATEST IMPROVEMENTS AT THE
TIY-wORKS-CONCRETE Gaping OF TIE
JETTlES-1HE PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTION
IwENTY-sEvEN FEET OF WATER THROUGH
OUT THE CuANNEL-A MOST WONDERFUL AND
GRATIFYING SUCCESS.
Captain j. y. EadS. who passed through
this city Monday en- route TO the !cttlcS, re-
turned yesterday afternoon and registered
at the st. Charles Hotel. Knowing that the
late improvements in the condition OF the
passes had induced this trip. and rightly
Surmi>in. that the Captain. after his visit,
would have something OF interest on the
subject to impart, Times reporter called
last night upon the Captain and obtained the
following points:
The remarkable Improvement which has
recently occurred in the condition OF the
jr,tv channel is the result OF two causes.
The first Of these is the additions made to
the works at the head OF the passes since
the 1>t of December. These have very MI
terialy increased the flow OF water into
South Pass. The second i the work done
on the sea-cnds OF the ietlleS. The closing
OF Grand Bayou, which is situated about
onc-haIf way down the pass, through which
formerly twcniy-three per cent. OF the
volume OF the stream was discharged, and
the building Of the je!ties at the mouth OF
the pass. caused the wafer to be backed
up and around through Cubii'S Gap. South
west Pass. and other outlets. and consider
ably diminished the water IL the pass be-
low its natural volume.
The work done since December at the
head OF the pass has fully restored the nat
ural discharge OF the river. This OF itself
would increase the depth OF the water at
the mouth OF the ietiies, even II no work
had been done upon the icttes themselves; !;
but, since the first OF January, the sca-ents
! of the ictlics have been receiving capplng
OF concrete, which has had the effect Of
! comprcss;ng the willow mattresses OF which
these iettics are composed, and OF stopping
| the wastage Of water through and over the
| top OF the iettics.
! On the eastern je,ty over 800 feet Of this
capping have already been laid, and 1t now
extends out to within 1j0 feet ol the sea-
end OF that ietty.
| The blocks oi concrete arc OF enormous
weight. those Of the sca-end being over 20
tons each. They measure 90 by IS by i
feet. and are made OF the best Portland &C.
mcnt, combined with certain portions OIL
sand, gravel, and broken stone.
The top OF this Gaping stands . feet
above average high-tde water. When the
blocks arc first put on a settlement OF SIX
inches is observable. This is doubtless due
to the compression Of the willows. After
f9rty-cight hours have passed scarcely any
further settlement whatever can 1T any time
be detected.
Before a block OF concrete is made grave
is thoroughly worked into the willow mat
tres cs, the latter being opened up wit!
crowbarS to permit OF the entrance OF tht
gravel. The mould for the block is thcf
built upon tie mattresses, the material uSct
being wooden plLnks. Then the concrete
which is prepared by machinery al mill ol
Westinghouse some distance above tht
mouth OF the jpttics, is carried out in
tramway-car drawn by 4 small locomotive
. and dumped into the mould.
The mixer is driven by Stcam-tngine
and the work progresses 50 ralIdly that
la"ce force OF men is required TO suppiy TN
machine with the necessary amount OF sand
Gravel. stone, and cement. One hunurc;
barrels or cement are used up every DAY
and from three to four concrete blocks af
turned out in the same space OF time.
THESE blocks in the course OF week be
come 50 hard as to be able TO succesSIuli
resist smart blow from hammer, Whll
the older blocks resist the entrance or
sledSc-drivcn spike.
The blocks are laid closely together, AM
on each side OF them slope OF stone ait
gravel is afterwards put. This blanke
effectually stops the passage OF water an
facilitates the accumulation OF sediment u
the voids or spaces in the willow mat
tresScS.
The Gaping on the western ietty has hec
5 extended TO within about six hundred fee
~ IT'S sea-cnd. This Improvement ha
stoned an enormous waste OF water owe
the ends OF the icttics, and the result ha
been the opening OF splendid channt
through the shoal which existed at tn
mouth OF the jettics. Through the ceItr
of this channel the depth OF The water
twcnt--seycn feet, and ship Gra"in
TWENTY-FIVE feet has several hundred feet Q
channel within which TO float out to sea.
There is nowhere less than - feet dept
throughout the entire length OF the lctf,
channel. At the head OF the passes til
works arc being rapidly pushed To compile
ton, and the depth Of the channel there ha
undergone & decided Improvement in tn
last six weeks. Il vessel drawing "a fee
; can easily pass through it at The presen
time.
The ships Mikado and City OF Limerick
which have been reported IN the northern
, n,pers rs being aground in the ietty chan
nri were not detained in that channel at all
The Mikado grounded by bad management
in the DaSs itself, two miles below the shos
At the head OF the pass. The City OF Lime
rick was not aground either in pass or jet
ties. but was detained Mt Port Eads becauS
OF her propelIer-key being lost out OF u
shaft.
A box.dock was placed under her sterl
nv Colonel Andrews, at Port EadS, AM
pumped out. and the propeller replaced AM
KEYED; all in about forty.eight hours: Oh
then proceeded to sea, drawing 23s Ieet Q
water.
The South Pass is ten miles long. has owe
thirty feet OF water throughout its entir
length in the channel, and no work was re
ouircd to be done in it. There was shoa
at the head OF the passes in the MISSISSIPPI
river, obstructing the entrance into IL. ant
Mr.. Eads has decpcned this sboal from four
teen to twenty-four feet, and expresses th'
fullest confidence in being able to secure
fully thirty feet through II.
The other obstruction was in the gun
the mouth OF the pass, and was "a miles II
extent, from tile deep water in the pass ts
the deep water in she gulf. over this Da
there were but seven OR eight feet, nov
there are twenty-seyen feet entirely through
II. and vet some OF the northern 1ournai
persis; In declaring the ietties are faiiure