The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1880-04-04
no! FOR TIE CREVASSE.
A Good Deal Of Preparation, but
Work Somewhat Behind Hand.

Many visitors have loeked to the scene of the
erevasse. The ladies' have turned out largely,
and despite the strong wind blowing and the
consequent roughuess OF the river yesterday
evening. many boats piled to end fro carrying
full loads Of living freight. The DBMooaAF re-
porter embarked. and after q stormy passage
reached the Western bank. The roar OF the
rushing waters could be heard In the distance.
With sound like muterine thunder At the
outer wee there was quite lot OF material
for piling. There were two pile drive RS
on hand. one just below the break, en-
gagged In driving piles. and the other
made fast to pile out some two or three hun-
dred feet and even with the upper part Of the
gap. The nrst boat had been working the
greater portion Of The day and had Hueeee dsd
In driving double row OF pilinr out about a
hundred feet from the shore. commencing one
hundred and fifty or sixty feet below the break.
The other bad been on hand also, but for some
reason or other-laek Of men or materials, per-
baps-had remain ed simply spectator of pro-
eeedipgs, just before dark, however. she WAS
hauled Into position and will, 1t is supposed.
go to work In The morning. or may perhaps do
80 to. night: but when the reporter left he could
see no Indications OF night work.
TIE OUTER EDGES
Of the cut were protected by heavy tarpaulins
but those ut the lower end, not being securely
fastened. took notion about O'Clock D. m. 10
go Fl ON cruise on their own account. and no
one being on hlnd TO dispute the point they
pulled up the pegs holding them and rolled
out
No attempt TO put others In their place was
discovered, and the further undermining and
cutting of the lower bank by the raos-horss
a
peeted.
MR. r.. W. SHARP,
the owner OF the place on which the break oe
Cured. was found by the reporter standing on
the levee looking helplessy on the waste
around. and WAS questioned as to the cause o
the break. He stated that on old canal ran for
| part OF II between the outer leves and the pro
lection levee ha been flled up for some time
Last year he was obliged TO cut ditch, the bot.
| tom OF which was tweivs feet below the top ol
| the evse. The musRrats have In tprmer years
worried him by burrowinR around the piling
end he has pursued I them nhnrsl,aningly h ,' l., mr.
miliar. Of course. with the dangers that threat
sned st o iigh stage of water He had been YER
| watchful, inspecting the lsvess several time
| each day. particularly
| NEAR THE FLUNH
whore there was danger from rsts as aforesaid
| H. states that early In the morning he exam
ined the SPOT where the break occurred and
|
Of the ieyes., Shortly after, they etooped TO ex
sapns asae aed suaaeu az o ss o
bank gave way hnd the waer. dashed through
Many people gathered hurrdly and attempted
their disposal In fact they had at one tim
succeeded In entirely eneireling the break Will
pickets end lumber .sharpsnsd and driver
Of .gand we're dropped In front Ii
partially damned water gathered as 1t wer
new foroe. and swept the entire structure away
A lew men under
COMPETENT MANAGEMENT.
and with an ordinary supply Of necessary 3D.
plianees. could. In the beginning. have rsadi
stopped the whole thing. Now It has assumed
proportions which will require much time an
money to .ovsroome. The vstsr has damaged
comparatively few places as yet, but the oues
tion is whethsr or not, Bli the outlets bsepni ins
gorged, it will not back up and cause irrspara
bio Injury TO 81 large 1rtion OF the parish o.
Piaqusmtpss unless 1t la soon gotten unde
control. II has Inflicted great injury on our 10
tereuurse with Texas. and In TINS eoDnectio
has darn aged to large extent the Morgan Lin
Of steamships and railroads. No freight is be
OF things continues none can Dc.
THE MORGAN SHIPS
from New York will be compelled to either
carry their loads 10 Houston direct or store
them here and watch the course of events Wilt
The reporter having seen all of the crevas se
possible from The outside, went NJ the leve
ss sah tss a.a aaab sntsFas sssd On
tull round tho once fourishinR place OF Mr
Sharp.
THE MAIN HOUSE
Ia near the seethiDg current. and MIR. SharI
with bis wife. two daughters ami son escape
from it with almost all of their household 81
fects shortly after the levee broke. They flo
TO the sugar house. and thither the reporte
directed Maj" to head his frail bardue Rouu
through sweeping eurrens and clTcling eddys
now tAngli ng fenes corner, and then bum o
tF,r n -tnl nun
J the side OF the boat add trailing gracefully Il
the water, Maj" catches q crab, and tho re
porter. OF course. comes in for libers
DAM THE oREvAssE.
Finally the rapids of the main road are safel
passed, and just as the reporter congratulate
himself that the sugar house will socn b
reached grummet breaks, and kerslsp Sd
gors into Oh orange tree: the reporters sti
hat parts company; and endeavors to h2at on
ward to the sea. More attempt to stop the Gre
vase Finally the goal Is reached, Mr.. Shar
and his family. although deeply distressed b
the ioss OF almost oil they have Ia the world. d
: uot seem to have given up all hope. Mrs. 5har
told Dathetieally OF the Loss Of many OF he
children in The last few years. the eldest dyiD
Of iii fortune, against which they had bee
struggling so long. would cease.
, The family have many warm friends Ia thi
city, and much sympathy has poured In upo
them. Tho reporter, after assisting Mr.. Bhar
to keep from catching cold by taking soIne
thing strong. sought his vessel. and with th
trma. Tnen charteriDg another craft he pulle
across the mouth OF tho crevasse but at q SAT
distance out. and eefed for home. Save tn
quiet, The working ueu were camped on th
levee eating their supperg or resting from tn
labors Of the day. 1t is
MIR. sHARP's OPINION
that some difficulty will be experienced In clos
ing the break substantially unless grs at car
Is taken In max ng the work secure where th
pilpg will intersect tbs bed OF the old cana
His idea is tina. II The filing commences as th
Diling does. that is. from either bank. that whe
the canal Ia reached the confined current wi
cut out the old filing and leave nothing but
bsd ',f duicksand on which to work. and th
whole worK would have to be done over agaiI
This point is worthy of Investigation.
, THE GOVERNOR
yesterday received from the State Enginee
Col. Thos. y. Hardee. the following official re
!. port:
, Hon. L A. Wiltz:
, Dear Governor L have just returned from th