The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-02-27
THE JETTY COMPANY RELIEF BILL.

The United States Senate has now before IL
the favorable report Of its committee on The
bill for tho relief Of Capt. Eads and the Jetty
Company from their onerous contract with
the government. The relief sought consists
In release from the clause which requires
Capt. Eads to secure width of three hun
dred aud fifty feet TO n channel thirty feet
deep, before he is entitled TO the full amount
of 81, 250. 900. which the government has slip
ulated to pay when that depth and width is
secured and IN the payment OF certain sums
whom depth OF twenty-five and twenty-six
feet. respectively, Is gained, together with u
width of two hundred feet
The relief sought by the Jetty Company Ia
based upon good grounds and Is eminently
just. The jetties thus far have proved en-
tirely satisfactory. A channel twenty-three
feet deep and 400 feet wide has already been
secured This Improvement Is not transi.
tory. Late surveys of government engineers
have determined that the jetties are not only
substantial but permanent. Neither storm
nor marine insect oan now affect them, and
they become stronger every year The
channel steadily deepens and widens and
there Is every reason 10 believe that the maxi
mum depth Of thirty feet will be reached. 1t
Ia not the requirement Of n depth OF
thirty feet is now found TO be onerous,
but the width OF $50 feet which Ia de-
manded by the contract. That width
10 unnecessary for commercial purposes, and
1t has been found that If the government
should insist upon thirty foot channel OF
that width, the necessary means 10 be adopt
Cd to secure 1t would not only seriously dam
age the other passes of the river, but would
actually endanger the safety of the ieities.
which would be injured by the immense vol
ume Of water necessary to be forced down
through them In order 10 secure the depth
aud width required. This being the case. as
certified by the government engineers, the
exaction of this provision OF the contract
would not only be an imposition upon the
Jetty Company, but would actually defeat the
object of the government In making the con-
tracts, namely: to secure sufficient depth
d water Mt the mouth Of the Mississippi
river for the purposes and needs OF the COM
merce of this city and of the valley.
The other provisions Of the bill are equally
Just The work performed has been made
auately compensated. Thus far there has
struction Of the jetties the sum of 50 345 557 ~
while the government has paid, or has pro-
| vided for paying, only $20000O0 The com
panys demand for 100000 when depth Of
twenty five feet and width of 80 feet Is gained
| is very reasonable. and should bs granted. so,
also. ID the demand for q similar sum when
another foot is added to the depth. the same
width being maintained.
| If the bill passes tho Jetty Company will
be able to complete their works in an endur-
| ing form, and to the incaeuable benefit OF
| the commerce Of New Orleans and the lis.
sissippi Valley. 1t only remains to soidify
the outer ends Of the jetties, and time and
the river will do the rest. The money needed
for this purpose should be granted now that
the work may be prosecuted at once There
Ia every reason TO believe that 1t will be. The
bill for that purpose has received the yer,
strongest Endorsement from the Senate com
mttee, and there Is no doubt that 1t will pass
that body. In the House the Committee or
Commerce has already considered 1t, ant
agreed to report 1t favorably as soor
as il comes from the Senate. It II
to be hoped that the House will ther
take up the bill at once, and pass It. Ii
that event the success OF Capt. Eads' grea
enterprise Is assured, and the commerce O
this city will be placed beyond all peril from
want Of sufficient depth Of water at the mouth
Or the river.