Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-12-10

maintenance of the maximum channel dur
| inr the sixth months ended August g. last.
| This experiment h Is opened n broad deep
highway to the ocean. and is an improve
ment, upon the permanent Success OF which,
congratulations may be exchanged among
people abroad and at home, and especially
among the communities of the Mississippi
valley, whose commercial exchanges float III
an unobstructcd channel safely 10 and from
the sea.
A comprehensive improvement al tht
| Mississippi and its tributaries is Il matter oil
transcendcnt Importance. These great Wa
ter-ways comprise system oil miami trans
nortation spread like network over 4 large
portion of the Unitcd States, and navigablt
! 10 the extent of many thousands OF miles. Pro
,lucers and consumers alike, have common
interest in such unequallcd facilities fol
cheap transportation Geographically, com
mercialy, and politically, they arc the
strongest tie between the various sections oil
the country These channels of communica
lion and interchange are the property OF the
Nation. Its jurisdiction is paramount over
their waters, and the rlainest principles ol
public interest require their intelligent ana
careful supervision, with Il view To theil
protection, improvement, AMI the enhance
ment of their usefulness.
The channel of the Columbia river, for 4
distance of about one hundred miles from 1t:
mouth, is DISTRACTED by 4 succession of bars
which occasion serious delays in navigation,
and heavy expense for lIghtcragc and towagc
4 depth at least twenty feet al a low tide
should he secured and maintained, to meet
the requirements of the extensive and grow
ing inland and ocean commerce II suh'crves.
The most urgent need, however, for this
great waterway is permanent improve
ment of the channel at the mouth of tn,
river.
From Columbia river to san Francisco, {
distance of over six hundred miles, Their,
is no harbor on our Pacific coast whicl
can be approached during stormy
weather An appropriation Of $50, 900 wa
made by the Forty-iifth Congress for thu
commencement of u breakwater and harbo
of refuge, to he located at some point be
tween the Straits of Fuca and san Francisco
at which the necessities OF commerce, Local
and general, will be best accommodated
The amount appropriated is thought TO b'
quite inadequate for the purpose intended
The cost of the work. when finished, will b,
very great owing to the want of natural al
vantages for site at any point on the coas
between the designated limits, and ii has no
been thought to be advisable to undertake
the work without larger appropriation.
commend the matter TO the attention o
Congress.
The completion of the new building 10
the War Department is urgently needed
and the estimates for continuing its construc
tion are especially recommended.
The collections of books, specimens, and
records constituting the Army Medica
Museum and Library are OF National i'm
portance The library now contains abou
fifty-one thousand five hundred o., 800
volumes and fifty-seven thousand pamphlet
relating 10 medicine, surgery, and allie
topics. The contents of the Army Mcdica
Museum consist of twenty-five thousand
81. 900 specimens, and are unique IN thu
completeness with which both military sur
gerry and the diseases of armies are illustra
ted Their destruction would be an ire
parable loss, not only to the lnited States
but 10 the world. There are filed in III,
record and pension division, over sXteeI
Thousand (16, 900 bound volumes of hospta
records, together with a great quantity o.
papers, embracing the original records of The
| hospitals of our armies during the civil war
| Aside from their historical value, these rec
ords are daily searched for evidence needed
in the settlement of large numbers of pen
| sion and other claims, for the protection o.
the Government against attempted frauds, a
| well as for the benefit of honest claimants
| These valuable collections are now in build
| ing which is peculiarly exposed TO the dan
ger of destruction by fire Ii is therefor,
earnestly recommended that an appropria
| ton be made for a new fire proof building
adequate for the present needs and reason
able future expansion of these valuable col
lections Such building should be abso-