The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-02-28
which might no well belong to the United
States. II this plum IL not worth the trouble
Of gathering our Judgment is very much at
THE MOUTH or RED RIVER.

Tho special telegram In tho Picdpnp,e Of tho
twenty fifth instant, announcing that the
Mississippi River Commission had reportt d
In favor of the plan OF Major Benyaurd for
tho closing OF Tho mouth Of Red river and Of
opening tho mouth OF Bayou Paauemine Is
manifestly an error, MS the report Of the com
mission has not yet been made public aud Its
recommendations have not been revealed. 1t
ID probable that tho Committee On Com
MERGE of the National House Of Rep
reeentatives has made such r. report,
and in view OF such probable action
tho questlnn. which Ia ono of immense
Importance TO this CITY and State should re-
celve the attention which II deserves. In
order TO arrive Mt the opinions Of those most
deeply Interested In the proposed change, we
| would suggest that n meeting be held In this
| city. at some early day, whore the views OF
the most experienced captains and pilots In
the Red river trade as also the views
of able engineers, shall be given. We
are Informed that there Ia quite n
pronounced opposition on the part Of the
steamboat interest to the plan, and as that
opposition must be based upon facts that have
been established by tho experience OF years,
II would be well to give expression to 1t In
some formal and effective manner. SO that
our representatives In Congress- may be &C.
curately and fully informed ~ to tho views
and Wishes OF their constituents on this mat
ter. Major Benyaurd, the United States En-
a,neer In Charge of this department. Is Of the
opinion, as was explained In report by him
published some months ago. that tho fact Of
Il .f "a hoIn Ina fhnn thu hf.I
OF the Mississippi river absolutely precludes
anything like permanent Improvement OF
the present mouth of the Red. as the backing
up Of the water OF the Mississippi would con-
stantly cause the formation Of bars and
necessitate annual appropriations for their
removal Tho various plans which have been
| proposed as to the clio ding of the present mouth
and opening another near 1t he opposes on sim
| liar grounds, claiming that tho same causes
which occasion the formation Of bars In the
present mouth would create bars Mt any other
place In that neighborhood That this must
be the case from the very nature Of things,
| and that such ie the difference between the
| levels OF the two rivers that not a drop Of
| Red river now enters the Mississippi, the
entire volume Of the former river flowing into
| the Atchafalaya, rs does also very large
amount Of water from the Mississippi. His
| plan contemplates the closing Of tho present
mouth Of Red river and placing q lock at the
| mouth OF Bayou Plaquemine. Tho steam-
boatmen are opposed to the change, fenring
tho detention and expense OF the lock, and
| fearing also tho difficult and ut present dan
gerous navigation Of the tortuous bayous and
| streams TINT would have to be traversed I'M
der the new arrangement They are inclined
| to put up with the trouble incident to the low
water at tho present mouth rather than
trust for relief to tho proposed change
and tho lock which It neeessltates
and l,rli,>ve that reasonable appropriations
/ will c,,ni,ln The. rrgEes,ls To maintains a R'liIi
cisunt depth of water III I'll purposes ih"a'
conflicting Vows will IT, mt ~ confuse "ul
members OF Congress-. md To rctarl action "l
nny kind ma to Red river. and therefore We
s,,gpest that n meeting be called for tho pur-
pose OF hearing arguments on both sides. 1t
NAV ID that, when tho Views 81 Maj Ben
yalrl are explained in detail. they will not
meet with such pronounced opposition, or II
| la possible that the Views OF practical rivCf
mon may modify OF change the Ideas oil the
engineer and those who favor his plan
Whatever may result. We think that full and
Intelligent discussion of tho question will do
no harm and may result In much good,
| Would It not be we'll for our Cotton Elk
change to ta1c this important subject und"i
consideration and call the meeting suggested
Tho members OF the Exchange arc largely In
| terested and II would seem to be emnently
proper that thoy should take tho initiative.