New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-16
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.
TOPICS OF NATIONAL INTEREST.

A correspondent of THE TRIBUNE fur
n;sbes a statement of the sums appropriated
by Congress for the Improvement OF rivers ana
6arbors in the State Of New-York Pottery
manufacturers propose to have argument
made with view of reversing recent
tariff ruling of the Treasury Department.
Tbev also complain of the free-trade ten
6epcies of Mr. James, the head OF the
Customs Division. There is q difference OF
ouinion between the Interior Department ane
the officers of the Pacific Railroads as 10 the
sums due the Government from the roads under
the Sherman Act, and the matter Will propaply
be taken into the courts.
NEw-YORK INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
TIE SUNS APPROPRIATED BY THE NATIONAL Gov
rRNMENr FOR RIVERS AND HARBoRs-wHAT THE
STATE HAS SPENT ON THE CANALS.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
w,svINGrON. April ia very careful and ac-
curate compilation of the official figures shows that
down TO June So 1882, the United States Govern
ment had expended nearly S9,600,OOO for the I'm
movement of rivers and harbOrs in the State OF New
York This is large sum of money, and yet when
compared with the expenditures by the State ITSELF
for internal improvements, it dwindes into compar-
alive insignifcance. From 1917 to 1866 the State
mcnt of canals and the further sum of $24,377 los
in repairing and maintaining them, making total
Of $97slS,002
Appropriations for the Improvement of rivers
and harbors in New-York became necessity
as soon as the canals were built. For
example when the Erie Canal was opened
to Buffalo in 1925, and to Oswego three
years later, it Immediately became necessary TO I'M
prove the harbors at those places and shortly after
ward to remove the distractions to the navigation
of the Hudson River, which is the outlet OF the
canal system of the State The first river and har-
Dor appropriation for New-York was one OF Slo,ooo
in 1926, for building pier and repairing the ola
one at the mouth of Buffalo Creek. In 1927 an
appropriation of $1,000 was made for pier at
Dupkirk Harbor; in the same year also there was
an appropriation of $33,30s for building two
piers at the mouth of the Oswego Harbor." That
barbor had been surveyed two years before at cost
of $500 SO. In 1929 an appropriation of $4,000
was made for Black Rock Harbor, the Improvement
of which was completed in 1886 at total cost OF
$52,O95.
The Black River Harbor improvement, which was
begun in 1885, the same year IN which the state
began to dig the Black River Canal cost altogether
S42O71 Ii. Since the beginning exactly score
Of appropriations have been made for Buffalo Har-
bor and the total amount o-?ended thereon dOwnto
June so, 1882, was $1,45G,713 81. At that date
there was balance of $4,000 on hand, which
has since been expended, together with nearly one
third of an appropriation of $125,000 made last
August.
Three years ago the first appropriation for i'm
proving Buttermk Channel, New-York Harbor,
was made. Down to June 80 of last year $7O,OOo
had been expended and there was balance on
hand of $4,000, which, together with large
portion of the 100000 appropriated last August
has since been expended. In 1880 also the first
appropriation for CanaTse Bay was made
Down to date the total expenditures
have been about $4,000. The improvement OF
Catta1augus Creek begun IN $50 and COM
pleted in 1910, at a total cost of $57,41O. Char
lotte Harbor az the mouth OF the Geuesee RIVER,
was surveyed in 1923. TwOyear after the Genesee
Valley Canal was begun in 1920 the improve
nent was begun with an appropriation of $4,000
and the total expenditures to June 80, 1882, were
S2s9.7O7 The cost of improving Dunkirk Harbor
from 1927 TO 1882 was $436345. Between 1878
and last June $47 900 had been expended on East
Chester Creek and the sum of 81, 600 remained un-
expended at the latter date.
NEARLY THREE MILLIONS FOR THE EAST RIVER
The East River and He'll Gate improvements were
not begun until the year 1852, when an
appropriation of $4,000 was made. There the
matter rested for eighteen years, when the sum OF
SZDOUUU appIOpIldlcuj 1PPioPAi"s'OAN
have been made since that tIme and the aggregate
e1pepditures TO the end of the last fiscal year were
So e95. .OOO The first appropriation for the harbor
at New Rochelle was made IN 1878; the total ex-
penditures had been $31 900 TO June 30, at which
time there was a balance of $1,000 on hand The
Improvement of Flushing Bay was begun in 1879.
The total expenditures have been $4,000 In 1881
an appropriation of 5000 was made Tor Gowanus
Bay and three.fourths Of it was expended pr1or to
the end of the last fiscal year. The Improvement
of the harbor at Great Sodus Bay on Lake Ontario,
was begun in 1929 and the sum of $361,77l has
been expended upon it. For the Harlem River i'm
provement, the sum of $4lO,OOo mas oeeh aPpio-
priated and only $4,000 expended.
MORE THAN A MILLION FOR THE HUDSON.
The Hudson River Improvement was begun IN
1894 in accordance with survey and plan SUD-
nitted by the Secretary of War two years earlier
Sl1sO,lS8 had been expended prior to June 90
1882 when there was balance on hand OF S4o,ooo'
Huntington Harbor, Long Island, was improved III
1873 at a cost of $50, 500. The Improvement OF
Little Sodus Harbor, Cayuga County, was begun III
1866 and the sum of $21s $40 has been expended
upon it, Newtown Greek was improved III 1881 at
cost of $4,000. Upon the Improvement OF Mag
ora River the sum of $4,000 was expended. The
;mproyement of the harbor at the mouth OF
Oak Orchard Creek Ontario County, was
begun In looo anu %
Wow at q total cost of $173.500. The Ogdensburg
Horbor announcement was not begun until 1852 1t
NO. competed in 1876, at a total cost OF $1OoOso.
The first appropriation for Olcott Harbor was made
,n 1867: the last one in 1881 total expenditures,
s11s.OOO. From 1926 to June 80, 1882 the sum
of 81 ,331 All had been expended on Oswego har-
bor. The improvement of Peconc River. Long
Island. cost $4,000. 1t was begun In 1877 ana
completed in 1874. The harbor improvements d.
Plattsburg was begun in 1896, and IT'S total cos'
was S139, ,lsO The Improvement OF Port chester
Harbor was begun In 1873 and completed IN 1878,
st total cost of $lO050. The work at Fort Jel-