The record-union., 1896-02-17
Conference Of Convention Delegates and
Representatives in Congress.
Plans for the improvement Of Streams
and HarbOFS.
Considerable Difference of Opinion as
to the Best Plan to be Pursued to
Secure Favorable Action-Repre-
sentative Johnson's Bill for the Inn
provement of the Sacramento River.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.-Although
Speaker Reed has announced that there
will be big scaling down in the esti-
mates of the Government engineers for
river and harbor improvements all over
the country, the six delegates from the
River and Harbor Convention of Cali
fornia, Messrs. Gleaves, McGettigan,
Johnston, Mclean, Corcoran and Coul-
ter. who are now in Washington, are
not in the least discouraged. The total
estimate Of the engineer officers for
river and harbor improvements is $780,
1000, and the plan of the House is to
keep the bill below $11,000,000.
A meeting of interested Californians
was held yesterday in Representative
Loud's committee room to discuss a
plan of campaign There were present
all the California Congressman and the
delegates from the California River and
Harbor Convention. There was consid-
erable difference of opinion as to the
best plan to be pursued to secure favor
able action by the Rivers and Harbors
Committee. The first thing agreed
upon was that the members of the
House delegation should do what mis-
sionary work they could among their
colleagues upon the committee, John
son, Hilborn, Loud and Barham look
ing after the Republican members and
Mcguire after the Democrats. A num-
her of plans were discussed as to the
best methods of procedure before the
committee. 1t was decided first to adj
vocate an emergency appropriation for
the Sacramento River, but the fact
was developed that this emergency,
due to floods, had arisen since the last
report of the Government engineers
was submitted, and that it would be
necessary to get a recommendation
from them before anything could be
accomplished.
The plan was that State Senator
Coulter should represent the estuary at
Alviso, State Senator Gleaves the up
per Sacramento; DR.. Mclean Oakland
Harbor; State Senator Johnston the
lower Sacramento, and Mr.. McGetti-
gan Napa and Petaluma Rivers. Nc
Gettigan and several other members
o. the committee, however, opposed
this plan and thought it better to se-
cure the passage of the bill for the
creation of a Sacramento River Com
mission. Senator White declared it
was impossible to pass the bill. carry
ing the appropriation as it did, and
that if anything else must be sacrificed
to secure its passage he himself would
oppose it.
Senator Perkins proposed that two
members of the committee be selected
TO present California's claims before
the River and Harbor Committee. But
this was not satisfactory to the dele
!
something to say. 1t was finally de-
cided that all six would appear before
the House Committee on Monday morn
ing and advocate first Johnson's bill for
the creation of the Sacramento River
Commission, which would put the river
under the continuous contract system,
and that no specific appropriation
would be asked for They would then
make separate pleas for other Califor-
MIA improvements The Engineer Off
Ger recommends $500 900 for Oakland
Harbor, but this was scaled down to
100000 by General Craighin Chief of
Engineers. 1t was decided to urge the
committee in scaling down the figures
to take the recommendation of the en-
gineer and not the War Department
The River and Harbor Committee has
agreed to give a hearing on Monday to
Colonel Otis of the Los Angeles
Times" w. D. Woolwine, w. C. Pat
terson, w. G. Kerchoff and F. S.
Hooper of Los Angeles in the interest of
the deep-water harbor at San Pedro
These gentlemen arrived to-day and are
registered at the Shoreham House.
Colonel Otis, speaking of what they
expected to accomplish, said: I'VE are
here to appear before the House Rivers
and Harbors Committee on Monday to
urge an appropriation for the improve
ment of the inner harbor at San Pedro
the natural harbor for Los Angeles
The delegation represents the CONNER
cial interests Of our section and will
present conclusively that the commerce
and business of Southern California
will be greatly benefited by the improve
ment of the harbor Our representa-
tions are backed up by three separate
reports by army engineers. who have
surveyed both San Pedro and Santa
Monica, and their reports are conclu-
sively in favor of the former. These re-
ports were made by Colonel Benyaurd
and have been approved by General
CraighiIl. Chief of Engineers In these
reports it is estimated that the inner
harbor can be improved at total cost
of 1890, ,0O0 We will base our argu-
ment for an appropriation largely on
these reports. We win also present a
memorial adopted shortly before we
left Los Angeles by the Free Harbor
League of Los Angeles. This league is
composed of 300 business men, who are
competent to speak Of the advantages
of San Pedro as a harbor. 1t recites
fully the benefits to be derived from the
Improvement of that harbor, not only
by the people of California, but of Ne
vada. New Mexico and Southern Utah.
We have such convincing arguments TO
present that we have hopes of securing
favorable action by the committee. in
spite of the fact that the river and har-
Dor appropriations are to be limited at
this session"