New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-13
IMPROVING TROUT STREAMS.
DEBATE IN THE HOUSE on HE RIVER AND HARBo
BuL-A sINGULARLY SCARCE PUBLIC DoCC


DEBATE IN THE HOUSE on 1HE RIVER AND HARBoR
BuL-A siNGULARLY SCARCE PUBLIC DoCU-
lBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The House of Representa-
tivcs devoted most Of the day to the consideration
of the ver and Iiarbor bill, and passed without
amendment the first eighteen items OF appropra-
tion leaving 34 items still to be considered. Nearly
all of the first 1870 items AMI few beslhes relate
10 tho improvement of harbors, and there
ia not likely TO be long discussion
of them Over 200 items relate 20 river.
creek and bayou Of all sorts, and their
consideration IS likely to evoke prolonged discus
sion. 1t appears from the proceedings of to-day
that about thirty members of the House Of Repre-
senaives are in favor of restricting the expenditure
of money for the Improvement of rivers t0 streams
which can be made navigable for thirty consecutive
miles for boats carrying fifty tons of freight. This
vonld seem a moderate and useful restriction, but
abont 80 members Of the House do not think so.
In the course of the discussion to-day some telling
points aga,nst the bill were made by Mr.. Updegraf,
OF Iowa who, with Messrs. Cox and Van Voorhis,
ct pe,. York, led the opposition. Mr. updeRrah
said that after good deal of difficulty he had, Dy
the use Of persuasion and other means" succeeded
In obtaining a copy OF the report OF the Chief OF
Engineers He read and commented npon the re-
ports relating to certain streams. for the improve
ncnt of which the Commerce Committee has recon-
mendcd appropriations.
MIR Cox spoke several times Notwithstanding the
strenuous efforts of General Chalmers Mr. McLane,
and several other of his Democratic friends to choke
him off Mr. Cox quoted Democratic doctrine from
jefferson. Polk and Pierce against appropriations
by the General Government for internal improve
ments. HIS impeachment uf tue democracy OF the
D.moc,otic leaders in tho House evidently worried
them considerably.
Mr. PAGE of California. made strong effort 10
have tho appropriation for the Improvement of tho
harbor at Oakland Cal, raised from $50. 600 To
800 COO Th' proposition WAS defeated. So was
M amendment oil red by Mr.. Murch 10 Appropriate
-D1 600 for lie Improvement of ROckland Harb0r,
Name. Mr.. Murch remarked that the amount 0i tIe
hiII ,id not irIghtrn hlm; he wOnld be perfectly
Wiling to vote 500 G00,u0O instead OF SlO0OO'0oO
for the Improvement of rivers aud II nirDor5. Mt.
Inyrs OF Illinois, who will retire to private life on
thc Ith of next month. made speech IN favor 0t
tine DlIl in the course of which he pn the Amerran
SInles' as well ~ the EIgllsn language,
IN ihe best use of Which he IL
enable Mr. T. Turner, Of Kentucky. also INDUCED
| IN some glowing Kentucky Rhetoric Mr. turner
| Thinks that nature having denied Kentucky sea
cons or ma vgable rivers II becomes HE duty Oh tlo
limited states to make some rivers for hcr r'pccIaiiy
n, she pays INTO the treasury considerable sum 81
| moncy IN the shape oi taxes on tooaceo ""u "-''
To-day for the first time since the bill has been
rndcr dI,cu sion Mr. Randall made hil.s"lt proml-
mrmt ~ advocating II. An amendment of 'rcd Dy
linn was adopted. u provides that mo work done
uuder the bill shall he let 10 me lowest n,iut u
,ss 10 do so would njure the interests OF the United
States. =, =, a &c iou,,
One complaint made by Mr. Updegrat, OF iowa.
WAS that II hal taken HIM two da\S 10 llhu topS
Of thn report of the Chicf OF Engineers upon which
hn DILL is supposed be based. and he lntilnateu
that he had only been able to procure one ny pull
cnusr copy Of TINS document Is not to be tounu
| Al the Document-room, and on application ~ the
roam of the Committed on Commerce d lRlBuNE
,yas there ether TO be gwen out or eXamIned Sew
eral members of the House rled but failed to pro,
cure copy 1t is probable that the document XII %l
has n,s.ed tne House of Representatives.
tFor details Of the Deoate r>Jutdr report OF Co"SFsSI