The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-20
SAVANNAH'S WATERWAY
THE BILL TO GO THROUGH AS IT
CAME FROM THE COMMITTEES.

Lester in Working for the Appro-
priation-senstor German Advises
That the Reduced Appropriation Be
Accepted Rather Than Jeopardize
the Adoption of the Contract Plan.
WASHINGTON, May 19-Representative
Lester and Gen. Sorrel, who have been
watching the Savannah item In the river
and harbor bill with close attention, are
satisfied that, now that Mr.. McPherson's
proposition has been laid on the table, the
item will remain In the bill just as it was
fixed In the Senate and the bill will go
through all right. Upon consulting Mr..
German and other friends of Savannah in
the Senate. the Georgia senators not being
| here to consult, they are convinced that the
best thing to do is to accept what the SEN
ate gives. AS Senator German said:
| "The work is provided for by the
clause authorizing a contract to be
| made for the whole OF it. The money neoes-
sary will have to be appropriated sooner or
later and it does not matter in the long run
whether you get $500 900 or 100000 to
| start with. l know how we have gotten on
at Baltimore under the contract plan. even
| "hCA WSA0 hOb W0
desired. Certificates negotiable In banks
have been used in Baltimore and could be
| at Savannah
Gen. Sorrel returned to New York to-day
after having worked hard for two days on
the Savannah item. He was convinced. as
| Representative Lester was, that too much
| opposition to the Senate committees reduc-
ton might wreck the bill altogether.
| THE DAY IN THE SENATE.
| BIZ the associated Press.
| WASHINGTON, May l9.-In the Senate to-
day Mr.. Mcpherson gave notice that when
the river and harbor appropriation bill
should be brought before the Senate for
consideration, he would move to reoommit
| it to the committee on commerce with ins
| struotions to report it back with such
amendments as will exclude from 1t all
| authorization for new contracts for mate
rial and work, and as well also proportion
ately reduce by 80 per cent. the entire
amount appropriated.
THE PILoTAGE BILL.
| The Senate resumed confederation Of the
| bill exempting American coastwse vessels
| piloted by their licensed masters or a
United States pilot from obligation to pay
state pilots for services not rendered. Mr..
| Butler opposed the bill in the interest of
| pilots In the southern waters-men, he said,
who daily and nightly imperiled their
lives to save the property of ship owners.
Mr.. Butler offered an amendment repeal
| ing such parts of the navigation laws as
prevent the purchase by citizens OF the
| United States of ships in foreign countries
and their right to American registry and to
fly the American flag.
Mr.. Frye moved to lay the amendment on
the table, and Mr.. Butler asked for the
yeas and nays on that motion,
The motion was agreed to-yeas 81,
| ha uvaa n ma av
cept that Messrs. Kyle. Blodgett aud Pugh
voted with the republicans to lay the
amendment on the table.
The bill was then passed without division.
Mr.. Aldrich offered a resolution, which
was agreed to, abolishing the office of prin-
cipal executive clerk of the Senate; author
izinR the secretary of the Senate to appoint
an additional clerk at an annual salary Of
50, 400: directing the secretary Of the Sem
ate to detail from his force a competent
reading clerk, and placing the entire cleri-
cal force OF the Senate in the secretary's
| office, including the chief olerR, under the
control and direction of and subject to APP
poiutment and removal by the secretary of
the Senate.
RIVERS AND HARBoRs.
Tho river and harbor appropriation bill
was then taken up and Mr. McPh erson
made motion of which he had given
notice this morning) to recommlt the bill
with instructions to reduce the amount so
per cent.
Mr.. Dolph moved to lay the motion on
the table, and Mr.. Dolph's motion was
agreed to; yeas 40, nay (Messrs. Harris,
| Kyle, Mcpherson, Paddock, Palmer aud
Vilasl
The clerk proceeded with the reading of
the bill for amendment. A large number
of amendments reported from the commit
tee on commerce. a majority Of them In
creasing appropriations, were agreed to,
Among them were the following: Reduc-
ing the appropriation for the harbor at
Charleston, s. c., from 100000 to $685.
900; increasing the appropriation for Cum
berland sound, Georgia, from $ll2,-
600 to 100000; reducing the
appropriation for the harbor at
Savannah. Ga, from $425, 900 to 1918 900;
reducing the appropriation for the harbor
at Mobile, Ala, from $4,000 to S262. 900;
increasing the appropriation for Roanoke
river. North Carolina, from SIS, 900 TO $780,
600; inserting an item Of $4,000 for Black
river, North Carolina; striking out an item
of Sl50,000 for the st. Johns river, Florida,
and reducing the appropriation tor the
channel at the mouth Of the st. Johns river
from $4,000 to 1925, 900; inserting an item
Of $4,000 for Indian river, Florida.
CUT IN CALIFORNIA.
Mr. Frye, who fs in charge of the bill,
moved 20 reduce the appropriation Tor bne
harbor and bay at Humboldt, Cal, from
5000, 900 to $3.50, 900 (this being one of the
IS per cenr. reductions where continuing
contract provisions exists)
Mr. FELTON, opposed the amendment and
considerable discussion followed, IN the
course of which Mr.. Cullom said there we're
fifteen such items in the bill (providing for
continuing contracts), and that the princi-
pie, he believed would effect saving of
500 000,0 900 to the government. But IL TO
accommodate any senator the line should be
broken, then they would have to go back to
the old system, which would be very inju-
rious to the public interests. Mr.. Cullom
said that In the sundry civil appropriation
bill Of next session there would be undoubt-
edly items to the amount of S7,000,000 or
s8, 900 or 50, 90, 600 for those ''continu-
ing contract" works.
The amendment was agreed to, as were
also amendments affecting In like manner
all the continuing contract items in the bill
as heretofore published.
All the committee amendments having
been disposed Of tho bill went over till to-
morrow, when it will be open to general
amendment, and the Senate at o'clock ad-
journed. ,
Alaer's Conference for Blaine.
DETROIT, May 19.-Gen. AIger when ap-
preached by an Associated Press reporter
| to-day in regard to a conference held at his