Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-04-09
NATIONAL PUBLIC woRKa
KssNssRs sRpoks TEE SENATE conxIrrrr on con.
MERGE

MERcl
committee representing the association OF
engineering societies Of the United states, CON-
posed OF L L cooley, Prot n. h Herr, and K L
Corthel, engineer for the late Prof Eads; W. p.
Rice' OF Cleveland. and Mr.. Kurth OF BROOKLYN ap-
peared before the senate committee on commerce
to-day In behalf OF the pending bill to provide for
waterways MessrA Corthel and Cooley did the
talking.
mat bureau OF harbor and waterways 20 b
under the War Department shall be created, TO
De omcered by corps TO be known a. the Corps OF
the United states Civil Engineers; that it shall
nave charge Of all river and harbor works the
making OF all surveys estimates, &C, with the
supervision OF all crossings OF navigatle
waterways, and shall have the care ana De
river and harbor work. Il provides for a chief Of
the corps one learned and experienced In civ1i
engineering especially with reference 70 harbor and
ington; also four associate chiefs located az ash
ington II provides further for engineers OF lower
grades, and for subordinates and offcials TO the
number OF about 800, about l55 OF whom-those of
the higher grades-to be appointed by the Press
dent and confirmed by the Senate.
Inc arguments to-day were designed TO show
tnat the proposed system would be much more ef-
ncient and economical than that now IN existence.
Their plan contemplates lump appropriations for
have charge OF the fund ana 10 silos ~ 70 me
Gus works 30 as TO provide money SUFFICIENT TO
complete the work without interruption.
MessrS Corthell and Cooley maintained that
the present system OF apportionfng money for
river and harbor improvements Is
wAsrkFuL AND KxrRAvAGASr.
They said that one OF the FIRST essentials OF sue
cessful river improvement is master the stream;
TO bring it under subsection, but under the present
system Of making Appropriations In orb.
that the work Is carried as far as the
money Will allow, and then must STOP and during
the delay the current masters the work and Il.
fects damage that Involve large expense TO repair;
regular appropriations It would not have been
completed In a thousand years, and Mr.. Cooley re-
marked that under the existing system no pro-
gress Is being made In the improve
ment Of the Mississippi River; that In
stead OF the work being pushed so as
to keep the channel in subsection the channel II
stronger than the work. II was stated that the
loss OF the present system, as compared with q
more encient one, Is about so per cent; that con
tractors, In view OF the fact that they must wall
the prosecution OF the work, allow a very
large margin for contingencies; that 4
II II were made certainty that money would bt
supplied TO prosecute a work to completion without
al very much smaller figures than at present Il
was further argued that civil engineers are better
fitted TO carry on these works than Army en-
gtneers; that the education OF the former bette
Qualires them; that at present the compile,
system ,ysns r,, and rules Of the war Depart
works. In short, the gentlemen maintained thai
their plan or q civil bureau, with permission thai
army engineers may enter the corps, 70 leave Tn,
army, however. after three years In the corpS vii
economical method Of river and harbor improve
menta