The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-04-12
THE CREVASSE.
A Democrat Reporter on a Sunday
Tour of Observation.
Progress of the Work and Prospects
of an Early Completion.

A reporter of the DEMOCRAT started yester-
day afternoon under the bluest and clearest
OF Louisiana skies to ascertain what was the
present status aud true inwardness OF the
Sharpe crevasse. The trip on the Tchoupitou-
las street cars In such pleasant weat her was
quite invigorating aud suggestive Of many
great commercial otfons as we passed the in
Vulnerable cotton presses. the vast amount of
shipping. the numerous grain elevators, among
which the new one of enlarged size, being built
by the company; the waterworks. with Its
graceful iron shaft or standing pipe soaring
heavenwards; the Ice manufactory, and all
those growing signs of commercial welfare
which indicate life and prosperity for the
Crescent City.
At the terminus of the line tie reporter de.
seconded and walked to the levee. where the
ferry WAS In waiting. AZ he stepped into the
skin with about five other passengerH he no.
ticed dozen or 50 extraneous individuals,
among whom lady who must have weighed
about 800 POUNDS walking towards The landing.
feeling nervous about being overcrowded,
how 9. T., many II people can you take over In this
dolter, about say
'1s-15-14."
A quick movement of the reporter's right
hand towards his b ip pocket. q smothered sigh
as OF a man not fond % danger suddenly thrust
upon the leadership Of u forlorn hope. and the
boat gitded away from the landing to attempt
the nzzlag eddies Of the Mississippi.
Contrary to expectations the sktf landed safe
ly, and after witnessing the Sunday sport of
the men and brothers catch Ing "buffaloes" with
the net at the opening Of the crevasee. the re-
porter entered upon the business OF the day,
He found that the work had
PROGRESSED CONSIDERABLY
but was yet appreciably removed from compile
tion. The water went through the creyasse
with great force and scattered widely out iRto
the lands. and as the process of understanding
was natural resultant of this free flow the
depth at the break was rudey estimated at be-
tween twenty and twenty five feet It struck
side OF tho crevasse Where 1t stood at depth of
about three feet. and DETECTED across to the
orchard on the other side, shivering the trees
and threatening the houses in the broken en-
The water still covered the earth far out as
the trees. whicn closed in the. pr2spect. but ex
ceptlng Ia the immediate neighborhood OF the
crevasse the water, had receded from the levee
This showed that while the water issuing
through the bceak had seemingly lost none OF
its violence. the works already Constructed had
around was proportionately affected. Where q
few days ago the water had stood high. carry
ing menace of total destruction to the crops,
vegetation in many places yesterday asserted
itself. seemingly
UNIMPARED BY THE FLOOD.
But beyond and around was a sheet of water
with nothing nearing its head save towering
tree or q trembling house. with here and there
athwart an errant log or deserted cabin,
There was no sign Of habitation In the patches
of houses studding the plain, the people being
yet ensconced In the temporary accomm oda-
tions provided for them when the food origi-
nally SET in.
There were not many persons on the evee In
the neighborhood of the crevasse. and those
that had assembled were chiefly there from Gu
rtosity or, impelied by the more in 1ustrious
thought OF despoiling the waters of some OF
the countless fishes which rushed through.
The work of
DAMMINa THE cBEvAssE
was found Ia an advanced condition. At q
point about $50 yards on either side OF the cre-
vase the piling n woodwork had been com
menoed. running out to the old levee In front,
almost a rectangle. All the heavy piling had
been done. and the only remaining pile driver
Te had 5 or
feet In the bed and the force then employed
on the work. about forty or forty five, men.
hand. In every direction around were etrewn
hay aud sand bagas and within the rectangle
were seen the evidences OF the break which or:.
Cured on Thussday night. in the shape OF
sunken bags Or floating hay.
The principal and
MOST DANGEROUS CURRENT
set In from the lower side. owing to the suction
OF the crevdsse. and dam fully thirty feet wide
is being constructed where Thursdays break
occurred. while the remainder averages about
fifteen. On this. the lower side. the whole work
is now concentrated and 1t Is only question
of Obtaining sufficient labor to- effectually close
1t. There are hopes that to-day there may be
upwards ef 200 men secured and If so, the com
plete dammng will probably be effected by
Tuesday.
Mr.. Pandely. who was, present yesterday,
when the reporter visited the crevasse stated
that the only difficulty. he apprehended was
tnat the negroes would be paid off to-day. and
there might be some difficulty in getting the
necessary lebor. This difficulty removed, he
had no doubt of an early success.
Through the upper dam there was fierce
current running with q width OF about thirty
feet. but there was no immediate danger ap-
pretended from 1t, and Its closing will be left
for the last.
1t is now considered that the damage to the
crops caused by the crevasse will be materially
less than WAS at first supposed. The Millaudon
place is comparatively free and the crops are
not supposed to be appreciably injured, and
should an early closing be effected the damage
will not sensibly affect any other than the
Sharpe place.