An/ icnv tiff Duke University Libraries SPECIAL REPORT OF THE 0arb of iublit Wiaxh f TO THE LEGISLATUBE OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. BATON ROUGE: J. K . TAYLOR, STATE PRINTER 1861. Board of PtnUG W rks. { Baton Rouge, La., Fkb. 21, 1861. J Hon. C. H. Morrison, Speaker House of Representatives: Sir — The Board of Public Works respectfully transmit the accom- panying Special Report. Very respectfully, your ob't serv't, LEWIS G. DeRUSSY, Pres't Board Public Works. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Duke University Libraries http://www.archive.org/details/specialreportofb01loui SPECIAL REPORT To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives : The Board of Public Works deem it their duty to present to the Legis' lature a brief report, embodying their recommendations of such legisla- tive measures as they consider imperatively called for by the requirements of the department for the current year. We add, in as few words as possible, such remarks as seem necessary for explanations. Contingent Fund kor Surveys. Salaries of rodmen, chaimnen, traveling expenses, adver- tising, office, etc §20,000 00 Salary of Commissioners 8,000 00 Secretary 2,000 00 Chief and Assistant Engineers 11,000 00 Draughtsmen , 1,800 00 Captains of boats 2,400 00 Wood 700 00 Medicine, clothing, subsistence, etc., for negroes 2,000 00 Contingencies 1,000 00 One dredge boat on improved plan 25,000 00 Tackle, etc., for boats .' 2,000 00 Second District. For drainage in parish of Vermillion ; see Engineer's report, page67 3,700 00 For canal between Verret and Chevreuil, in parish of La- fourche; see Engineer's report, page 90 15,614 40 Third District. To Benjamin Bay, Contractor for work on Couchatta Chute, for completing contract ; see Engineer's report, pages 57 and 58 3,877 70 To complete Red River levees, right bank, parish of Ra- pides ; Bee Engineer's report, page 58 , 2,500 00 6 Re-appropriating unexpended balance, refunded by Oommis- ■fooen^for cutting oat falls in Red River; see Engineer's report, page 1"1 11,860 00 Appropriation to pay outstanding warranto to Thomas Hunter, as per report of Board, January, 1*01 9,000 00 To complete drainage in Bayoo Pierre, as contemplated by i No. 214, of 1860 10,000 00 Re-appropriation to preserve navigation between Red and Mississippi Rivers, act -02 of 1859 31, 881 03 Fourth l>\*tri< t. To Henry Brigham, of Morehouse parish, La., oost of lcvce across the Crallion Blonghs, 8,9 19 cubio yards, at 25J eta. per cubic yard, being his individual expense ; see En- gineer's report, pages 77 and 7 N 999 34 Re-oonstrnct levee across npperoutlet on Bayou Bonne [dee, parish of Morehouse, Boo cubic yards, at 25 cents, per yard, and incidental expenses, etc ; set- Engineer's re- port, pages 77 and 78 WO 00 Appropriation to levee the months of Hurricane, Red Mouth and Muddy Bayous, in Franklin parish ; see Engineer's report, page 79 4,200 00 The Board of Public Works have given great attention to the report of the late Chief Engineer, Col. Duncan, upon a work of improvement by which he proposes to preserve navigation to Red River, viz: Separating Red and Atchafalaya Rivers entirely from the Mississippi by dyke across Old River, making the fust two one continuous stream, returning to the Mis- sissippi by the Plaquemine Bayou, which, for this purpose, is proposed to be deepened, and converted to a canal, and supplied at its Mississippi junction with a lock of suitable size to pass a largest class steamer, and do not concur with the late Chief Engineer in recommending the adoption by the Legislature of such a work. The Legislature has now received two reports, based upon the most minute surveys and examinations, executed in all the details upon which propositions of ameliorations, and estimation can be (bunded ; and yet, notwithstanding the incalculable importance of these proposed improve- ments to the commercial and agricultural interests of the State, nothing as yet proposed seems to have engaged Hie approving sense of your Honor- able Body, while the evil increases with each returning tlood of the Mis- sissippi. The several topographical and hydrographic examinations, now perfected, and upon which proprosed improvements, with estimates, have been reported to your Honorable Body, are 1st. Act No. GO, 9th March, 1S58, directing survey and report by late State Engineer, Col. Hebert, upon the practicability of turning Red River into the Mississippi, by the Cut-off Bayou. 2d. Act No. 262, 17th March, 1859, appropriating 35,000 dollars for ? survey and reports as to the best means of preserving navigation to the Red, by way of Old River. 3d. Act No. 29, 17th February, 18G0, directing examination and report for constructing dam across Old River, separating the Red from the At- chafalaya River. 