INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS DURING THE YEAR 1875. ccxlvii 



claimed for cultivation. The Commission, in its report upon 

 this subject, recommends the perfecting of the levee system. 

 The diversion of tributaries, artificial reservoirs, cut-oifs, and 

 artificial outlets are declared to be impracticable. The re- 

 port recommends that the Atchafalaya and the La Fourche 

 be kept open, that the Plaque-mine be reopened, if borings 

 shall show it to be practicable, and that a general levee sys- 

 tem be established which shall extend from. the head of the al- 

 luvial basin to the Gulf, and shall include the valleys of the 

 tributaries. The proposed levees will be of sufficient height 

 and strength to resist the action of the water and to restrain 

 the floods. The cost of the proposed improvement is rough- 

 ly estimated at $46,000,000. 



The degree of success that has attended the introduction 

 of steam-power on the canals of the State of New York will 

 be best appreciated by the perusal of the following extracts 

 from a lengthy report of the State Engineer and Surveyor in 

 response to a resolution of the Assembly, passed February 5, 

 1875, asking for information on the subject. At the close of 

 an historical sketch of some length, the report has the follow- 

 ing statements: "I am of the opinion that the question of 

 economy and adaptability of steam as a motive-power on the 

 canals of this state is removed beyond the sphere of experi- 

 ment, and that ultimate and complete success now depends 

 upon capital alone. When adverse interests shall be recon- 

 ciled, when the continued success of the present steamers shall 

 have convinced the timid and doubting capitalist, and when 

 the facts already developed shall be more widely disseminat- 

 ed, and shall receive the credit to which they are clearly en- 

 titled, I feel sure that the general introduction of steam will 

 proceed rapidly to a complete and successful accomplish- 

 ment. The simple fact that under no circumstances likely 

 to occur can steamboats be introduced more rapidly than the 

 present horse-boats will disappear, should satisfy those who 

 are interested in the latter, and who fear embarrassment 

 from the change, that the transition may be effected without 

 serious loss or inconvenience to them?' 



The subject of interoceanic communication across the 

 American isthmus has received several important contri- 

 butions. During the past year two government expedi- 

 tions were at work upon preliminary surveys for a ship- 



