New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-14
THE RIVER AND HARBoR BILL.

PROBABLE FURTHER CONSIDERATION TO-DAY-REA-
SONS WHY CERTAIN CoSGREssMEN ARE INTER-
FsTRD IN APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE ALLEGED
IMPROVEMENT OF UNIMPoRTANT STREAMS.
iBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13.-It is expected that the
House of Representatives will proceed tomorrow
with the consideration OF the River and Harbor bill.
The action upon the bill yesterday shows that the
Committee on Commerce Is determined to proceed
as rapidly and with as little debate as practicable.
and to allow no amendment of the bill if 1t can be
prevented. The simple Offering OF an amendment
yesterday to one of the items was characterized by
hr Reagan as flbustering.
The manner of making up q River and Harbor bill by
the Commerce Committee is not very generally un-
ertuod and still less is known by the public OF tue
preliminary management by which the initial
Improvement" of trout streams are authorized
and thereafter continued. In every River and Har-
bor bill q lump sum (the amount recommended this
wear is BOO OOO is appropriated for examinations
or surveys or both and estimates of cost OF improve
uent. proper to be made at certain points desig-
mated The streams bayous harbors etc., to be
surveyed next year sixty or seventy IN number.
Among them is Little Tennessee River from It's
mouth on the Holston or Big Tennessee River TO
the mouth of Tallis RIVER" The preliminary sur
veys and estimates are usually made
BY O civilian assistant engineer. This
Is uniformly the practice where the streams
TO be surveyed are so small as to be unknown except
10 the geography of q county or township vi
course q Congressman, having secured the desgna-
ton Of stream in his district. takes care that the
assistant engineer who is sent to examine 1t IS well
treated by the people In the vicinity and is duly
furnished by them with statistics OF the number OF
hoop poles the number Of pounds of feathers bees
wax. ETC., and the number of dozen of eggs which
would 20 10 swell the commerce of the country if
that particular creek were improved. Turning over
the reports Of these assistants one constantly finds
their Acknowledgements "for courtesiesu received
during their sojourn among the hospitabe inhabitants
who live on the banks Of the streams which they
have explored. The assistant usually makes glow
Ing report OF the creek which he has surveyed from
sskiA as he pursued bis pleasant journey. He con-
scentiously notes the distractions to Navigation in
the form of "boulders." overhanging trees" mill
dams," fish-traps.0 bridges without draws
"spids" ETC.; he enlarges upon the agricultural or
other resources OF the region, expatiates upon the
fertility Of the soil, the size and quality Of the
timber, the beauties Of the landscape, and the
hospitality of the people. aud he winds
up with an estimate Of the cost of
improyiDg the newly discovered artery Of COM
merce Rarely indeed, II ever does the assistant
engineer report that IL is impracticable to make
stream navigable. In his lexicon there 10 no such
word "a "failS The officer of engineers who re-
cve this report sends IL to the Chief OF Engineers,
with his tavorabls indorsement The more money
hecan Sci 70 expend on internal improvements In
bic district We more popular he win be.
1hs Chief of Eneineens, relying upon the iudg-