The Osceola times., 1886-08-07
THE REPORT OF THE CON.
FERENCE COMMITTEE ON
THE
RIvEI AND HARBoR Bill ADOPTED
BY THE HOUSE.
Special to the Memphis Appeal.

Special to the Memphis Appeal.
WASHINGTON, August, 3.-Mr.
Willis, ky.I presented the confer
ence report on the river and harbor
appropriation bill, and 1t was read.
The changes made in the bill, com
pairing the measure as reported by
the conferees with the form in which
it passed the senate, are as follows:
lncrcases-Harbor at Wilmington,
n. c., from S50,35O to $40, 900; Red
river, Arkansas, from s12,3G0 to SO
900; Mississippi river, from head Of
Passes to the mouth of the Ohio,
from 81 ,GS7, 300 to S2,U0O,0 600; for
examination and survey of the South
Passes, from 1890 to $1,000; gener.
surveys Of Mississippi river, $751;
to $4,000; Sandy bay harhor of
Refuge, Mass, $4,000 to $780, 900;
St Mary's river, Michigan $lS7,5O0
to t200,0O0; Hay Lake channel,
Michigan, sll2,50O to $l50,000;
James river, Virginia, $4,000 to
s. 1900; Arkansas river, Arkansas,
Sj6,250 to s15, 900; general surveys,
SO 900 to 100000. IN addition all
items Of appropriation which were
contained IN the bill reported to the
Senate by the Senate committee and
which amount to not more than S20,-
600 each and which by the Senate
amendments reduced % per cent,
are restored to their original amount.
Decreases are as follows: Sturgeon
bay canal, from sll2,500 to $1,000;
Portage lake canal, s262, 500 20 &c.
600; Hennepin canal, $225,0OO to
$4,000. With respect to each of
these three projects the Secretary of
War is authorized and dicrected to
appoint board of erLineers from
the United States army, who
shall examine the canals and their re-
lations 20 commerce and consider
their value, and all other matters
connected with their usefulness for
navigation and who shall give infor-
nation as to the expediency of the
work and dcsirability of the improve
ment. The Secretary Is required to
transmit the reports of these boards
to Congress at the next session, to-
gether with his views and those of
the chief engineers thereon. The pro-
vision Of the New York Harbor and
the Potomac flats remain as they
passed the Senate, the New York
harbor being $3.50, 900 and the Poto-
mac flats $4,000. The bill appro-
pirates sl4,473,9Q0, which is $685.
300 legs than the House bill and
S351, ,501 more than the Senate bill.
Mr. Springer criticised the bill as
reported from the conference because
it refused to accept the Illinois and
Michigan Canal and to make an APP
preparation for the Hepnepin Canal.
lie dwelt upon the importance of the
proposed improvement denying that
il was a work of local interest and
declaring that 1t was as national a
work as the work of improving the
Mississippi river. The Conference
Committee had seen fit to neglect
this important measure of Improve,
ment while it retained in the bill APP
preparations tor creeks and bayous
and small lakes, but a the bill pro-
vided for some important Improve
ments he would withdraw his oppo-
sition to its passage and let the men
who had stricken out the uennepin
appropriation take the responsibility
for their action.
Mr.. Miller closed the discussion in
a three minute speech in favor Of the
report, and it was agreed to--yeas
l2l, nays 0S.