The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-04-10

a LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN
SPERRY IN REGARD no IT.


SPERRY IN REGARD no IT.
Difficulty in Getting $4,000 of the $780,
900 Appropriation for the Breakwater
Transferred to Harbor Improvements
Only $4,000 Recommended by Board of
Engineers.
In reply to the letter from the New
Haven harbor commissioners urging
Mr.. Sperry to get $4,000 taken from the
appropriation to the breakwater and
added to the harbor Improvements, the
following letter has been sent to Mr.
Charles D. French for the commission
ers, which explains the situation fully
from the congressman'spoin of view:
Mr.. Charles d. French, Agent New
Haven Steamboat Company, New
Haven Conn:
My Dear Sir-I have received your
letter, together with one from the har-
Dor commissioners, in which you ask
me to have $4,000 of the 100000 OBJ
tanned for the breakwater transferred
to the harhor improvements.
Now, 1 want to remind you of this
fact, that the board of engineers of the
United States army recommended that
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1897,
the amount that could be profitably
expended in the New Haven harbor
was $4,000 This is all they recon-
mended, and it was impossible to set
congress to go beyond that amount.
The idea of the bill just passed was
to reduce all appropriations, as far as
they could, 20 per cent. of the amounts
recommended by the engineers. When
it came to the New Haven harbor l
found that they had only got in $4,000
a reduction of 20 per cent. of the
amount recommended by the United
States board of engineers. l went to
them and urged the appropriation of
this full amount, well knowing your
difficulties and understanding the con-
dition of the harpor. Bearing in mind
that one of your boats got stuck in the
mud last winter, used that as an ar
gument for an increase to the full
amount Of the estimate of the engln-
GERS, and 1 succeeded lin getting it. To
this I have added a re-survey of the
harbor. This also has passed and when
this new survey is made then will be
our chance to get that which we neeo
for the New Haven harbor.
You must remember that nothing
here can exceed the United States en-
gineers' estimates for certain work.
have obtained the full measure of the
estimates, and thought that I was do
ins a big thing to get the full amour,
recommended. I do not believe they
) will -hange from the amount given the
breakwater to increase the amount
given the l1arbor for they are two sep
arate items, which are embraced in the
reports and dwelt upon separately by
the engineer department. Our chance
is und or this new survey, and in my
Judgment to that we must look for fu-
ture aid. With the $4,000 which
have secured this year we also have
S1,o79 left over from last year, which
can be added to the $4,000, making
$11,o79 in all for harbor use
I fear that should ask them to take
off $4,000 from the breakwater which
is now in a dangerous condition, If any
thing was done as you suggest, We
might lose the $4,000 on the breakwa
ter, and not get it for the harbor.
write these things that you may fully
understand the trouble there would bt
in getting the change you desire.
In my Judgment we must look to tht
re-survey, which I have added to TIT
bill. and this, according to Harbol
Commissioners Bushnell, is what they
wanted. This I have obtained in ODE
dience to his wishes, for I think he a:
harbor commissioner ought to know
but when you speak of increasing th'
amount. or taking from one projec
and adding to another, am fearful i
we attempt to do that we may lose tn
whole thing. 1t is dangerous, in m.
Judgment, to attempt to NEEDLE witt
this matter until we get a re-survey
You can use the $11, 079 so as to hes
serve the present conditions, relying
upon the new survey for future i'm
provements. Am not right in this?
I dislike terribly to attempt to d
anything by which we may lose all Q
throw distrust upon any of the pro
jects.
Very truly yours,
N. D. SPERRY.
p. S.-Since debating the above
have seen Senator Frye, Of the com
1nittee on commerce, with Senate
Platt. He informs us both that tn
senate will not increase the estimat
beyond the amount recommended b
the United States board of engineers
and that amount was $4,000. He re
piled eve are lucky to get the flu
amount"
We must wait for 8, re-survey of tn
11arbor before we can get more tina
that recommended. If you knew no
much trouble had in getting the fu
amount recommended passed throug
congress you would not jeopardi2
everything by this change, even if
were possible to do so.