The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-03-09
TIE NEW BASIN AND CANAL.
Its Condition. Report Of the Joint
Committee to the Legislature.
Nouax or REPRESENTATIVES,, |
New Orleans. March !, 1syo. ]

NeW VFlSaH@. MAEGA D lBeul J
1psassr IL IN Acass II Representative M 81
Your speclAl totnt committee appointed X
examine into the affairs and condition Of th,
New Basin. CAnAl aud Shell Road, make th,
following rupert:
Yy tAe Kindness of II. Buddtg, Esq, your
committees wcrc conveyed from the head q
tho basin 10 tho lake end Of the oAnal, and
some distance into the lake and return, on
M steam tug, the 'kux."
TAA WhArvss Arpund the basin and canal an
14k down The canal a. were built. ray within
- fess 2i tns nsfaols bridge on Che uppss.
q thecAnAl. we found 10 bad condition; some
portlons broken down, others giving way, The
whole IN somewhat dllAptdAted state. and n
ned u entlrc renewal with proper repairs
for aomc tlme. This ID detrimental 10 com
mcroA but greater still is the misrsnage'
ncnt u tho commerce brought 70. thts basin
which 10 and has been for years
almo.e saeireiy abandoned to the control
water craft plying therein. The harbor
master, so-CAll0d, and lessee. a. appears by
the evidence before us, has stgnslly failed "a
perform the duties that devplve on that OFF,
sssry % osasr product brought Into this tsis BASIN na
AIu suffered 10 incumbcr the wharves Ia such
manner - 20 greatly delay the dtschNrktnN
q cArgoes. All this retarts the commerce d
the city through this waterway. We tind that
portlo0 Of the canal or basin from Magnolia
bridge 70 the head Ut the basin has less depth
or water than required for convenienee ol
echooncrs and other water craft. Ii not un.
frequently occuts ut low tide that q loaded
preach Ia fifteen fset from the wharf. This,
t0gether with the encumbered wharvae. milf
ta0oe much against the schooners which con.
tribute 20 largely 70 the maintenance and
commerce Of this baetn and canal.
The HtdeS OF the canal are being continually
washed away BY steamers beln. allowed t.
steam up aud down said canal ut unrestricted
speed. We would recommend that this be
prohibited. except at q rate of speed not ex-
ceedinx 81 three miles an hour;
the lower bridge crossing In good condition to
the end or tae pier, there being one break
only, that In the upper timber near the lake,
cAueed by heavy craft coming In contact
With II 70 stormy weather;
Two boat hOdses or buildings for private
1se erected On the bank OF the canal, lower
side, below Magnolia bridge and above Clara
otreet, occupy grounds much needed for
commerce.. Theee should ha removed; no or
dlnary rental would compensate for the OBJ
The large bcat-house erected at the Lake
End, north aide OF the pier, is a most serious
obstruction and dangerous In the extreme to
sid vessels entering the canal In stormy
weather. especially 70 such as come from the
direction OF Pass Napohac, with the wind
from the northw west This building 80 OBJ
etructs the view 70 the lighthouse, coming
tfOm that direction, that the lighthouse is
Known 70 mariners or persons familiar with
sailing veesels into this canal. We would
recommend Its removal rs dangerous to
both LIE and property.
Th6 introduction OF timber and logs Into
the bastn and canal. especially the latter, We
N00Ary1 mOre nhatr,,rfiva and danuornns than