The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-07-16
Liberty to the Mississippi.

The grand success Just achieved by Cap
tsiu EAps in opening the gates OF the Mis-
sis.ippt to the commerce: Of the world is a
work whose good will endure and 60 on In
creasing with time. Four years ago there
was not water to pass certainly and safely
into the Mississippi vessels drawing more
than seven feet water. On the 1lth In
slant, as announced at the time BY US, the
Great Eastern could ride easily In the pass.
-Four years ago there was. hardly water
enough to float an oyster-lugger where
now there Is a channel OF thirty feet, and
the fleets and uavies OF the world can easily
pass into the great Mississippi.
The mastery engineering skill, and yet
more, the comprehensive judgment and phi
losophy, Of JAMES b. EADs have trlumphed
over a natural obstruction which engineers
have until now in vain sought for the means
Of avoiding. EADs resorted to the expedi-
emit which removed the bar and set therlver
free, The mighty stream had been its own
compressor. EADs made it it's own deliverer.
The principle which caused it TO obstruct
its own passage was its expansion. Its seo-
lmentary deposit was accommodated o!
spreading out Its waters, and Captain
EADs's remedy was to prevent expansion DY
combining the. channel By the walls built on
| it's sides with the ietties. These walls, stop
ping the spreading Of the channel, forced
it to scour its way and deepen itself. Sim
ple as it was, and as efectual as it proved IT.
self to be, no man proposed it until EaDs
came forward boldly and confidently,
amidst the ridicule and ieers Of hundreds,
and undertook the work. Prophesies I'M
favorable, and finally Misrepresentation in
Vulnerable and consequent delays, embar-
raised Mr.. EADs. Butihis final triumph is
only the greater. In the brief space OF four
years the work il done, and indeed more
than done. As the New Orleans Times
Justly says: a,-s
"Human patience and courage and in
dustry, backed by an indomiable and I'M
firing will, and Informed and directed by
human skill, have applied the forces OF ma
/ ture TO the accomplishment OF an end too
| vast for merely artificial agencies, and the
treaen dous river which, uncontrolled, has
been its own opprcssor and imprisoner, has
i now become its own iibeTator and saviour.
| .'There is no achievement Of mechanical
\ genius which compares with itin the splen.
dor OF its economies or in the magnitude OF
ITS results. There is nc parallel instance Of
\ mans employment of the prodieioas ener'
gies of nature ia the realization OF his aims
1t stands alone ia these respects Is il does
in almost incaIculable possibilities which il
| has brought within our reach"
And appropriately and truly the Times
thus concludes its tribute to Mr.. EADs:
$50 long as commerce swarms into this
port and natures unfriendly action is hello
in check by his masterfuI and infleXlble
veto, so long will New Orleans and the
Mississippi Valley in their increase and
their power accumulate the majestic trl
butte of human progress to the genius
courage, and iG9omltaDle energy Of Captain
James B. Eads-"
EADs's victory is accordiDgto the Simples
scientific principles. He explained then
and predicted the result, and that which
the engineers have labored at for Ions
years, and in which they have spent mil
lions, has been accomplished in four years
All honor to Captain EADs.