The scon-iing of the saudy battnre by
the current of the river produced a depth
of water running through the break
varying from 20 to 24 feet. Tile driving
of piles by hand became irupracticable
and a steam pile-driver was used to on
circle the opening with a double row of
heavy wharf timbers driven iunto the
earth from 15 to 20 feet, the rows being
10 feet apart and the piles in either row
8 feet distant from each other. Between
these heavy piles, smaller ones were
driven by Land pile-drivers, and cribs
were tlhus fo'omed in 22 feet of water and
successfully filled with sacks of dirt.
Under the intelligent and skillful
direction of Col. L. A. Bringier, assisted
by Messrs. Keener, Brent, Gibson and
other planters from the vicinity, the
work was being pushed steadily forward
with every prospect of an early and
successful termination, but during the
heavy storm which occurred Wednesday
night, several of the heavy piles in the
main channel of the crevasse gave way
and were snapped off like pipe stems
Of course if timbers like these, driven by
steam power and protected by heavy
bracing, can not stand the pressure of
the current, the contest seems useless
aind the suspension of the work is the
part of prudence and wisdom.
In the beginning the prospect of clos
ing the breach was excellent, but when
the old levee outside the broken levee
gave way, forming a second crevasse, as
it were, the difficulties greatly increased
and the force of the current soon scoured
and the force of the current soon scoured
out a channel of such depth that it was
impossible to throw crib-work across it.