4th. Act No. 30, of same date, requiring examination and report upon result* from partially closing Atchafalaya. Under the authority and direction of the above several acts, the State Engineer and the Board of Public Works have, at different times, sub- mitted to your Honorable Body, the result of all the investigations speci- fied in them, and the Board take the occasion again respectfully to invite the attention of the Legislature to the adoption of one or other of the propositions recommended under the first act. We have first, the repoit of the late State Engineer, dated February 7, 1859, quoted by the late Chief Engineer in his late report, condemns the plan of the Red River and Mississippi connection by the Bayou Cut-oil', as extremely costly and impracticable. Second. Under the second act passed, (No. 262, of 1859) we have the report of the same officer, accompanying which are given elaborate ex- aminations. Measurements and levels, resulting in a preference by that officer, " of closure of Atchafalaya" near Simmesport, thereby forcing Red River to the Mississippi, and restoring navigable supply of water to the Atchafalaya by the improvement of the Latanache Bayou. This improvement was not es- timated for by the late State Engineer, in his report, dated March, I860, but has been estimated by the Chief Engineer of the Board, as costing, when finished, two millions sixty-four thousand dollars ; and, thirdly, we have, under acts Nos. 29 and 30, of April 17, 1800, directing examina- tions for constructing a dam across Old River, with the necessary chan- nels, first one, for out-let to Red River, and the other as inlet to the At- chafalaya, estimated by the late Chief Engineer, J. K. Duncan, at nine hundred and ninety-six thousand dollars, ($990,000) exclusive of the ne- cessary increase of hightto levees on both banks of the Mississippi. Your Honorable Body will perceive that both of these propositions pro- vide for improvements upon the largest possible scale, calculated for a con- dition of the highest water stages, while the present Board are of opinion that improvements for a condition of low-water will be found to answer al\ requirements. Their present proposition, therefore, has reference to the preservation of low-water navigation of the Red River, by the upper Old River, restoring a navigable supply of water to the Atchafalaya, by the way of lower Old River. To this end the Board propose to construct a dam at the points marked 1. f. upon the accompanying map, immediately below the old 8 mouth of Kcil Hirer, shutting ofl it- escape to 1 1 1 « • Atchafalaya, catting .n short channel out of Bed River, From its npper or n<«rtli bank, immediately at its junction with the Mississippi, at the pointa <; B apon the aco— panying map, and cutting also an inlet channel to the Atchafalaya by way of lower Old River, at the j ■■ >in t - marked I J upon the aooompanyiag map. The dyke, it made of earth, ia estimated foe as follows, via : Crest, 50 (eel wide, average bight -U feet, length of dyke, 2,200 feet, slope upon each side, eighl to one, uiv. - l:>. *n»o cubic yards, at "Jo c oats , is 1107,160. < >r. Bhould a pile work dam be preferred, it is estimated to cost, when properly braced and riveted upon its upper side $70. 000 00 Improving direction of outlet of Red River 50,000 00 inlet 25,000 00 Improvement of earthen dyke 8107,160 Outlet and inlet complete 75,000 1182,150 For improvement with pile dam $70,000 00 Sam.- inlel and outlet 75,000 <»U 8145,000 00 Of these two methods of improvement the Board, alter mature delibera- tion, have given a preference to the pile-dam reipiirine. s:;7,00,000. Besides which the improvement would require a long time for its completion, since the navigation of this bayou must lie perfected before the dyke could he thrown across Red River. See the line K. L. on the accompanying map. There i~, therefore, no hesitancy on the part of the Hoard, in recommend- ing the adoption by the Legislature of the proposition of improvement by the way of Old River, not only in consequence of its lesser cost to the Cut* off Bayou route, hut also because it will he fully as effectual in restoring and maintaining navigation. This work is considered by the Board of indis- pensable necessity. And from the formidable obstruetiou to low-water navi- gation during the whole of last autumn, it is not too much to predict that unless there he labor applied to upper Old River, so soon as the MissiBsipp 9 may return to a falling stage, the low-water communication between the Mississippi and the Red River will be entirely lost. The Board is aware, from the best information, that the high stage navi- gation of the Red River does not now suffice for more than half, or at most two-thirds, of its commercial and agricultural necessities ; there must besides be a low-water navigation which,* even with the addition of Railroad trans- portation now being perfected, will not more than transport the daily increas- ing crops of the vast country finding outlet only by the Red River, viz : Eastern Texas, Western Arkansas, with the Red River, Ouachita and Boeuf River valleys. The number of bales of cotton now annually passing out of the Red River is estimated at not less than 600,000, having increased over 100,000 bales in the last three years. The Board have suggested that in their opinion the transportation facili- ties, both by water and by Railroad, (the latter being as yet only prospec- tive) would not more than suffice for the trade of the vast country embraced. But no one who will institute an inquiry can arrive at any other conclusion than, that the water transportation in the case under consideration, is by far su- perior to the land. But it is not only as an outlet to agricultural products, that the navigation of the Red River is an indispensable necessity, it is so also with reference to the returning freights, distributing as they do necessaries to comfort