The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-01
A LOOK AT THE HARBOR.
Congressman Blanchard Returns to
Washington After the Holidays.

He Spent Them Hunting on st.
GATHERINGS Island-The Chair
man of the River and Harbor Com
mittee Has Word to Say About
Savannah's Harbor-Thinks There
Will be Twenty-Six Feet Within
Eighteen Months-Appropriat
This Year to be Reduced all
Around.
Congressman N. G. Blanchard, of
Louisiana, chairman Of the House river
and harbor committee of con-
gress, was in Savannah yester-
day on his return to Washington
after the holidays. Congressman
Blanchard came down from Washington
few days ago, and has been spending
several days enjoying the magnificent
sporting opportunities of St. GATHERINGS
Island and the neighborhood thereabout.
Those in the party, it is said, killed
nine deer during the three days they
spent in hunting, beside good deal of
smaller game. Congressman Blanchard
said little about his success as sports
man, when met by representative of the
MORNING News last night, perhaps be-
cause he didn't want to make the Presi-
dent envious, but it is understood that he
bagged pretty lot of choice game. SEN
ator Butler and Senator Blackburn in
tended originally to come down with him,
but they accepted an invitation to Join a
hunting party at GARRETT, S. c., and they
stopped there.
TALKS ABOUT THE HARBoR.
Congressman Blanchard came down
purely on pleasure trip and his visit had
no connection with the river and harbor
work here whatever While here, how
ever, he took trip down the river with
Capt. 0. M. Carter and had a splendid
opportunity of viewing the work on the
harbor and the improvement which has
been made since his visit to Savannah
last spring.
Chairman Blanchard was asked last
night about the harbor work at Savan-
nah, and whether the appropriation
would be increased during the present
year
THE work here" he said, sis under the
contract system, and of course the APP
preparations will be made available
right along as they are needed.
These appropriate ions have already
been authorized, and they are
made under the sundry civil appro-
priations bill. The river and harbor bill
is only reported once every two years, at
the long session of congress, and author
ICES appropriations for works which are
not already under the contract system.
SPENDING 81 200, 900 A YEAR.
1.-THE government is spending about
81 ,0O0, 900 year on the Savannah harbor,
| and the work so far shows that it has
not been misplaced. You now have %
feet of water in the river, and under the
proposed project it is to be deepened to 20
feet. Capt. Carter, who has the work in
charge, is an able and energetic official
| and have no doubt but that he will have
the work completed and that Savannah
will have 26 feet of water all the way up
to the city within eighteen months. 1
see that there has been a great
deal of progress on the work since my
visit here last spring, and l see no reason
why it will not be completed according to
the present project within that time.
Savannah will then be in position to
command to a large extent the commerce
of the South Atlantic.
1.-THE river and harbor BILL" said Con-
gresham Blanchard, twill be reported at
this session of congress, but do not know
just when. The committee will get down
to active work on it after the holidays"
TO BE LESS THAN THE LAST ONE.
"Have you any idea how large the river
and harbor appropriations of this CON
gress will be}" was asked.
81 have my own ideas on that matter"
he said, "but don't care to say anything
about them. 1t will be less, however,
than the appropriation of the last con-
gress, as will in fact nearly all the
bills requiring appropriations, be-
cause of the depleted condition
of the treasury. The appropriations this
year, however, will go to the advance
| ment of some very important works,
among which are those on the Ohio river,
the Tennessee river, the waterway from
| Hampton roads to Richmond, the harbor
at Norfolk, the harbor work at New York
and other places of equal Importance in
| different parts of the country"
| Congressman Blanchard expressed him
self as very much pleased with the pro-
gress of the work here, though he ex-
pressly stated that his visit here this
/ time was purely one of pleasure and not
business. He left last night for Wash
ington on the South Bound and will reach
| there tonight.