The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-14
THE FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS
The Senate Devotes the Day to Consid-
ering the River and Harbor Bill.
The House Makes Some Changes in the Tobacco
Regulations, and Talks About the Treas
ury Surplus and the Public Debt.
THE SENATE.
The Time Devoted Almost Wholly to Con-


The Time Devoted Almost Wholly to Con-
sidering the River and Harbor Bin.
WASHINGTON, July Is. The Chair laid before
publican editors of Ohio, urging an investigation
of the charges as to the election of Senator
Payne. and two other memorials on the same
subject Referred to the committee on privi-
leges and elections.
Among the bills on the calendar passed we're
the following: Appropriating $25. 600 Cor mon
ument at Stony Point, N. Y, to commemorate
the revolutionary battle there.
The Senate resumed consideration of the river
and aa.bor dill, the pending amendment being
to strike ont the provision to prevent the dump
ing of detritus from hydraulic mining into the
Sacramento river and Feather river in Cali
fornia.
Mr.. Stanfordzedgocate the proposed legisla-
ton as absolutely necessary to prevent the fill
ing up of the Sacramento river and of the Bay
of San Francisco. His amendment was to
amend the the provision by inserting the words,
''by water used through pipes and used through
MOBILES under PRESSURE that 1t would direct
legal proceedings to prevent the washing, sulc-
ing dumping or discharge of detrtus from hy-
draulic mining by water used through pipes and
used through nozzles under pressure The
amendment was objected to.
On motion of Mr.. Hearst, the text was further
amended by adding the words land against
mountain banks" The question was taken on
striking out the provision directing legal pro-
ceedings to prevent the dumping of detritus The
provision was struck out--yeas 81, nays l9.
The next important amendmentin the bill was
to strike out the provision for the improvement
of the Mississippi river, and to insert those re-
ported by the committee commerce. The
whole amount of the appropriation for the vari-
Gus sections of the river is 81, 900, 900.
After a long debate, the Senate proceeded TO
vote on an amendment offered by Mr.. Ingalls,, to
the effect that the improvement on Plum Point
and Lake Providence reaches shall be confined
to the complete repair and maintenance of levees
in those reaches to the height of two feet above
the flood of 1892 and to the completion of the
permanent works. The amendment was re-
jected-yeas l8, nays %.
Mr. Harrison moved to amend the provision
authorizing the repair and building of leyees by
adding the words. but not below the reaches of
the river which are being improved by them,
unless necessary to prevent or close an injurious
creyasse."
Mr. Gibson opposed the amendment as being
at variance with the judgment of the Commits
sion.
After discussion the amendment was adopted,
and then the amendment reported by the com
IAittee was adopted
Mr. Hale moved to strike out Section g. which
declares it unlawful to empty or unload ballast
stone, rubbish or refuse, mill waste of any
kind, into any port, roadstead haybor haven,
navigabe river or other waters Of the United
States, for the improvement Gf which Congress
has made may make appropriation, or into
any tributary thereof. This, he said was exer-
cising jurisdiction never attempted before. He
not prepared to GO to any such extent.
Something had to be left to the State.
Mr.. Butler suggested that the motion to strike
out be extended to sections from 2 to 9-they all
applied to the same subject.
Mr.. Hale assented to the suggestion.
Mr.. Teller supported Mr.. Hales motion and
characterized the proposed legislation as the
most extraordinary he had ever known. How
anybody with any regard at all for local rights
could favor it he could not conceive. He thought
it absolutely indefensble, without justification,
and without excuse.
Mr.. Conger defended the proposed legislation.
There was no use in appropriating money tor the
Improvement of rivers and harbors If these riv
ers and harbors were allowed to be destroyed,
as In the case of the Sacramento river, by the
refuse from hydraulic mining. He thought
that the amendment proposed by the the com
mittee-that the provision should be construed
AS only applying to hydraulic mining-removed
the objection
Mr. Hale denounced the proposed legislation.
which. he said like the devi-fsh, reached out
its arms and manged every strip of State juris-
diction that was left over internal waters
Mr. Vest congratulated the Democratic party
on the accessions which it had received from the
Congress had the constitutional power to Improve
rivers and harbors, it had the constitutional
power to preserve them. That strictly log
ical. He declared unhesitatingly that the Sec
ton was absolutely necessary and proper
On motion of Mr. Hoar. the words ito the
substantial injury of navigation" were inserted
in the section.
The amendment of the committee restricting
the application of the section to hydraulic min
ing was agreed to-
Mr. Hales motion to strike out the second Sec
tion was postponed till after all the committee
amendments were disposed of. Most of the re-
naming amendments proposed by the committee
were mere corrections of phraseology or addi-
tons of the names of rivers to be surveyed
They were all agreed to.
Mr.. Halo renewed his motion to strike out Sec
ton 2. and it was agreed to-yeas q, nays Is.
Mr.. Hale made like motion to strike out Sec
tons 3, 4. 5, 6, and Section Ito the same
general effect as Section 2-and they were all
stricken out.
On motion of Mr. Conger, provision was in
serted authorizing the Secretary of War TO es-
tahlish harbor lines in places where they have
not been established, and also to establish lines
within which deposits of material may be made
The bill being COMPLETED, as in committee Of
the whole, was reported to the Senate Without
acting on the amendments, the Senate, at mid
nicht adiourned