The San Francisco call., 1897-02-16
.HILDORN URGED TO ACT.
Great Disappointment Felt Over
the Harbor Improvement
Affair.
Senator Perkins Says the Delegation
Is Making an Effort 10 Amend
the Bill.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL,
4NS Rrnad Uau Eah L. [

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALI
9Oo Broadway, Feb. Is.
Telegrams are passing between here and
Washington regarding the cutting out
from the civil sundry bill OF the whole OF
the appropriation for the Oakland harbor.
Expressions OF disappointment are being
sent from here and explanations and
promises have come westward. This
morning an informal meeting of some OF
the directors of the Board of Trade was
held, which resulted in the sending OF the
following dispatch:
Hon. S. G.. Hii6orR, House of Representdtites.
Washington, II. e.: There Is greAi and univer-
sal disappointment regarding the failure of
the continuance of haroor Improvement here,
which viii work incalculable damage 10 the
community We urge you 10 in some way get
authorization for the con tracts to be iet Can
Oakland help? JAMES p. TAYLOR,
President Oakland Board OF Trade.
w. E. Dargie received the following
private telegram to-day from Senator
Perkins:
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 15.-The amount
required TO com plete Oakland harbor improve
ment, according 10 original estimates made
many years ago, is S741 900, and the work OF
that basis was placed under continuous con-
tract.
Revised estimates by the CORDS of engineers
made after the bill passed, pace the cost OF
me completed work a 81 ,O62 80, and ii is
proposed, in order TO bring The cost within the
limit tiAei by Congress, to omit the San Le-
andre tidal canal.
The chairman of the Ways and Means Com
lnittee raised a question as TO whether the
work could go O.. in the face of the increased
estimates or whe ther the tidal canal could be
omitted.
The Judge Advocate General decided that
neither course can be taken, and that the en-
tire work must be prosecuted and comp!eted
for the original sum.
AS this, according to the engineer estimate.
cannot be done, the Government, according to
the Judge Advocates opinion, has no author
ity 10 go with the work. which the revised
figures m Ike cost $500, 80 more than the
original estimates.
Improvements on rivers in three other
States are in the same condition and are
stopped by the same decision.
The delegation is making an effort to amend
the rivers and harbors bill that the work
on Oakland harbor may continue.
GEORGE C. PERKINS
Nothing in connection with waterfront
matters since the troubles about four
years ago has created such general inter
Surprise is expressed on all hands that
the affair should have happened and Con-
gresham Hill born has been unaware of it
until the bill was printed. IT, as many
suppose, DR.. Mclean of Alameda be re-
sponsible for the action OF the House COM
mittee there is a general desire to know
how the health official of the Encinal City
got in his deadly work without the knowl-
edge of Mr.. Hilborn.
Warren English, who preceded Mr.. Hill
born as Congressman from this district,
said to-day that there is evidently desire
on the part of the present administration
to go out of office with record for econ
omy and, consequently. now that an ex-
cuse had been found 1t will be very diff
cult matter to get an appro priation in the
short time before Congress adjourns.
Mr.. Hilborn has sent out dispatch in
which he says that he realizes there is a
hard fight before the delegation, but that
he hopes for victory.