The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-22
is .EW ORLEANS SINKING,
Col. Cortben SAYS There Can ne No Possi-
bis Doubt OF IL.

Col Cortheii SAYS There Can ne No Fossi-
bis Doubt OF IL.
win New Orleans soon be out OF sight1 Not
soon as one counts time when waiting for .
street car but soon. and verT soon, as geolo-
gists measure time That Ia the assertion made
by an eminent engineer. one who IL particu-
larry fitted by study and practical ex periencs
to speak Of the operations OF the earth's SUR
face In and about New orleans The engineer
is Col. J. L. Corthsll. who was one Of Eads's as
sistants In the construction Of the Mississippi
jetties. and lie still connected with the Govern
ment engineering work at the delta
Col. Corthell Is also the engineer OF the
5000. 900 bridge across the Mississippi which
the South ern Pacific and Illinois Central rail-
roads are preparing to build near New Orleana
He has therefore been required recently to
make extended scientific study OF the nature
OF the earth's surface there In determ ming the
character and extent OF the foundations which
must be built for the great bridge piers he IL
about 10 construct.
Therefore New Orleans IL not disposed TO
.oke about Col. Corthell's statement that New
Orleans is sinking and the country thereabout
is sinking. and that that is the explanation, at
least In part Of the frequent foods over the
delta country, rather than the rising OF tho
great river. He does not leave the question
open for argument In hts form OF stating tho
startling fact. He assumes It to be admitted
by men OF science who have Investigated the
phenomenon. and the cause and extent are tho
only points left to be discussed.
In recent interview with him printed In the
New Orleans P,cdptne. Col. Corthell is reported
as saving:
Did you know that there 10 a move on foot
among eminent engineers OF the country to
have an Investigation made into the delta
country. with view OF ascertsining how much
sinking there has been during. the. last
that the entire delta country Is gradually sink
ing. From a number OF bench marks made by
coast, and a comparison OF the mean level Of
the Gulf now with what 1t was twenty years
marks. the TACT has developed that the v delta
coast has sunken at last foot in the past
e Of Orleans r. no .I .sss
lower down 10 the world now than 1t was forty
seer the ssaes sStn Ses .sb
and TO Investigate the causes which have pro-
What is your opinion as to the causssr
Well that is a big question. and one which
which was advanced by, some eminent engi.
lnstrate. take heavy stone aud roll IL over . |
large piece OF soft mud The result is that
tency to tatten out the sides. In the i'm m enss |
force OF the waters OF the Mississippi River. |
TOllluR CONSTANTLY onward TO tno SEQ. you nave |
your. stone weight. which. exerting a tre- |
mendous force. has tendency to compress |
the ss! s@%s Is on: :Df tRs G aan, ha n
Sreds which ar: Advance, advanced by engineers. l
have SS O Of them vii
investi CATION. SO It is wanted to have q thor |
ough Investigation made and the question
The Picduine comments thusi
r.: inf1Tms;cn given Sy Mr. CC,ts.r that tbs city
Ssy s.. :. %. many
:sisssss si.r! Sa.s rs 5. " :S%! :Ss
The reporter asked Col Corthell concerning |
an allied phenomenon which 10 causing New
eentiy Of the pr:sencs Of BANK on n. mouth
Of the jetties. and concernin g this the engineer
Il Is not the right thing. perhaps. for me TO
fs my so s'0F fS hay: S9s the
m I; That b :. is to say cannot think IN, bank
s.ndsnsy Of ii the soil SsDe.its passing
STt : FIR: b 81 SSSth
IL to wndw ward. so to speak. to ths right Of the
to think that il there les Ssnf thsr. a at al 4
has been formed By deposits from the passes |
On On thS E Eighs from Southwest Pass. and from
.,ASS,6:; thing about Z, yh!sA lead: m. e
p..s.s through the main pass AoS TITAN than
pore water ps:s.. through the Pcs: now tss ssRS
IL no reason for believing that even II there 10 |
{ bank formed: the material from which 4 |
isttiss,. But aside from ali this. I remember |
about the time the building OF the ,iettiss was |
ING some ten miles out to III. right 81 the prs:-
ent mouth OF the tetties was m entionsd. Some |
old sea Captain found II there and reported Il. |
N AIDE. and efforts were made at the time. TO |
discover IL but all proved Ruthless. The bank |
does, but being ten miles from the mouth Of |
the jetties, and from all reports fixture. |
there 70 no o., reason Ter New orisAns becoming