Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-06-12
E United States Senate.

:. United States Senate.
WAsH1EarcN June ia large number of
bills on the calendar not objected to passed.
Senator Morrill, introduced an amendment to
the sundry civil appropriation bill, appropri-
sating s25n. coo for building a nationcl mnssnm
and Sl5O00O for a grand stairway and terrace
on the front Of the capital. Referred.
Among the bills passed we're Senate bill to
reimburse Kansas for expenses incurred in ex-
polling invaslons and supprcssing Indian hos
tilities; Senate bill amending the act Of March
80, 1873, authorizing the award to the Vincen-
mes University of vacant and abandoned lands
in Knox county, Indiana: Senate bill to provide
for the sale of portions of the Fort Leaven-
worth military reservation in Kansas; Senate
bill to provide additional regulations for home
stead and presumption entries on public lands
It provides for the publication of notices of
intention to enter agricultural lands under the
law named.
The Senate then RESUMED consideration of
the unfinished business, the harbor and river
appropriation bill, the pending question being
on the amendments of the committee on ap-
propriations increasing the appropriation for
improving the mouth of the Red river from
$50, 900 to $4,000. Agreed to.
The other amendments OF LQe COmmlCtee
agreed to as follows: Approprating 900
for the improvement of the Missouri river at
Council Bluffs and Omaha; $40, 900 for the i'm
, provement of the Languille river, Arkansas.
and striking out of the House bill the appro-
priation If 100000 for improving the whole
river above Jacksonport. Ark, and removing
| snags, wrecks and other obstructlons from that
river.
Senator Cowan reported an amendment provid
ing that S75 900 of the $240 600 appropriated for
the i'm provement of the Mississippi river be-
| tween the mouths of the Ohio and Illinois riv-
ers. be expended for constructing dam at Ca
toxin chute, opposite St. Louis. Agreed to.
Also an amendment appropriating Sl25,000
for improving the Mississippi river from the
bridge of the Chicago, Milwaukee g. st. Paul
railroad company above Lacrosse, Wis. to the
mouth Of Root river, below said city, and re-
ducing the appropriation for improving the
harboc at Fairport, mouth of Grand river, Ohio,
from $4,000 20 $4,000.
Other amendments reported by tie commit
| tee on appropriations were agreed to, fol-
lows: Appropriatng $4,000 for continuing
| the improvement Of the harbor at Dunkirk,
N. Y; increasing the appropriation for improve
| ment of the Mississippi river at and near Vicks-
burg, Miss, and projecting the harbor at vicks-
! burg Miss, from $40, 600 to $4,000; for the
! improvement of the Missouri river at Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas, 1926, 600; appropl iating
! $4,000 for continuing surveys and examination
|
| Senator Morrill, submitted an amendment to
modify the last clause of the first section, as
follows: It shall be the duty of the secretary
of war to apply the moneys herein appropriat-
! ed as far may be by contract, except where
a specific estimate cannot be made for particu-
lar work, or wherein in the judgment Of said
secretary the work cannot be contracted for at
| prices advantageous to the government, and
except appropriations made for examination
and surveys, such contracts shall be made after
| sufficient public advertisement for proposals in
such form and manner as the secretary OF war
shall prescribe and such contract shall be made
with the lowest responsible bidders therefor,
accompanied by such securities Us the secretary
! of shall require. Agreed to.
The amendments of the committee providing
for surveys of Saline river, Arkansas, and Kan.
sas river from the mouth to junction city
Kansas, were agreed to without discussion.
Section to IL of the bill which provides TO,
the appointment of three river improvement
commissioners, being the measure submitted
by Senator Cockrell some weeks ago, having
been reached he submitted various verbal
amendments to perfect the text, which were
agreed to.
Senator Burnside moved to strike out thu
sections named and insert in lieu thereof thu
section providing for the appointment of {
committee to be composed Of three Senators
and four members of the House and three
members of the engineer corps of the army
whose duty shall be to examine and repor
plans and estimates for the improvement of tn
Mississippi river and closing of gaps ant
crevasses of the river, and report at the mex
session of Congress as to the cost and compare
tive utility of the several plans. 1t alao appro
PIRATES $5 900 for expenses Of the committee.
Senator Burnside said the commission con
templated by the bill as it stood before tn
Senate, would result to the detriment of tn
public service and end in corruption.
! SenatOr Reck Raid he was onnOspd tn the m
provement of the Mississippi, but the effect 0
the amendment providing for this Mississippi
river improvement commission would destro
the usefulness of the engineer corps of the ar
my in managing surveys of the Mississippi
river. As he understood it the head of tn
commission was to be civilian. The Who'll
truth of it was to put the Mississippi river IN
der control of Captain Eads. He favore
: proper Improvements of the river by removin
! all distractions therefrom, having it proper
!, lighted and thorough system Of levees, blu
: he did not favor any experiment which woul
! require the government to expend thirty or fol
ty million of dollars.
Senator Dawes Submitted an additional sec
ton providing that no part of the work provid
! ed for by the fourth and succeeding sections
! shall be undertaken or contracted for until al
appropriation therefor shall first have bee
I made by Congress. Agreed to.
Senator Ccckrell in reply to Senator Bee
:. denied that Captain Eads had anything to d
E with the proposed improvement commissioner
; He said he prepared this bill himself. tt
Eads bill was presented in the other House {
Congress.
After some further discussion the substitut
Of Burnside was agreed to. Yeas, 80; nays. L
as follows: