The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-02

The Trans A1lSSlSSlDpl ScCIlOu Is lIIleitStCN
vita.ly III this improvement, and although
other Gulf ports can claim and Will obtain
further improvements-to the vast benefit
of the -AIississippi-the open mouth
of the Mississippi river is and VIII all the
time be the first and most important steT
in all harbor improvements in the Gulf OF
Mexico.
Up to about five years ago, South Pass
was fairly equal 10 the requirements OF
ocean carriers. About that time new
era was marked in ocean transportation
by the construction of the Leviathan
steamship Samoa Of about 10000 tons, or
10000 bales, capacity. IN this ship, theory
was reduced to practice. Other ship own
ers who had hesitated about investing in
such enormous ships took courage and
commenced building them as large and
larger, for the simple reason that they
could carry cargo cheaper than the small
er type. It was however, speedily dis
covered that for safe and easy navigation
the Leviathan ship required deeper and
wider channels, also larger docks with
deeper water in them and alongside
wharves, than any ports afforded. The
leading ports OF the world at once COM
menced to get themselves into line. Liver
poo, set the pace by planning channels
and docks to accommodate ships 500 feet
long. 100 feet wide and 40 feet deep. New
York is at work constructing a 40-foOU
channel Of ample width. Coming to the
experience Of New Orleans, for some five
years past evidence has been accumulating
that the channel in South Pass had serious
disadvantages. Shoals forming with each
high river which did not interfere with
the % to 23-f0ot ships then loading. became
formidable TO those which commenced TO
come-needing % TO 26 feet Of water. Then
It was found impossible TO load with full
cargoes the stiu larger. deeper draft ships
which were rapidly sUpplantiug the small
er older type 4 new element Of danger
crept in. Practical demonstration was
strikingly afforded that the channel was
too narrow. The Barbara, 0litician, Flor
ida and Lochtay proved that large, long
steamers would swing in the narrow pass,
strike the bank and do great damage. A
conservative estimate Of the expenses, de
tention, loss and damage to the above four
ships and their cargoes alone, through
their striking, is a full quarter Of a mil
lion dollars.
While. generally speaking. South Pass
was fairly sufficient for navigation, it
never did furnish that ample width and
depth necessary for safe and easy naviga-
ton of large steamers. No one knew this
better than Captain Eads. and it is noto-
Tious that he took South Pass against his
VIII. from necessity: that he made the
best he could "a a bad bargain, and that
he did pretty well The government en-
f1neers have records Of all the ships that
have been grounded in South Pass from
its commencement But while the list is
long one and vii. largely bear out the
above claims as to the enormous sum Of
losses involved it does not include the
losses from detention TO ships and car
goes waiting for the channel to be clear,
nor for the losses in freight to ship owners
who were, for want of water, unable to
load their steamers with fun cargoes.
Bear in mind these are all direct losses
and they amount to sufficient TO build the
jetties in Southwest Pass, even if the cost
exceed ten million dollars. The Trans
Mississippi paid this loss mainly in in
creased freight and insurance and it is
but one item of the loss incurred for want
Of an ample mouth to the Mississippi
river.
As stated the earnest agitation for this
Improvement commenced three winters
ago, when in addition to the increased
needs of depth and width for the larger
ships, it became apparent that break in
the banks of the third and largest pass,
pass Liontre," was robbing South Pass
of one-fourth or one-third of its volume,
and in spite of great efforts and expcndi-
tur Cbetween the government and jetty
company OF nearly 100000. this drawback
h.
disasters Of the past few months. The
first demonstration of this changed state
Of affairs was series Of groundiugs some
four years ago in the main river itself.
Just above the head of South Pass. For
nearly two months the channel was more
or less blocked and one ship, the Bar
badian, while grounded athwartship the
channel. by n miracle escaped collision
with n small steamer. the result Of this
narrowly avorted collision would have
hsen the permanent closing Of South Pass
- navigation as a cork would close a bot
tie. This is perhaps the most striking and
convincing Of a series Of hairbreadth os-
capes from collision in the Pass. any one
Of which would have closed it for time.
and IN most cases permanently. When Ii
IS considered how. tremendous to the
Trans Mississippi and the whole country
would be the consequences Of closing the
mouth Of this river TO navigation is fur
Their argument needed to show that (evon
We're South Pass sufficient a second chan
mel IS an actual necessity TO meet tha
situation which every experienced uavf-
gator says Closure Of the chanucD viii
certainly come sooner or later from th,
collision end sinking OF one or more YES
s1ls in the narrow Pass Returning to
our record, the channel az the head Of
South Pass vas partially restored to nor
maj conditions. and during the high river
In the year following the Rarbadian chi
so3o. shoa's formed i'm the Pass Itself
SircS then our troubles have been at var
i'us points In the South Pass II is hard
~ necessary % burden this paper with q
recital 81 the STANDINGS that wear after
year have disturbed and cxasp-ra-,,s
maritime interests. They are described n,
Detail IN the report of the government
engineers on lie at The war denartman+.
hut n IS Well u mention the ease of the
steamer Barbara. This shin after hrf0-
stranded ia The Pass Tor several DAVIS re+
ahoat. "ut swung against the bank i'm
9ur.nS her stem frame ru6Gar and pro-
peIier SO THAI She haI TO return IN The
city for repairs. The cost. detention loss
and camage 20 the ship and carso ex-
ceeeed $4,000. We may also cite the case
81 the steamer Jamaican. The pecuua~itv
OF her case was that when grounding ,he
1oTce Of the current was such that twith
aer keel in The mud acting rs The hes,
oi leverl she was earesne1 until her
fali ard decks were under water ana little
more "as needed 10 capsize her entirely.
,. was reserved, however for the mast
'aree months o. Demonstrate that n7si-
i've and charming source gf danger exist
. = - .--n- II 49,. H. H. -