Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-03-16
Impeding the Flow OF the River.

49," hNotoosl
1t was thought by Captain Eads
that the construction Of the %jetties and
the consequent increase of the flow OF
water through them would have the
effect Of reducing the food surface OF
the river. If our information is cor.
rect, this has not been the case. From
this city to the head Of the passes the
flood surface has been considerably
raised. and planters along the coast
have been compelled to build their
leyees some two or more feet higher.
This change is not observable in front
of New Orleans, for the Bonnet
Carrie c~revasse, though its depth has
been reduced by river deposits, con-
tinues to carry off a large volume of
water.
The detection Of the water that
formerly flowed through Pass a POu.
tire into South Pass, and the damming
up of a portion of Southwest Pass, in
order to feed the %jetties, have no doubt
impeded the flow OF the river through
its outlets, and caused the increase in
the elevation Of the food surface. This
is conclusively shown by the fact that
during the high water Of last year, the
river along the lower coast rose to the
height of the big food of 1874, while
opposite the city and aboveit was con.
siderably below the high water mark
of that year. This subject is one Of
grave import, and should, we suggest,
engage the attention, If it has not
already, Of the River Improvement
Commissioners. To our uuprofes.
sional mind, the most effective and
expeditions way that could be adopted
to relieve the river banks of the dan
gerous pressure of this increased
superabundance of water, is by deep.
enins Southwest Pass.
This would not only give a freer ac-
cess to the gulf Of the river current,
but would afford greater facilities for
navigation for the entrance and exit
OF vessels plying between this and
other ports. Especially would the adj
vantage Of re opening Of Southwest
Pass be manifest in case the narrow
channel through South Pass and the
jetties should be obstructed by the
grounding or sinking of a vessel, an
accident that is not at all unlikely to
occur.
Southwest Pass is twelve miles long,
and has an average width Of three.
quarters Of a mile, which is sufficient
to enable the largest ship to turn
around, and to furnish ample and safe
anchorage ground for a feet Of vessels
detained by Gains, adverse winds or
dangerous storms, in which respects
it sfords much greater facilities than
South Pass does. AT the head Of the
Pass there Is a depth Of twenty six
feet, which shoals down to fourteen
feet, while on the bar at the mouth
there is at present thirteen feet of
water. AT the time Captain Eads
commenced the construction Of the
%jetties there was a depth Of only seven
aud a halt feet through South Pass.
Through Southwest Pass formerly
flowed ive-eighths Of the great vol
ume Of water hat found its way from
the Mississippi river to the Gulf of
Mexico. 10 make this pass freely
navigable for the largest vessels, six
miles Of %jetties would have to be
built on one side and three miles on
the other, the estimated cost Of which
is about 100000. The cleaning out
of this pass would prevent the bank.
ing up Of the water in the river, and
thereby greatly relieve the dwellers on
the lower coast, and eventually Of the
city Of New Orleans, when the Bonnet
Care crevasse shall have been stopped,
Of the annually recurring danger Of
overflow; it would also secure for
ships leaving our ports, freighted with
the rich products Of the West aud
South, free and uninterrupted egress
10 blue water.