The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1882-10-05
n1anitouof pilot.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1882.
HOW RIVER AND HARBOR I'M
PROVEMENTS ARE SECURED.

PROpEMENIS ARE OECUhED'
There is no appropriation made by
congress which comes under more
rigid scrutiny than do those for the i'm
provement of rivers and harbors. Be,
tween their first suggestion and the
passage of the appropriation every item
is Investigated and both its cost and
value to commerce are taken out of the
bounds of speculation.
Senator Chandler, in 1867, declared
in the senate that the committee OF
commerce of which he WAS member
had adopted rule ''to advise no appro-
priation not specifically recommended
and estimated for by the engineer de-
partment. And from this rule, so far
as we have been able to investigate,
there has never since been departure.
Twenty one years before that, In 1916,
Mr.. Frederick P. Stanton, distinguish
ed member of congress from Tennessee,
declared on the floor of the house:
The only rulo which I can lay down
for myself to enable me to judge of the
eharacte1re . Ct Il gaErftlef5dalcy or engaglng
| - .hn,,, IN oaaes where / am not
particularly aquanted with the locality,
to rely mainly upon the reports OF those
officers and engineers whose duty it Is
TO examine, survey and explore for the
benefit of the whole country.
Certainly this was reasonable plan
of action. And there is no doubt that
80 out of every 100 which have been
given in favor of appropriation since
that day have been in pursuance OF that
reasonable rule. AID congressman who
have acted in this have had exact and
reliable information so far as the reports
of the honorable, careful and skilled
engineer officers of the government
could furnish it.
The usual stages of an appropriation
are these.
1. The people interested in the COM
merce of river or harbor which is sup
posed to need improvement apply to
their member of congress or senator to
introduce bill for that purpose.
2. A congressman or senator introduc.
es a resolution requesting the war
department to furnish information as
to the cost, practicability and value
when completed of the desired improve
: ment.
3. This resolution is referred to the
committee on commerce.
4. The committee on commerce send
copy of it to the war departm ent with
request for information.
5. The secretary of war refers the
inquiry to the chief engineer.
f 6. If the information is not already
in the chief engineers office he refers
it to the engineer Office in charge Of the
district where the improvement is de.
sired.
z. If surveys are already made the
district engineer reports them, if they
are not made he makes them and reports.
8. These reports are very complete
III their details. They give the existing
depth of water, the depth and possible
increase, the probable cost by items.
SO much for excavating, so much fo1
haulage, and so much for every item OF
labor and material They also furnish
all obtainable data as to the commerce
of the riaer or harbor, the number OF
vessels that use it, and every fact that
may be useful to anyone in forming an
opinion as to the propriety of making
the Improvement. From beginning to
end there is no guess work about it.
The estimates are as nearly correct as
the highert skill can make them. AID
the data furnished as to the commerce
and the like of the river or harbor give
the candid and accurate observation oil
conscientious engineer officers.
| 9. Two illustrations out of many
hundred will be sufficient to show how
this is done.
An inquiry was addressed to these
officers for information as to the harbo1
of Manitowoc Wis,
The official report which went before
the committees of congress shows the
depth of water, area of the harbor, it!
condition and the cost of improvement
by items, and:then the report adds:
The entire through commerce of thu
lakes bound fromB Buffalo toMilwaukee an(
Chicago is destitute of shelter on tht
east shore of this lake after leaving
South Mantou, with the exception O
that afforded at Grand Haven, for {
distance of $50 miles.
The extent to which this harbor il
sought in time of peril is an indication
of the estimate placed upon its advan
tages, 80 vessels having sought shelte
therein during a single storm. Wer
the piers extended to sufficient dept
to admit of heavily laden vessels entering
during severe gales its value Gas harbo
of refugee would be immensely enhanced
Another illustration may be found il
the numerous reports on the st. Clai
a-ss. They furnish the original dept
or wafer, ny aooonft.-.---o
show the original tortuous channel, AM
the sounding throughout its length, an
they furnish an iterlized estimate o
the cost of making new channel, show
ing the increased depth of water whic
may be had over it. This is supple
mented by showing that the cost {
!. detention, collision and damage in tn
> old unimproved channel was 1892, 40
in single year. With this there is a
= itemized schedule showing the name
, OF vessels and the damage in each case