The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-03-16

NO money snail be paid for levee work un
VI the same Is approved by the Secretary
lot War. 4Ir. Garland's belief was that thI
loss inflicted by the present overflow large
ly outstripped the total Of the apprOpria,
] tiOnnow asked for, and would amount 10 at
least $50 100000
Mr.. Jonas La. J said the rough calculation
he had made showed that the lands In
Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana, now
under water, or in daily danger OF being
submerged, produced IN 1880 q total ol
150, ,063 bales Of cotton-the value which at
the ordinary market rate was SIS per bale
was SIS, ,752, ,S25. The area in Louisiana
which will be submerged II the leyees give
way, produced in 1881 crops amounting in
value TO oyer 81, ,O00, 900 in sugar, over 81, !.
OOO, 600 in molasses, and over S3,000,0 900 in
rice. TheOveraownow threatened will cause
a total destruction Of the values. The pos.
sibility ot raisinga cotton crop on the inun-
dated lands would depend upon whether
the sufferers found the bankers and mer-
chants willing to give them credit after the
loss OF all their personal property and the
devastation Of their plantations. As to the
sugar crop, the water would cause It's total
destruction throughout the inundated re-
gion, Us the effect Of water on the seed Is
such as to destroy not only the growing
crop, but a possibility Of destroying the
crop for the next two or three years, until
it can be thoroughly replanted.
Mr.. Garland explained that the only
levees contemplated by the bill were those
OF the Mississippi river. II the general
Government will take care OF the leveea on
that great national highway the States will
provide for those upon the Mississippi
tributaries.
Mr.. Vest asked TO say few words be-
fore the bill was disposed Of, because, he
added, he regarded the reference Of the
bill as final disposition Of it, and that It
would never come back to the Senate. He
thought the time had come to determine
whether the great Mississippi river is to be
made terror and curse to this country,
rather than the highway for its commerce.
He asserted that II would be an economical
expenditure for the Government to spend
to-day S25O,000,000 upon the Mississippi
river for improvements.
Mr.. Garland said Il the committee in
charge OF the bill did not give n an early
consideration he would resort to some
parliamentary iack.screw to get it back.
The bill was sent to the Committee on the
Mississippi River and tributaries.
The consideration OF the postofice ap-
preparation bill was resumed.
The pending amendment to make the
provision relating to sub.contracts appli.
cable only to contracts hereafter made was
agreed to- yeas 3, noes u.
The increase in the item for the com.
pensation OF postofEice clerks Of Sl50,OOO
prevailed.
The next amendment reported by the
Senate was an item on sub-lettinv con-
tracts, and declares that carrier EMPLOYED
by the contractor or sub.contractor, who
shall hle his agreement and evidence that
he has done work, shall have lien ON the
money OF his employer for his nav: and IL
the contractor or sub-contractor Shall fail
to pay carrier within two months Of the
end OF the quarter the department shall
pay the debt and charge it to the contrac-
tor; When person or firm, holding sew
eral contracts, fails to perform service on
any one OF them, the pay for the Others
shall be withheld until service has been
restored and all penalties satisfied. The
amendment gave rise to a protracted dis.
cussion upon the possible difficulties aris-
ing under it in the PostofIice Department
Messrs. Dawes and Hawley became in.
yolved in personal controversy upon what
the latter construed by unwarranted criti.
cism on the part of Dawes in at,ributing
his efforts to show the unreasonableness Of
his amendment in practical operation to
special anxiety for the interests of mail
contractors Aftpr ft1Pther rar,.rbs ~, tbo
modification OF the amendment by the
transposition Of several words was made,
and as modified, adopted. Without further
progress the bill was laid over as unfn.
ished business for tomorrow.
MIR. Allison submitted the report Of the
Committee on Appropriations with the tes-
timony taken in what is known as tho
Treasury Contingent Fund Investigation.
The report and testimony were tabled tenn.
porArily and ordered printed.