Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-05-30
REPAIRING THE DAM.
Return of MR.. Hass from Washington
---SenatOr CuIIOm's BiII---Acti0n In
the EsOu@P.

Return of Mr.. Hnss from Washington
--.SeDator CuIIom's BiII---Aetion la
the House.
Mr.. Fred Hass returned last evening
from Washington, WHITTIER he went in be
half of the Rock Island Business Mems
association to lay before congress the
matters and facts in connection with the
destruction of the government dam a
Moline and the imperative and urgen
necessity of immediate action on the par
of congress thereon. Mr.. Hass related
his experiences to an ARGUS reporter
who called upon him this morning. He
arrived in Washington last Wednesday
night, and the following morning called
upon Congressman Gest. who. while he
had been advised of the destruction OF
the dam. had received no authentic in
formation upon the subject and was
waiting for the resolutions adopted by
the Rock Island Business Mems associa-
ton in order to have material from
which to construct bill to introduce in
the house. Mr.. Hass then called upon
Chief of Ordnance Benet, who. like Mr.
Gest, was waiting for information upon
the matter. Gen. Benct at once decided
to telegraph Col. Baylor for the facts de.
sired and in the meantime it occurred to
Mr.. Hass that his best field of action was
in the senate. He therefore went in
search of Senator Cullom, whom he
found after much difficulty, and laid the
facts before the senator while he was at
luncheon.
go up to my office with my secretary
and fix up the bill and will introduce it
if possible this afternoon" said Senator
Cullom.
Mr.. Hass complied, and in less than an
hour the bill was ready. Mr.. Culom
also drew up resolution in order to get
the bill before the senate, but was unable
to bring it up Thursday afternoon, but
he introduced it the first thing Friday
morning. The resolution preceding the
bill reads:
Reso!oed, That the secretary of war be
and is hereby directed to report to the
senate as soon as practicable, whatever in
formation he may be in possession of 10
the war department in relation TO the de-
struction of the government dam at the
Rock Island arsenal by the recent flood of
the Mississippi river, and as to the dam
ages resulting therefrom, and the effect
of the destruction of said dam upon the
operations of the arsenal and the factories
nd mil lp Moline 4 J,l, Il
and also to submit to the senate without
delay an estimate of the amount neces-
sary for the reconstruction of temper.
AIRY dam which will restore the water
power and log harbor, and which can b e
used as a Golfer dam when the perma-
nent dam is reconstructed.
Then follows the bill:
A BILL.
to provide for the reconstruction of the |
government dam at the Rock Island ar
senal, and for the immediate construc-
ton of temporary dam to furnish water |
power for said arsenal.
Be It enacted by the senate and house
of representatives of the United States
OF America in congress assembled: That
there is hereby appropriated, out of any
money in the treasury not otherwise APP
plopriated, the sum of 1915 900 or so
much thereof as may be necessary to be
expended under the direction of the Sec
rotary of war, for the reconstruction of
the government dam at the Rock Island |
arsenal. and for the immediate construc-
tion of temporary dam to furnish water
power for said arsenal, and to be used rs
Golfer dam when the permanent dam is |
constructed.
The bill was read twice by its title and |
referred to the committee on appropria-
tions. OF that committee, Senator Allison |
of Iowa, is chairman, and Senator Far
well of Illinois, is also prominent mem
Der. Mr.. Hass saw both these gentle
men, and they pledged him their earnest |
support of the bill.
There was an unfortunate delay in the |
receipt by Congressman Gest of the reso-
lutions adopted by the Rock Island Bus |
mess Mems association, the official copy |
thereof not arriving in Washington until |
Saturday, and this delayed Mr.. Gest in |
getting bill before the house. Mr. Hass |
believes that the next best step is that the |
Business Mems association of Rock Isl,
and and Moline each appoint committee
of one to go to Washington at once and
see that the bills are reported promptly
by the committees and there will be no
fear of their passage. The Rock Island
association meets tonight to hear his re-
port.
Had it not been for Mr.. Hass, the bills
would not yet have been brought up in
either house of congress. He is "hust.
ler"-to use a slang phrase-and our
Business Mems association can do no
better than to send him back to engineer
the bill through the committees, if he
will go.