Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1896-04-18
ABOUT SEATTLE'S CANAL
SECURED NO MENTION IN TIE RIV-
Err AND HARB0R BILL.
Senator's squire and Wilson Object
10 the Small Appropriations
for the sound.

Washington, April 1.-THE failure of
the Seattle waterway to secure any
KIND Of mention in the river and har-
Dor bill as reported to the house was
through no fault of the members of
Washingtons delegation. As has al
ready been published, more time was
given 10 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.
Doolttte agreed with all the senator
had said about it, and added some ar
guments Of their own in it's favor.
Senator Squire had been called away
to Philadelphia by public business in
connection with the coast defense COM
mittee for a 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 influ-
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 at
/ first cut down to $4,000, which fact was
| called to the attention of Mr.. DOolittle
by a personal friend on the committee
just in time to get it restored to $4,000
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 its 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, fact
which was clearly brought out in the
hearings before the committee and
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 harDor
in the bill as it 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 a contract for the work, the
total amount provided for being $1,000
600.
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