The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-08
SAVANNAH TO THE SEA.
Continued from First Page.

,sid Gen. Alexander, second only to
New Orleans" Gen. Alexander then told
che committee, AS the statistics had already
eli them. how the commerce of Savannah
bsd grown year by year until il now aggre-
r,ated 1888, 900, 600, and how the only thing
TAI stood in the way of its increase was
he lack Of deep water. In response TO a
WESTON from Chairman Blanchard, he said
tbat il was estimated that the money
already spent in improving the harbor Of
savannah had reduced freights about
a. n0 900 q year. Col Lester, as "A member
IF the committee, by few well-directed
onestions, brought out the details as 10 the
railways terminating at Savannah and
their connections. Chairman Blanchard
sslad Gen. Alexander what foreign COM
merce. particularly in the way of imports,
Savannah had, and Gen. Alexander told
him, incidentally remarkIng that there was
a prospect that high-grade Spanish and
Cibau iron ores would be brought into
Savannah. especially if there was deep
water in the harbor, and taken to Alabama
and elsewhere In-the southern mineral re-
c,ons. to be mixed with the native ores IN
manufacturing.
AN OUTLET FOR ALABAMA.
This interested Mr. Clarke of Alabama, O
member of the committee, who asked Gen.
Alexander as to the distance from Savannah
70 birmingham and the way in which those
foreign ores WOuAAA 10 bsOuSub GAlClb~
ing from Gen. Alexander the interesting
information that they could be carried
cbegply to Birmingham because they would
90 in the coal cars which now bring the
Alabama coal down end go back empty
Chairman Blanchard asked Gen. Alexan-
der whether the money already spent in
improving the Savannah harbor had re-
duced the railroad freight rates, and Gen.
Alexander said It m0CG undoubtedly had
Gen. Alexander, in concluding said. with q
emile. that perhaps, as the representative of
the Central, he might be thought by the
committee TO have deep personal interest
in this matter, so that he was glad to have
Capt Carter, who, as the representative of
the government, was charged with the duty,
not only Of conducting the river and harbor
improvements provided for by congress-
but of reporting on the necessity for them
and their results, present to give an i'm
partial statement
CAPT. CARTER ENTHUSIASTIC.
Capt. Carter, who had, while Gen. Alex
ander was concluding, tackled up, with
Chairman Blanchard's permission, a blue
print COPY OF his large index map of Savan-
nab harbor from above the city 20 the sea,
on the book shelves behind the place where
the speaker stood, now took his stand at the
foot of the committee table, and with an
evident enthusiasm which made dry state
lleuLs Vi luGLS anu 60 GiOQubut, Q6Iu Ln6
attention Of the committee closely in spite
of hunger and fatigue for nearly three
quarters of an hour. As he admitted In the
course of his remarks, the deep water
project with the improvements already
made in that direction is dear to his
heart, as being his professional work
which he desires to carry to com
pletlon, but, as members Of
the committee noticed, his statements were
evidently made with scientific exactness in
spite of his strong feeling. He began by
saying that he had Leen seven years identi-
fed with this work, first as the assistant of
Gen. Gilmore and then as Gen. Gillnore's
Iuccessor. that he had planned the project,
hat he had seen tie commerce of Savan-
nah increase from SG5,000,000 to Sl55,O0 =
]00, and that he fels that if the present
rease steadily and apparently in
definitely. He then briefly re-
7iewed the history of the harbor
Improvement, stating that he felt con-
trained to say that the 81 800, 900 which
1ad been already spent. while it had I'M
l)ubtedly accomplished great deal, would
nave accomplished great deal more If it
lad been appropriated In larger sums and
II q more timely manner. 1t had been i'm
possible to do the work economically under
he methods Of appropriation which had
obtained. For example, he had never felt
hat he could take out of the appropriation
The $3.50 900 necessary to widen the river
where it was contracted above Garden
Bank and yet that ought to have been done
Illustration, he pointed out on
The map the wing-dams which
10 has constructed along the lower part Of
The river aud said unless he could get money
enough, at one time to build the training
walls needed to confiue the river, to main
tain its velocity and behind which the
1redged material could be placed, the
iredged material would have to be taken
put TO sea. 1t was very desirable that a
continuous contract should be made. under
which the work could be carried on steadily
and economically, so that he could make
The best terms with contractors, and SO that
le would not be obliged to greatly increase
She cost, for example, by dredging over and
over again in the same spot.
THE PROSECT EXPLAINED.
Chairman Blanchard interrupted to ask
lust what the present project was and just
what 1t would cost, and Capt. Carter ex-
planned in detail how it was to secure
'wenty-slX feet of water from Savannah to
The sea and was to cost IS, $50, 600. Chair
nan Blanchard asked whether that was not
much less than it was first estimated to
ost Capt. Carter responded that the first
project contemplated twenty-eighv feet
cross the bar at the mouth Of the river and
vas, OF course. proportionately expensive.
chairman Blanchard asked Capt Car
er whether the So, 10000 would cover
and Capt. Carter said 1t certainly would
continuous contract was made 80 that
Ine work could be economically done, and
aot as heretofore, under driblet appropria-
Aons. How much more would it COST y
sked Chairman Blanchard, under driblet
lppropriationsm perhaps S1,500,0OO
more, responded Capt. Carter. Chairman
blanchard intimated very plainly that he
.nought 1T obvious that a continuous con
Tact would be best for the government.
Mt. Catchings of Mississippi, rue mber OF
.He committee, interposed at this point to
ay that the committee could not make a
ornament appropriation. That, after all,
.ue committee on appropriations could or
'ouiu not, as it pleased, make the annual
appropriation, even after the continuance
1uu completion of the work had been au-
..lorlzed in the river and harbor bill. He read
que section Of the law authorizing the
permanent contract in the case of Calves
.In harbor for the purpose of showing that
.ue appropriation had to be made from year
year, notwithstanding the fact that per-
uS4ent contracts are authorized, "Oh,
veil said Chairman Blanchard, "that ID
nIe OF all appropriations. The Presidents
alary' our salaries and all the other neces-
aly expenses of the government have &c
,t W appropriated for from year to year. II
Io appropriations committee did not In