The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-10
THE HARBoR PLANS APPROVED
WORK WILL BE RESUMED IN FIVE
OR SIX WEEKS.

The War Department Has Signihed
Its Intention of Taking Up the sa-
rannah River Matter At Onee-The
work of Maintenance the Most
Important. rs the River l. Likely
10 shoaI in Certain PIaces-Bfds
VIII Likely BE Advertised for
within Ten Days or Two Weeks.
work VIII he Begun on the En-
tire Project, Including the Oyster
bed Training wall and the seven
Foot Channel to BeaufOrt-The
Channel to BE Nidened and
straIehtened Near the Quarantine
statfon-Enorts of Prominent Sa-
xannabfans Undoubtedly Had
Their Eject.
A telegram has been received announc-
ing that the Secretary OF War has APP
proved the plans submitted by Capt. ..
n Garter for the continued Improvements
on the Savannah harbOr which means
that work will be resumed within five
or six weeks time.
Some days ago Mr.. c. c. Ely, who rep
resents the p Sanford Ross Dredging
Company, telegraphed the war depart
ment with reference TO the matter on &C
count Of the fact that the company
plant and machinery are all idle, and II
was desired to know whether the add
fional work contemplated under the re-
cent river and harbor bill was TO be taken
up shortly.
Mr.. Ely has Just received a reply from
Col. Mckenzie to the effect that bids for
the work contemplated will be advertised
for within a short time. The other tele-
gram, though, through unofficial sources,
states that Capt. Carriers plans have been
approved and that bids will be advertised
for just as soon as all preliminary ar
rangements can be made.
The bill as passed by congress contains
an item authorizing the construction CT
q detached portion OF the oyster bed
training wall. steamboat channel seven
feet deep at mean low water, between
Savannah and Beaufort. and a provision
for maintenance Of the Savannah harbor.
The maintenance clause is undoubtedly
the most important, so far as the harbor
is concerned. Immense quantities Of silt
are brought down by the river and IN
many places It is impossible to prevent
shoalng The only remedy is 10 keep
one or two dredges at work and keep
these places secured out.
AS for the additional improvements mem
toned, these are to be carried out accord
ing to the plans submitted by Capt. Carter
which have just been approved. The first,
the extension Of the oyster bed training
wall, for distance If some 10000 feet VIII
provide a sort OF breakwater in Tybee
roads, which will furnish safe anchorage
for vessels coming in there. The second
project, the construction Of 1-foot steam
boat channel TO Beaufort Will necesstate
the building OF a dam from the red light
on the oyster bed shoal across to Turtle
Island, and considerable dredging viii
have to be done IN Wrights river, espec-
tally at the mouth Of IL. In connection with
this work also the channel near the quar-
antine station will have TO be widened and
Strengthened.
This work as is we'll known will be done
under the continuous contract system as
provided IN the appropriation act The bill
carries with 1t an actual appropriation of
only 5000 for carrying on the work, but
the Secretary Of War Is authorized TO make
contracts for continuing Il to the extent
of S10O0.000 This is somewhat short of the
estimated amount required for the work,
the original estimate being about 81 099 500
It may be possible, however, for the work
or nearly all OF It at least to be done
within the limit specified in the bill.
The prompt approval Of Capt. Carter's
plans was undoubtedly due In a great
measure 10 the EFFORTS OF Mayor Myers
and a large number Of prominent BUSH
ness men, who teiegraphed the war de-
partment as to the situation and the dan
ger to Savannahs commercial interests IL
the river should be allowed to shoal and
interrupt commerce. The stoppage OF the
work about ten days ago threw about
$50 men out OF employment, and for this
additional reason 1t will be a relief to
know that work is to be resumed within
so short a time. There is little more TO
he done, and II is likely now that bids
win be advertised for within ten days or
two weeks time, and within a month
from a time the advertisement is publish
ed the work will no doubt be we'll under
way. As the bill allows the expenditure
of 800, 900 a year on the work here, there
will be little trouble in carrying it on
quite rapidly.
Capt. Carter is away at present, and no
information could be secured from his
office as to what will be done. The infor
nation as to the approval Of Capt. Car
this of itself means the work will be re-
6umed as soon as bids can be secured
and the contract awarded.
No information has been received as to
whether a similar course was pursued in
the case of the Fernandina harbor. From
all reports with regard TO that harbor,
however, 1t is evident something will
have to be done there very soon, as ii is
stated the harbor is shoaling and the
channel shifting which constitutes a Sc
rious menace to the phosphate shipments
there. Provision was made for contlnu-
Gus contract work at Fernandina and the
sum of $2,350,OO0 was allowed to construct
two jetties. The bill also allows an ex-
penditure of 100000 a year on this work
after the contract is awarded. River and
harbor employees have been on the anxious
bench for some time waiting to hear from
the war department on these works Those
interested in the Fernandina work will
no doubt rejoice when they hear that it
has taken the same course as have the
Savannah Improvements.