New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-05
WASHINGTON.
TIE TRANSPORTATION QUESTION

4
,,r pEB,TB IN THE HoUsE-A LON" avn
'" u,usrIyR DISCUSSION ANTICIPATED
Try TELEGRAPH TO rHE rRIBuN&l
,u,suNcroN. March 4-The principal feature oi
sanato in the House on the Transportation piii
- was the speech of Judge Arthur oil hoh'u0NS'
- Gas beQnn Yesterday. II laid out win frca'
". and thoroughnoss and much citation Oh oouSu
- Al authorities the ground on when inc VI" 10
- ho TONIGHT. Judge Arthur, as Kentucky De'nC-
" - oonrso an old-fashioned States Rights adj
o''" ond ncrhaps in some of his positions Is
w" ,ooro antiouated and fogyish than the great
.o,;,y who will oppose the bill will care 10 DC
Nevertheless the main props Of his argument i'''
rscessarly be used by all who follow hlih'
pa maintained that the power conferred OF No"-
- hv the Constitution TO regulate commerce
never was intended to extend to the
Of raos of fare; that if Congress could exercise
n mower over railroads it could over cana' Oo''''
steamers barees stage-cOaches. ana even u''S ic
they were all agencies OF commerce. anu so"iu'
short interfere with the private pus'hoSs U, rs,
avery citizen Of the country. lie regaiuo" '"0 ~
a. A pernieious aud dangerous lnfrineon'o"' "pO"
~. riohts OF the people. His speech showed e'i-
dsnoe of careful preparation, and he hao =" eo0'
audience of attentive listeners tn
NJ Uurlbnt Of Illinois followed in support OF inc
hin The issue is now fairly joined, ana speeches
a,o heinO prenarcd by the dozen. All the NeStoln
nombors who conrt the support of the GrangeiS'
III bovo 20 deliyepor print something I'D the COURSE
~ the debate and on the other SIDE Oet'ei oppoi
,upity for States Rights Democrats 10 al '"'i
usty theories than the bill affords bas not
a., long time and it will be fully improved ino
Asensson nav therefore, be expected 10 DO ious'
Exhaustive and exhaustiDg to the patience VI Vno
members who want to have the necessary business
~ the session hurried forward III order to make Oh
early adjournment possible
,ur PLAN OF CAPT. EADs FOR IMPROVING THE MIS-
s1ssIppI REPORTED TO TIE HOUSE BY TIRE COM
urrrER ON RAILWAYS AND CANAIS-ThE COST
oY THE IMPROVEMENT TO BE S10OOo,GO
icy TELEGRAPH TO TUE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON, March 4-The House Commlttee Oh
RAILWAYS and Canals reported to-day for printing
and reoommttal q bill providing for the improve
nent Of the mouth of the Mississippi River, accord
inc % the plan of Capt James B. Eads, the engineer
Of The 81. Louis Bridge. This plan consists of the
erection at one Of the passes of walls and jetties TO
narrow the channel of the river and accelerate It's
cprep so as to make it carry its detrtus out to sea
The adoption Of this bill by the Committee virtually
defeats the Fort Saint Philip Canal project for the
present session at least The Committee express no
hostility to the canal. but say that the plan is not
sufficiently matured by surveys and estimates TO
warrant legislation to carry it out. They intend to
report q resolution looking to further surveys and
the Selection of a route for the canal if practicable
one can be found. In the mean time, the Committee
having before them thoroughly considered plan
which appeared to them practical and had been APP
proved by eminent engineer officers, felt that they
ought not 10 delay action upon 1t 20 wait Tor the
development of another which would be more costly
and as they think probably 10 more effective II 1t
could be carried ont.
The Committees bin puts the whole work Of
securing deep channel through OF the passes at
the mouth of the river into private bands James
B. Eads and such persons as he may associate with
him are to be given contract to perform the work
The following terms hen a depth Of 20 feet at flood
tide is secured in a channel foo feet wide, the Gov
eminent is to pay 81 100000 and for every additional
two feet of depth an additional million is to be
maid until depth of % feet is obtained, for which,
in ALL the contractors are to receive $50O00OO This.
however is TO be only half their total compensation,
proyiding the work endures the test Of time If IT
proves effective they are to be paid 100000 three
years after the channel is deepened to Is feet another
million one year later; and $3,00O,OOO in annual
payments of $4,000, extending over period of
seven years The total cost of the work Is, there
fore, to be S10WO,OOO.
The friends Of tie bill are confident that it will
stand the fire of debate and be passed before the
close Of the session They say that the demand for
the improvement OF the mouth of the Mississippi is
90 general and so positive throughout the West that
Congress cannot well adjourn without legislating
upon the subject. The friends of the canal project,
however declare that Mr.. Eadss plan is impractical
and unsc,entiGc, and that any money spent upon it
viii DC thrown away.