The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-18
FROM The WEST TO The SEA.
SENATOR BACON's BILL To CON-
Meet THE TENNESSEE AND
THE SAVANNAH.

What the Senator Has to Say About
1.-THE Bill Calls for Survey TO
see whether the Canal is Prac-
ticabIe-The Extent of Country IL
Would Beneat-The Purpose is TO
Agitate the Matter and Direct Pub
lie Attention 10 II.
Washington, Dec IT.-Senator Bacon
says the scope and the practcability of
the proposed canal connecting the Ten
nessee and Savannah rivers is not un-
derstood by those who undertake to crit
icise the bill on the subject recently in
troduced by him. His attention being
called to the comments upon the bill by
the Morning News, he said that the crit
icism seemed to proceed upon the idea
that the bill introduced by him in the
Senate was for the building Of the canal.
whereas the whole scope of 1t was to have
surveys and estimates made to ascer-
tain the feasibility and probable
cost Of such an enterprise. There could
be no question by any one
Of the immense value to the country of
such a work if it could be accomplished.
If 1t could be constructed at reasonable
cost it would be a wise thing to build il;
but if the cost of construction would be
too great then it ought not to be built,
and that is all there Is of 1t. He said he
we'll knew of the former survey some
twenty odd years ago, and remembered
when the construction of the canal was
then being agitated. That however, was
only a partial survey, and he thought 1t
would be well to get the surveys and es-
Inmates for the entire line. The bill intro
duced by him did not designate any point
on the Savannah river, but his own opin-
ion was that the proper terminus would
be at or near the city of Savannah.
The senator said that he thought the
estimates of 500, 900 as the probable cost
which was made in the News, was very
wide of the true figures. The former sur
vey, made when material and labor were
fully 90 per cent. higher than they now
are, estimated the cost of the canal from
the Tennessee river to Macon on the Oc-
mulga, at only about 81, 900 900. About
nine-tenths OF this was the cost ot con-
struction between the Tennessee riveE and
the South river, near Atlanta. From
there on, the line, following as 1t did, the
river valley, was estimated to cost very
little as compared with the line above
that point. If the survey should here
after be continued below Macon, il would
probably follow the river to a point be-
| low Hawkinsville, where the fiut country
would be reached and the construction
/ thence eastWardly to Savannah would be
| easy and comparatively cheap II that
I line were followed, the canal would not
/ only have an outlet through the Savannah
/ river, but also through the Altamaha and
/ the connecting sea island channels, and
al the seaports Of Georgia would enjoy
/ the benefits
/ Judging by the estimated cost Of the
/ former partial survey it is not unreason-
able to believe that at the presentsprlces
/ or labor and material, the cost OF the
/ construction Of the entire line would not
/ exceed thirty millions. That of itself is
/ an immense sum of money and its eNpen-
diture would only be justified II this should
/ be recognized as a great national work
| OF marked value to the country at large.
The commercial possibilities of such IA
canal are beyond present realization. The
/ navigable waters of the Mississippi river
| and its tributaries, touch between fifteen
/ and twenty states. and are available for
the transportation of the products OF
| largely more than half a million square
miles of territory. From any point on
/ these many thousands of miles Of navl-
gable rivers, barges could reach the GeOr-
! gla sea coast without breaking bulk and
| vice versa. Whatever else il failed to do
| il would certainly make Savannah and
| the Atlantic coast.
"Of course. realize" said Senator Ba-
| con, that such an enterprise could only
/ be actively inaugurated after years or
\ agitation, and that any one man, what
/ ever his opportunity, would accomplish
| little in such an effort unless he had
| the ardent assistance and cooperation of
/ the several great sections of the country to
| be benefited thereby. Ny principal object in
| introducing the bill at this time was to
again direct public attention to an enter
| prise which l have for a long time re-
/ garded as a most important one
| The commercial Importance of these
! great canals is best illustrated by the fact
/ the the state of New York has recently.
| by popular vote, appropriated 5000 900
| to the enlargement of her famous canal
| connecting the great lakes with the Hud-
son river The time may not now be
propitious for the undertaking. but from
! its great Importance, / am confident the
| future will see the construction of a canal
| which viii unite the rivers of the Missis-
/ sippi valley with the Atlantic ocean. Sa-
vannah, however, need have no fear that
| my faith in this ultimate result will in
/ any way interfere with my activity in
| the effort to secure for her harbor what