The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1882-04-19
Editor.
Hope Deferred.

AMONG tnc items III Ine OIL lur-
nished by the house committee On
semnerce, ,we notice in the Oregon
appropriations that for ''the lower
Columbia and Willamette includ-
ing the bar at the mouth" has
been appropriated the magnificent
sum of $4,000. Why it wasn't
made s7s,539 or s74,006, or some
other equally exact amount,
heaven and congress alone know.
Our delight upon learning that all
this vast amount of money has
actually been recommended is still
further augmented on learning
that this ''is subject to possible in
crease on further hearing" 1t is
refreshing to know that so much
is possible"
The oomittee goes on to say:
'sAs to the commencement of
permanent works at the mouth of
the Columbia, the committee, on
account Of the adverse report of
the advisory board Of engineers
at New York made year ago,
disappearing Col. Gillespie's plan,
and in view of the Importance of
the proper commencement of a
great work and the necessity OF
having plan approved by the
chief engineers, have decided on a
through and careful examination
in detail by board OF engineers
in person, to be appointed by the
secretary Of war Immediately on
the passage of the bill, when. after
visiting the mouth Of the river
they shall report such a plan as
they may approve in time for the
December session of congress, Sc
that an appropriation can then be
made"
So this lame and impoteut con-
clusionis all that this session OF
Congress sums up as far as we are
concerned. Every one in Astoria
knows what an appropriation fol
s'the lower Columbia and William.
cite, including the bar at the
mouth" means All the money
that will be spent at the bar or or
the bar this season can easily I'll
in the ears of any one of our read
ers: $4,000 is a nice little sum
for the improvement of the chan.
mel and keeping 1T open from
Portland to Astoria, and is good
as far as it goes, but this thing o.
keeping the word of promise tC
the ear, and breaking it to the
hope, is hardly relished in thi,
part of the state. We would
rather see the matter clearly spec
lied "s74,000 for the improve
ment of the Willamette and. Col
umbia rivers from Portland t.
Astoria" 1t would be all righ
and is all right, for the money
will no doubt do good if not fooled
away in surveying" but to throw
US little taffy by putting in thc
ridiculous catch Sand the bar Al
the mouth is just rubbing it in
little too much. 1t is not oues.
ton of "who is to blame" We
believe Mr.. George did all be could;
We believe that the appointing OF
new board of engineers to visi,
and Inspect the mouth of the Col,
umbia next summer is due chiefly
to- his personal effort, but we de.
cidedly object to Juggling in that
'bar at its mouth" in a miserable
little $4,000 appropriation. 1t
gives the whole matter of bar i'm
provement bad favor; it is q
sort Of concession that that is
about sli such triaing little BIT
OF Improvement should get.
Fourteen mouths ago General
Wright submitted plans for
the Improvement of the mouth
of the Columbia river, suggesting
style and system of permanent
Improvement that would-in the
opinion of many-hsve succeeded
IN procuring the desired result.
This improvement would, he esti-
mated, cost $4,000. The board
of engineers in a lengthy and
elaborate adverse report, conclud.
ed that it was unnecessary to
submit any plan at this time for