Year: 1873




The removal of the great raft in upper
Red river has been for years past what
might he termed a vexed question, as 1t
has agit a,ed the minds of the people living
in the vicinity of upper and lower Red
river. enlisted the thought and labor Of ex-
nerienced engineers and river men, and
been repeatedly before Congress, in the
shape of memorials and petitions for appro.
priatiors Of money for its removal. All
fall of 1871 and winter Of 1912 proved OF
no avail, and fell to the ground, and the
immense mass of timber remained as intact
aud solid as when il was brought to the
notice Of the public. AT the time referred
to, however, an engineer corps, under the
command Of Lieutenant E. A. Woodruff, OF
the United States army, was dispatched oy
the government to make survey OF the
raft and raft region. This work was faith
fully discharged by Lieutenant woodruff
and his assistants, and an appropriation OF
$ljO,000, we believe, was made by Congress
for the work Of removing the raft, and
otherwise improving the navigation OF Red
river.


The important work was intrusted to
Lieutenant WoOdruf, and the United States
snagboar Aid was placed under his COM
mand, with all the men and appliances that
were deemed necessary by him. AS soon rs



labOrs, and has steadily progressed with the
work assigned him, save the brief interval
that he was compelled to suspend opera
tions on account of high water. he has
already removed the greater portion OF the
raft, and day or two since the Aid was IN
short distance of the mouth OF Nouns
canal, leaving only about three miles OF
floating raft to be removed, when the work
will have been completed, and the great
d. nhoro6 tho fniN
that were 1t will probably require month
longer to finish up the work.


While engaged in this work, Lieutenant
Woodruff had an eye to the lower river,
and took measures to direct the drift w60d
into Tones bayou, which it is thought will
etfectually stop up the mouth of that
stream, and it succeeded in, greatly i'm
prove the navigation Of the river below
that point.


In consideration OF the services that has
been rendered by the government, through
the efforts of Lieutenant Woodruff, the
citizens of Spring Bank, Arkansas, at
public meeting held recently, resolved to
give q grand barbecue in his honor on his
arrival at that place. Spring Bank is twen
ty-one miles, according to the old style Of
measuring river miles, above the mouth OF
Kouns' canal, where the snag boat Aid is
at present operating, with only about
and this tender of . public demonstration
in his favor by the citizens of Spring Bank
and vicinity is but conclusive evidence that
those people appreciate the perseverance
and skill with which the work of removing
the raft has been prosecuted by Lieutenant
Woodruff, by which they will gam SO much
in having navigation secured to them almost
the entire year round; and it is also fitting
tribute to his gentlemanly department and
courteous manners, which have gained him,
wherever he has gone. warm personal
friends.


We shall give other particulars in regard
to this important work when it shall have
been completed, and in the meantime con-
gratulate the people and Lieutenant Wood
ruff upon the successful prosecution of it
until the end is already in sight-Shreve-
port Southeastern Telegram.