The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-14
Washington River and Harbor
Appropriations Increased.
5000. 900 FOR LAKE WASHINGTON
Senator German Says the Government
Cannot Afford to Be Economical.
Ihe Navy Must BE Built, and Pension
Payments Will Decrease in Course
of Time-The House Unable to Do
Anything for Lack Of a Quorum.

4.
The Washington senators have been very
fortunate in securing some good advances
in the river and harbor bill by the Senate
committee over that which passed the
House. Senator Squire secured the in
sertion of his bill for the ship canal from
Lakes Washington and Union to Puget
sound. The bill appropriates 500, 900 for
the Improvement, and provides that it is
to be made in accordance with the plans
and specifications of the board of army en-
gineers, and also that no portion of the
amount shall be expended until the entire
right-of-way and releases from all liza
bilities from adjacent property-owners
have been secured to the United States
free of cost. Senator Allen was less
fortunate in having the committee
agree to several amendments which
he had advocated in conjunction
with Senator Squire. The improvement
OF Gray's harbor is increased from $50, 900
to $4,000, and Olympia harbor from S25,-
600 to $4,000. The provision for the boat
railway at The Dalles is also benefit for
Washington as well as Oregon, and the
bill as amended provides that the whole
work may be contracted for. The amount
for approving Puget sound and its tribu-
tary waters is increased from $4,000 to
$4,000; Swlnomish slough is increased
from SIS 900 to 81. 900, and the Nasel river
from 81 900 to 81 800. Provision is also
made for improving the Columbia river
between the mouth of the Willamette
and the city OF Vancouver, and for this
$33, 900 is appropriated. Willapa river and
harbor secure SIS, 900, of which S., 900 may
be used for clearing Mail Boat
slough. The upper Columbia river,
for completing the survey from
the international boundary to the
Rock Island rapids, gets $4,000. In the
surveys provision is made for surveying
Lewis river from its mouth to Spelsh
creek; for the NoOksack river, with view
to removing distractions, Strengthening
the channel to prevent jams and the fill
ing of Bellingham bay with deposits of
earth; also for survey of Everett harbor,
including the mouth of the Snohomish
river. The Senate committee on commerce
today reported back the bill with amend
ments increasing the total of the House
bill by $l,2i3,000. The most important
changes were the addition of four contract
sections, replacing the yearly apprcpria-
tions on portions of the Missouri river;
st. Johns river. Florida; the Great Kama
wha river, il West Virginia. and for the
boat railway at The Dalles Or. In the
latter case the total contract expenditure
is not to exceed s., $50, ,000 The Senate
committee increased the appropriations
made by the House by the following
amounts:
Harbors-Washington, Grays harbor, so, 900;
Olympia, $4,000; Lake Washington canal (new),
100000 Oregon, Yaquina, $4,000.
Observation-Disclosures, Swinomish slough, sl0,-
900; Columbia at Vancouver (new), $4,000;
Willspa river and harbor, $4,000; upper Column
bia survey, $4,000. Oregon. Dalles boat railway
Willamette and Columbia, s50D00.
The appropriation for the GiIa river,
Arizona, $4,000, was stricken from the
bill. The appropriations made by the
House are decreased by the following
amounts among others: Mississippi river,
head of to the Ohio including harbors,
$l95,o00; Missouri river, mouth to Sioux
City, $4,000.
Senator Frye, chairman of the commit
tee, submitted detailed report on the bill,
showing the wisdom and necessity OF ex-
penditures for river and harbor improve
ments. The total expenditures for water
improvements on the Great Lakes
dliiouHitt ~ sDOul Tpu.cpu,ptp, OF Ouc-liltu
of the annual saving effected in transpOrta-
ton. The report states that the improve
ment of these waterways decreased the
freight on corn from l53l cents per bushel
in 1889 10 10 cent per bushel in 1899. The
report then speaks of the value of the
Mississippi river and its tributaries to
commerce.
The report further speaks of the efficacy
and benefits of the river and harbor i'm
provements on the Pacific coast, and men
tons particularly the work just reaching
completion at the mouth of the Columbia
river. The work Of improvement going on
there Will give the Columbia river depth
of thirty feet.
Senator Allen, being alert to the inter
es.s of his people. was today watching the
discussion Of the naval bill. and when
Senator Chandler was talking about lloat-
ing batteries the Washington senator in
formed the Senate that Puget sound was
particularly adapted 10 the floating battery
system of defense. He pointed out the
fact that the tides in and out of the Sound
were so swift that torpedo defense was not
practicable. and that the wide stretch of
water could be best defended by a system
OF floating batteries and with the heaviest
power guns known. instead Of almost any
other kind Of naval defense.