The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-17
SAVANNAH HARBOR.
Senator Browns Able Argument
Showing Why the Appropriation
Should be Increased.
From the Con stitutfon.

" AShiNClCS- nay 1t.-boChdOOi ASlO"h
this morning offered an amendment to the
river and harbor bill to make the appro-
prlation for Savannah harbor $3.50, 600 in
stead OF $4,000, as it stands IN the bill
which recently passed the House. In sup
port of this amendment the Senator made
few remarks on the subject, in which he
SAID the great Central railroad system has
It's Offices and terminal at Savannah. lt
| controls over 1910 miles of railroad and has
intimate business relations and connections,
exchanges business with several thousand
additional miles-the Central system
and the Savannah, Florida and Western
system, and the East Tennessee system, IN
connection with the steamship lines that
run from Savannah to New York, and BOS-
ton, comprising about 5000 miles, center
ing In Savannah, pour into herlap immense
commerce which is increasing in tonnage
with great rapidity every year. The only
thlng that has prevented enormous growth
has been the want Of a sufficient depth of
water to accommodate the Seagoing com
merce. That has been, in some measure reme-
died, and every foot of additional depth
gwen to the harbor causes large CONNER
cal increase in the business of the city.
When the estimate for the last project with
the Secretary of War for getting twenty
eight feet depth of water is carried
out, the Commerce Of Savan-
hundred million dollars. He called the
Senate's attention 10 the unjust and unrea-
Sonable discrimination which has been made
against Savannah in the river and harbor
bill The estimate for the completion Of
the Improvement of Charleston harbor is
S3,OO0OO0, of which about $500, 600 has
already been appropriated. Charleston's
exports amount to S17, 100000; imports,
$685., 600; a total of $1S,045 900 For this
year for that harbor the House bill appro-
PIRATES $350,000. Mobiles commerce for
1886 is put down at less than S., 200, 900
The project for a 23-toot channel is esti-
mated to cost 81 500, 900, The bill appro-
PIRATES for this year S250,GO0
Cumberland sounds Improvement is esti-
mated to cost $2,07l ,023; already appro-
priated, 1857, 800; the amount proposed by
this bill for this year, Sll2, 800 with total
| commerce for 1886 of $4, 66O, 900. The i'm
| provement of Sabine Pass, Texas, is esti-
mated to cost SO, III, COG; appropriated up
to now, S54S, $50 The amount proposed by
this bill for this yea is $3.50 900. The
| latest attainable statistics give the COM
MERGE for 1888 TO be 1926, 900. The esti-
mated cost of the improvement of Calves
ton harbor Is $S,473,000, of which
81 ,77S,O0O has been appropriated This
bill appropriates 5000, 900 Tor this year for
the ship channel and entrance to the port.
The appropriations for the harbor of Savan-
nah from 1874 to 1881, inclusive, amounted
to $482, 900. In 1851 the engineer estimated
that to deepen The channel to % feet would
cost $730,000. In 1882, 100000 was appro-
priated; in 1884 $500, 900; in 1886, $3.50, 900
leaving $3.50, 900 balance for completing %
feet Of channel. 1t is now proposed to
divide the SlS0,000 into two installments
On account of the failure to pass the river
and harbor bill at the last session of
Congress, and on account of the Unfinished
cOndit on, there has been much filing in,
and it is very important that a sufficient
amount should be at once appropriated to
complete the work. A survey and estimate
of the cost OF improving the harbor of Sa-
vannah from the cross tides above Savan-
nah to the bar with q view of obtaining
twenty-eight feet of water in the channel
has been made. The total cost is estimated
at $1,000, 900
OF course, the execution of this project
would take number of years, and it
would enhance the commerce OF Savannah
III much greater proportion than has the
opening OF the channel to n depth of %
feet, which, even in its unfinished condition,
has almost doubled the business in a few
years. The chief of eng neers estimates
that 100000 Of this appropriation can be
properly expended during the current year.
Now, III view of the liberal amounts ap-
propriated to otter Southern harbors, |
complete the old project and begin the
new in Savannah harbor. The ex-
ports of Savannah in 1886 we're Sd, 000, 900
and the imports a little more than that
amount, making an aggregate of harbor
business of over one hundred millions
This statement does not include receipts
and shipments by rail, nor the value of
domestic traffic and local manufactures
bur is confined strictly to the volume of
imports and exports l do not come before
the senate to ask favors for the city of
Savannah. | come to demand at least the
semblance of justice in her behalf and
enter a protest against the favoritism
and Partially of the House bill as
it comes before the Senate The
commerce of Savannah is greater than
that of Mobile, Sabine Pass, Arkansas Pass
and Galveston all combined. There is no
other barber in the United States where
each dollar appropriated does more to i'm
prove an harbor, and build up a thrifty
commerce than the harbor of Savannah.
Still, the House bill appropriated to thief
harbors mentioned, which, all combined,
have less commerce than Savannah, is
81 ,3l2, 900 for the current year, while Sa-
vannah, with greater commerce than all
of them combined, is TO have but $4,000.
There is no justice; there is no reason;
there is no equality in such dis
elimination. To do the same meas
ure of justice to Savannah that is done to
the other cities mentioned, the appropria-
ton ought to be 100000 but | only ask
half; that only as is given to Mobile; the
same as given to Sabine Pass less than half
the sum given 10 Galveston, 500 600 less
than to Charleston. 1t is a well known fact
that Savannah does the largest business in
naval stores of any port on the face of the
earth. 1t is the most important port on the
South Atlantic coast and has more ex-
tensive and complete railroad connec-
tons than any Southern seaport city. 1t
will be seen that while Savannah, whose
commerce amounts annually TO $lC2, 146,-
III only gets 800, 90 appropriation, Mobile
Cumberland Sound, Sabine Pass and Gal
weston receive 1,3l2, 900, or over twelve
times as much as Savannah, and while their
aggregate commerce, according TO the en-
gineCr'S report, amounts to only SS1 500, 32O
or about 500 000, 600 less than that of Savan-
nah alone. What justice is there in this
absurd propositiona
The Salaries of Freaks.
From the Chicago Tribune.
with respect to the dime museums"
said Mr.. Kohl, ''our salaries vary enor-