and even subsistence itself. We present to you an extract from the report of J. K. Duncan, late Chief Engineer, to show the condition of the mouth of Old River, during the summer and fall months. On page 27, he says : " The great difficulties in the navigation of Old River during low-water, arise principally from the bar at its immediate mouth, and the many in- creasing shoals around and below the islands in the wider part of the channel. These latter shoals are getting more and more numerous every year. The bar at the mouth is composed of very light and shifting alluvial deposit, which is constantly changing its position under the influence of the currents, but more especially under that of the eddies already mentioned. In July last these. changes were so rapid that a boat in passing over the bar on her up trip, was almost sure to run aground on taking the same channel on her return. The Anna Ferret, drawing five feet, grounded in going up on the 19th of July, on attempting the saihe channel which she had safely taken a few days before in coming down. After lying some twelve hours the soundings on her port side gave only one foot in depth, from stem to stern. The light sands constituting the bar having drifted around her to that depth, in this short space of time. On the 12th of August, the mouth was entirely closed to the passage of the Catahoula, at which time there were from eighteen to twenty inches of water upon the bar. It was subsequently reported to have fallen still lower. 2pw 10 On tin- '_ ,s th of September, shortly after wne of the small class Btseinerj had ploughed lu-r way through the bar, there w;i.i obtained by accurate measurements t li «- following resuRfl : Aetna] width of water ohannel 170 feet. Average depth of channel 2*959 feet. Sectional water area about 50M square feet. Hence, you will perceive, thai navigation in Old River can only be pre- • 1 by aid from the State." It is also proper here to address to your honorable 1">Jy Bome remarks on the removal of r^ek obstructions at Alexandria, Red River. From Buch information as the Board of Public Worki have been enabled to collect, it appears thai a portion <>r the blasting and removal of obstructions has been effected, but that the navigation may still be improved by appropriating an unexpended balance of the funds applied to that work by act No. 152, of l s "'T, which balance, amounting to 811.350, has been refunded to the treasury, in compliance with act 211, of 1800, and which is borne Upon the books of the Auditor. Shall this balance be reappropriated? The Board is of opinion that it should, and it is of the greatest importance that the worx should he perfected, and recommend the re-appropriation or the above said balance, with the purjiose of carrying on the work with as little COSt a- poS- Blble and new contracts lor the completion of the work*, or, at least, so much of it as may exhaust the funds originally appropriated. Another item to which the Board would invite the attention df ybur honorable body, i- that of §25,000 for a Dredge Boat. There is none in the service of the State; one such is absolutely necessary. There has hoi been a season of low water in Red, < hiachita, or Boeuf Rivers when the Bervtoes ofsuei a boat would not have been of the greatest advantage to navigation. And it is believed that the use of a dredge boat in preserving the communi- cation between the Red ami Mississippi Rivers, cannot be dispensed with until some permanent improvement be adopted and completed. The Hoard urgently recommend also, the re-appropriation of 831,884 08, appropriated by act 202, "f 1852, to preserve navigation through Old River — this amount being about to revert to the Treasury by constitutional limitation. In the above report no recommendations are made for special works in the First District There exists now, under several acts the following moneys to the credit of the District) viz: Act 171, of 1859, t" cany into effect the provisions of joint reso- lution 289, of 1858, for surveys of BayoUS Paul and Fountain, in the parish of Bast Baton Rouge 80,000 00 Act 173, of 1*5 ( .», for levee purposes in the parish of Jefferson — 1,403 45 Act 199, of 1859, to reclaim lands in the parish of St. John Bap- tist 7,000 00 Aet 203, of 1859, to reelaim swam], land in the First District 403 66 Act 204, of 1859, to reclaim swamp land in the parish of Plaque- mines, First District 1,911 08 11 It is seen that all of these balances of appropriations shall expire in May next, by constitutional limitation. The Board, so far as the First District is concerned, make no particular recommendation of special works. They are of opinion that, for the present, the funds of the First District should be applied to the maintenance of the Mississippi levees, and works of closing crevasses when occurring in said levees, and in repairing such levees in the District as have been built by the State. The Board has not now the data necessary to make an accurate estimate, but would recommend liberality on the part of your honorable bodies, es- pecially as the district will be entirely destitute of funds in May, unless new appropriations are made. All of which is respectfully submitted. (Signed,) LEWIS G. DeRUSSY, LOUIS HEBERT, ROBT. J. CALDWELL, J. Q. RICHARDSON, Secretary Board of Public Works. Baton Roioe, February 21st, 1861. J Hollinger Corp. pH 8.5