Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-03-26
= RATION ROTGE LOUISIANA
are almost equally pertinent and con-
elusive upon this view Of the subject.

aro alInosU equally pertlHouban con-
elusive upon this view Of the subject,
The report says, page 295, Of the
Bayou Manchac, that its dimensions
were always insignificant. Dupratz,
one hundred years ago, calling it .
"chenal," or natural canal, and quotes
the report of Mr.. A. D. Woodbridge to
the Senate Of Louisiana In 1852, when
State engineer: "This bayouisthe first
natural outlet Of the Mississippi on the
east, and is fourteen miles below the
termination of the highlands below Baton
Rouge. The distance following It's nlean-
derings, to the junction with the Amite
river, is about twenty-five miles, and the
total distance by this route to Lake
Borgne is about one hundred miles.
Nine miles from the head of the bayou
it receives Bayou Crocodile from the
south, and Bayou Fontaine from the
north one-half mile further on. At it's
head the Bayou is 80 feet wide aud II
feet deep, measured ct the surface Of
high water Vl85l. As that stage was
az feet above low water, the bottom of
the bayou is 20 feet above the low water
surface of the river.
From thehead OF the bayou to the en-
trance Of the Crocodile it is usually dry
and very tortuons. One mile below the
head the surface width is Al feet, and
depth, 10 feet and it retains nearly these
dimensions to the Crocodile. Below
Bayou Fontaine the width from bank to
bank is 100 feet, and depth Is feet. Be-
low this point the Bayou is in some sense
capable Of navigation.
From the head Of the bayou to the
Crocodile the banks are very low, and
are subject to overflow from to u feet
From the bayou to Amite river the banks
are tolerably high. The bed for the
whole distance is q stiff close clay. The
report adds: 'If this were opened d
large portion of the parishes Of Ascen.
sion and Baton Rouge would be flooded
and several hundred thousand acres o.
land must be abandoned, Or protected
by continuous heavy levees from 10 tC
Is feet high. Therefore it is recommcn
dea to leave the bayou in its present
condition"
From the above statements which
have condensed the authority Of the es
innate of Sl50,000 for opening the bayou
to navigation is manifest, as the excava
ton Of q channel some nine miles il
length, and from ten to thirty feet deep
is impossible. Or that sum even if {
minimum width be adopted, aud the cur
rent Oh enlargement.
If al aspiration is asked for from
Congress it should be for the location
Of canal at most favorable point, to bt
determined by survey, following the al
ternate indicated by the report Of Gen
eral Humphreys. Bayou Manchac car
already be considered worthy Of exam
ination, as the saving of distance to Mo
bile by that line is compensated by the
greater length of narrow channel over
either of the alternates suggested, as
could be shown if the limits of an arti.
Gle permitted. Moreover, a location in
the vicinity Of New Orleans would dis
arm powerful opposition, and afford an
opportunity for obtaining an increase Of
dockroom, which will in a fow years be
demanded if the movement of grain to-
ward that outlet should progress a mat
ter in which the whole West is more
deeply interested than they now realize.