Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-11-01

that would be built up can only be con-
jectured. There are but two settlements on
the river"
An engineer who surveyed the mouth of
the Oconto River, in Wisconsin, which gets
$4,000, and expects $4,000, reported that
general commerce and navigation will not
be benefited by harbor at this point"
The engineer who reported on Clinch
River, Tennessee, thinks that $4,000, in
addition to the $4,000 already given, would
"enable rivermen to bring out cargoes in
rain tides"
The engineer who waded up Duck River,
i'm the same State, hopes that $4,000 will
secure p to 81 feet during boating sea-
son of four to six months"
Still greater curiosities Of dishonesty are
found on the Jersey coast. Manasquan
River has had $4,000 in past years, and
now gets 81 1000, in the face of this report
from the engineer sent to investigate: Zone
single storm may demolish the whole struc-
ture, as il is now well established fact
that single gale changes the entire nature
and position of the inlet under discussion
in fact, il is claimed that, owing to the in
stability of the sandy shores, every change
of tide affects the entrance to more or
less degree"
The appropriation of money for some OF
these streams is like throwing dollars into
a quicksand. Pearl River, in Mississippi,
gets $l7,500 for the prosecution of work
that "is not considered permanent" the
engineers say, because it appears quite
certain that the channel opened will grad
ually fill"
The Tchefuncte River, in Louisiana, and
the beautiful Tickfaw are to be scraped out
at the expense of $4,000, with the certain
ty that they will I'll right up again.
The Calcasieu River, in the same State,
gets 81 900 for work that is mot considered
permanent" although the sangnine engin-
eer adds, 81 have no doubt that were the
river made navigable number of nice
farms would be located"
And of the mysterious Bayou Terrc
Bonnie the most hopeful account that can
be supplied for the jobbers to build upon
is this "Unless the plantation bitches are
changed so rs to drain into the swamps, the
bayou will, for purposes of navigation, de-
teriorate year by year"
Wilson harbor, New York State, gets
$4,000 this year on top of $4,000 in the
past, with 100000 expected in the future,
all in spite of the following report from
the government engineer: "The harbor is
of local importance only, the number of
arrivals and departures not averaging one
a week during the season of navigation,
and these being vessels of not over eighty
tons burden"
A little job now for the first time fgur-
ing in the annual appropriations is the
pretended improvement of Grass River, in
St Lawrence county. An appropriation of
$4,000 is made for digging out this stream,
so that "small steamers drawing three feet
of water" may ascend to Massena village
through the entire summer. At present
the small steamers are compelled TO stop
four miles short of Massena village for a
greater part of the season, sending on their
passengers by wagon. II appears that there
is summer hotel at Massena. The re-
porting engineer is an ingenious man. He
says: "As to the commercial interest to be
benefited by the proposed work think
there is no question. Massena is the CEN
ter of wealthy country, and as summer
resort IL has no lille celebrity
Perhaps the most astonishing discovery
made by Col. Bliss in the course of his re-
searches, is that the Forty-seventh Con-
gress has actually voted $4,000 for the inn
provement of channel in Canada. This
is the East Neebsh channel, between Lake
Superior and Lake Huron. The engineers
say: Several years ago the Canadian gov
eminent began deepening the channel
through these rapids. THIS channel lies in
their soaters. From the annual report of
their Minister of Public Works was led
to believe that they would deepen their
channel here to sixteen feet But work
was unexpectedly suspended during last
season, and survey Of the whole obstruc-
ton made by party of Canadian engin-
GERS. Work on the improvement has not
been resumed by them, and do not be-
lieve that it will be, because / am informed
from perfectly reliable sources that they