The San Francisco call., 1896-04-03
Influence Brought to Bear to
Secure Money to Work on the
Sacramento and Feather.
APPROPRIATIONS FOR HARBoRs
1t Is Understood That Fifty Thousand
Dollars Will Be Expended at
San Pedro.

WASHINGTON, D. c., April 2.-The
river and harbor bill is completed and in
the hands of the Government printer. 1t
is understood that it viii be reported Tn
the House tomorrow. The members of
the committee are reluctant to divulge the
contents of the bill but it is known that
the provision by which Santa Monica was
TO have been put under the continuous
contract system has been stricken out.
As telegraphed THE CALL last night, the
bill appropriated s2,S00.0O0 for Santa
Monica harbor, 100000 to be Immediately
available. The $780,, 900 for inner harbor
improvements at San Pedro has also been
stricken ont, and it is understood that
only $4,000 will be appropriated and this
will be merely for dredging the harbor.
Oakland harbor Improvements will be
put under the continuous contract" sys-
TEN, as San Francisco paper reported,
and only 100000 is appropriated for the
next fiscal year. Humboldt harbor gets
$159, 900 (under continuous contract).
The most important provision in the
bill, however, is the following:
For the construction of restraining bar
riers for the protection of the Sacramento
and Feather rivers in California, $3.50, 600; !;
such restraining barriers to be constructed
under the direction of the Secretary of
War in accordance with the recomm mmenda-
tions of the California Debris Commits
sion, for the purposes set forth in sections
%, "a and 25 of the act entitled An act to
create the California Debris Commission
and regulate hydraulic mining in the
State of California, approved March Z,
1888 provided said sum shall be available
only on condition that the Legislature of
the State of California shall have appro-
priated at least an equal sum for purposes
herein set forth, TO be expended in accord
ance with recommendations of engineers
of the United States Government.
The foregoing is one of the largest items
in the river and harbor bill, and its inser-
ton is the result of some splendid work In
it's behalf. When the economical
tendency of the present Congress and
the fact that this is Presidential
year Is considered. it can be we'll under
stood that it required more than ordinary
effort to induce the committee to
report an item appropriating $50, ,O0O 1t
is safe TO say that no better work was ever
done before the River and Harbor Com
mittee. The CALL correspondent has
watched with much interest the active and
organized efforts that have been mace in
behalf of the appropriations by powerful
influences that have been exerted in its be-
half. The California delegations in both
houses were united in its support, and
were assisted by TREY l.. Ford, who is
here representing this and other matters
While the matter had many friends upon
the River and Harbor Committee its
stanchest advocates in the committee were
Hermann of Oregon and Hooker of New
York, the latter being chairman of the
committee.
Mr.. Ford, when seen tonight. said he
would not attempt to conceal his Joy at
the action of the committee. He was loud
in his praises of the California delegation,
all of whom he said had worked earnestly
and faithfully for the appropriations. He