The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-12-23
Eads and the Mississippi valley.
New Orleans Times Democrat.

Eads and the Mississippi Valley.
New Orleans Times Democrat.
The dinner to Capt. Eads, We'd
nesday, Dec. I3, was something
more than recognition of his high
position as the greatest engineer of
the age. 1t was an expression of a
hope and belief that, through him
and his measures, the Mississippi
Valley would attain, in a very few
years, still higher position as the
granary of the world, and New Or
leans secure that commercial su
premacy SO freely predicted for her
years ago by the first political econ
omist and statesman of Europe.
Capt. Eads saw in it evidence
of the deep-seated desire of the peo-
pie of Louisiana to have the Mis-.
sissippi cleared of every obstruction
and rendered safe and navigable
from ST. Paul to the Gulf" The
company present, representing the
commerce, shipping, manufactures
and all the various interests of New
Orleans, warmly applauded this
idea. Capt. Eads might have gone
a step further ana declared that the
banquet meant-for so it did-a
hearty approval of the jetties, vote
of confidence in them as it were. on
the part of New Orleans, as repre-
sented by its leading citizens, who
took this occasion and this form of
expressing their confidence and be-
liefin them, now and forever. There
were ship captains and owners
present, who had taken their YES
sells, deep-laden, through the ietties;
merchants, who had sent to sea, In
single vessel, cargoes of eight
thousand bales or more of cotton.
and all these bore testimony to Capt.
Eads' success.
There were many things said at
this dinner, amid the toasts and
sparkling wit of the evening, that
might we'll be preserved and re-
membered-prophesies uttered that
will soon be crystalized into as solid
and glorious realities as the Tetties
themselves.
How long and earnestly we sigh
ed for these .Jetties or for some re-
lief or escape few short years ago.
while blockade of merchant YES.
sells at the passes wrought more
damage to our commerce than even
Farragut's feet had done? Then
was the day when New Orleans
might well have put on mourning
for lis departing glories. Yet this
was less than ten years ago. A
commercial revolution has occurred
IN the meanwhile, as great as that
the Suez Canal has wrought. a
peaceful revolution, reaching every
portion of our own country and
every part of the world. It is un-
derrating the Jetties and the Mis-
sissiPpi to say that they have in
creased the sum the Western farm
er is receiving for his wheat; thew
have done mere than this-they |
have actually cheapened the cost of |
living the wide world over.
In this short space of time the
Ietties have been built and deem
water secured to the city. The
Government to-day recognizes the
duty that now devolves upon If to
improve the entire river, that the
people of the Northwest as well &c
those of the South may share the
advantages of deep water to the
sea. When this is done-and
glance at the report of the River
commission will show that il will
require but few years, if Congress
is generous-this revolution will in
deed he complete, and the M,s.;s.
sippi Valley will then be the centre
Of population, of wealth, resources
and production-and New Orleans
It's capital, its port and its metrop-
oils
Even the railroads see this. Thew
no longer give New Orleans tie
'go-by," but every line and svnd;.
5ate in the country now seeks an ,
outlet here, looking forward to the
Tine when their New Orleans
branches will be the most profitable [
portion of their roads, when the
'ailroads will be allies to the river 6
Ind bring freight to it to be trans
ported on its waters to our CITY. {
1t requires an imaginative mind d
Q picture the brilliant future ahead q
Nhen Sheridan, in his enthusiasm | i
poke OF the many millions of in, u
labItants for the valley in the future /
le scarcely exaggerated. They will b
ONE when the river is improved Il
nd navigable from ST. Paul to the y
sulf. Half the work is done al. b
eady, for the Jetties are completed o
nd the work of river Improvement f.
gun under the most auspicious v
Nditions. -
is most fitting that New Or ci
: should do honor to Eads. He eli
e to her with rich promises and ii
the heartiest declarations Of HI
Zip, he was received with OF
and his prophesies were te
with incredibly. He at
the face of obstacles L,
Ae daunfed rnnst 49,. as