Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-01
RIVERS AND RARBORs.
The hississippi River Commission not
Apt to- u andla the MoneN

me hisstsstppt River Commission not
Apt to Handle the Money.
WASHINGTON, April 30.-In the House
to-day in the morning hour Mr.. Blanchard.
OF Louisiana. on behalf Of the Committee
on Rivers and HarbOrs, called up the bill
appropriating $6643 to supply the def
cheney in the appropriation for an eS-
animation and survey TO ascertain the
depth and width Of the channel at South
fass, Mississippi. The bill passed.
Nh Warner, OF Ohio, offered an amend
ment providing that the appropriation for
the Improvement OF the Mississippi river
shall be expended under the direction Of
the Secretary % War, instead of the Mis-
sissippi River Commissio and providing
for Congressional committee 70 investi-
gate the work of the Mississippi River
Commission. He would be perfectly will
Ing 10 vote money tor the improvement Of
the river, but did not believe in the plan
OF the commission, and he would not be
surprised If, after the 100000 900 which
1t had been stated would be required by
that plan had been expended, navigation
Of the river would be no better than it
was now.
THE REAL ANIMUs.
In the debate which followed Mr.. Catch
lngs, of Mississippi, said the issue was
squarely before the House whether it
would call halt, and abandon all efforts
to Improve navigation of the Mississippi,
for II the amendment were adopted il
wou' d doubtless be followed by striking
out the appropriation. The animus OF the
attack was an apprehension on the part
OF some gentlemen that part of the money
would be expended in tue protection of
levees, whereby the Southern people might
derive some benefit.
Mr.. Hepburn, of Iowa, admitted that
the plan Of the Commission had been
adopted alter deliberatiOn, but it had been
adopted as an eXperment,an the expert
meut had been tried aud proved a tall
ure. When the plan had been adopted no
one had dreamed of the expenditure Of
money which would he required. On the
Plum POint'reach,the COmmissinnihad eX-
pended for revetment alone $40 so per lin
ear foot and for channel imprOveme nts
S24 per linear loot. The Plum Point reach
would require more than $40 100000 and
Lake Providence reach would cost more
than ST, 100000.
Mr.. HoLMAN's PROPOSITION.
Mr.. Holman offered an amendment pro-
viding that tbe money appropriated for
the lower Mississippi shall be expended in
continuance and completion of the work
on the Plum Point and Lake Providence
reaches. He thought that Congress
owed it to the country that the plan of
improvement should be thoroughly tested
on those two reaches before any more
vast expenditures of money were au-
thOrized.
Mr.. .HOlman's amendment was rejected,
but it was agreed that there shou Id be a
yea and nay vote upon 1t in the House.
Mr.. Warmers amendment was also re-
jected.
Various other amendments were offered
end rejeeteds
A number Of amendments were agreed
to increasing the number of places where
preliminary surveys NAV be made, and
then Mr.. LalrOlette, OF Wisconsin, moved
to strike ont the entire section having
reference to this subject. No quorum
voting the committee rose and the House
at 6:45 O'Clock adjourned.