The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-04-18
ABOUT SEATTLE'S CANAL
SECURED No MENTION IN THE. RIy-
FER AND HARBOR BILL.
Senator'S squire and Wilson Object
tn the Small Appropriations
for the sound.

Washington, April 1.-THE failure OF
the Seattle waterway to secure any
kind of a mention in the river and har-
Dor bill as reported to the house WAS
through no fault of the members of
Washington's delegation. AS has al
ready been published, more time was
given to this one improvement than to
any other in the state, for Senator
Squire, realizing it's Importance. paid
principal attention to that in his re-
marks; and both Mr. Hyde and Mr..
Doolittle agreed with all the senator
had said about it, and added some ar
guments of their own in its favor (
Senator Squire had been called away ;
to Philadelphia by public business in
connection with the coast defense COM
mittee for few days and returning the
very day the river and harbor bill was
reported, was greatly chagrined to find
no mention of the waterway. There
had evidently been some outside tnfiu-
ences at work here against the Inn
provement, and it has been openly
charged that those capitalists who are
interested in building the other canal
are very anxious to delay or prevent
the government from going on any fur
Their with the proposed joining of Lakes
Union and Washington with Puget
sound.
Certain it is that the proposed
amounts to be given in the bill were
kept secret till the last moment, and
after the hearing the members OF the
committee had nothing to say to the
Washington delegation except to assure
them in rather ambiguous terms that
they would get their proportion of the
whole appropriation. The members of
the committee feathered the nests of
their own state improvements, and be-
yond that every body Is disappointed
and indignant. 1t now transpires that
the Vancouver improvement was az
first cut down to SIC, 1000. which fact was
called to the attention of Mr.. Doolittle
by personal friend on the COMMITTEES
just in time to get 1t restored to $50, 900,
which was the highest figure which
could be possibly obtained.
Both Senator Wilson and Represen-
tative Doolittle are much chagrined
that so small an amount was obtained
for the Improvement of Puget sound
and it's tributaries, when $4,000 was
asked. which amount was fully needed
owing to the necessity for the improve
ment of the mouth of the Skagit, a fact
which was clearly brought out in the
urged individually afterward. The en-
tire delegation will, of course, make
every effort to increase the amounts in
the committee having these matters in
! charge in the senate.
While the amount for Gray's harbor
in the bill as 1t came from the commit
tee is very small, the completion OF
that work at an early date is assured
by it's being placed on the contract sys-
tenn, which is provided in the bill, au-
thority being given to the secretary OF
war to let contract for the work, the
total amount provided for being 81. 00O,-
! 900.
There are three contests remaining
to be made in behalf of all these appro-
| priations, namely. before the senate
committee, in the senate, and in confer
ence. The senate being much more lib
eral than the house always, the delega-
ton has much ground for hope of ma
| terial improvement