The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-27
MEANS DELAY AND EXPENSE.
sENATE's REDUCTION OF THE HAIR
BOR APPROPRIATIONS.

| riOusly Interfere WIN the WORK.
Not "a step in the Interest of Econ
Omy. But One That May Prove De-
! IcteriOus to the HarbOr-COuld Ex-
pend Much More Money With Far
Better Advantages-CIty AuthOri-
! ties and Commercial Bodies Might
DO Well to Take the Matter UD.
| Cumberland sound Work in the
Same Prcdicament If Not Worse.
Only Chance May BE in the House
Conference Committee Before the
Passage of the SuHdry Civil Dill.
The action of the Senate in cutting
down the appropriation for Savannah har-
Dor and Cumberland sound 100000 EACH
if allowed to stand by the House, will
not only seriously interfere with the prog
ress of constructing breakwater at Ty-
bee roads and jetties at Cumberland sound,
but will require the expenditure of
greater amount of money and delay the
work far beyond the time at which it
could otherwise be completed. The At
lantic Contracting Company has been at
work since last November and has made
satisfactory progress in both places, and
sIHtS STARTING tle WITH mas nut uIdWh
one cent.
The Washington dispatches to the Morn
ing News yesterday stated that the SEN
ate committee on appropriations had cut
the amounts for Savannah's harbor and
Cumberland sound down from 100000 to
100000 each for the fiscal year 1893. Capt.
o. M. Carter, United States Corps of
| I'D .t,,
was asked what effect this reduction in
| the appropriations would have.
1t Will not only delay, but it will in
crease the cost of the work, both in the
Savannah harbor and in Cumberland
sound Capt. Garter replied. '"The con-
! tractors can only be required to do work
/ up TO the extent of the appropriation,
so necessarily there must be a delay, and
| yet the same expenses are going on all
! the time. There is no doubt that such
| reduction in the amount of the appro-
| priation Will very largely increase the
! cost OF the work. We could expend $780,
/ OO year on the work here and 81, 5UO,0 900
year on the work a Cumberland sound,
| ana, of course, the larger the amounts
| available, the quicker the work could be
done, and the cost would be just so much
less.
Another thing to be considered is the
! shoaling at the bar which the completion
!
| be the case some dredging would have to
| be done. In the case of Cumberland Sound
it is race between the jetty and the bar,
| and the longer the construction of the
| work IS delayed, the greater the expense
{ that will arise also from this source The
reduction in the appropriation will by no
means be in the interest of economy, but
| VIII on the other hand create additional
| expense"
In addition to what Capt Carter says of
| the result of a decreased appropriation, it
| might be stated that the decay consequent
upon this action will deprive the people
| OF the use of the works they might other
! wise have the benefit of, and without ap-
parent good reason, 1t not be Ig, as he SAYS
| in the interest of economy When the
river and harbor bill was passed congress
agreed to expend upon each of these
works 100000 year, though much larger
sums could have been more advantageous
| ly used. 1t would seem, therefore that any
cutting down of the appropriation would
| seriously interfere with the work as it
has been laid out.
Savannah has another chance, however.
70 n ma the original appropriation of
100000, and that will be before the confer
ence committee of the House and Senate
on the final consideration of the sundrv
civil bill. II the House committee should
refuse to recede from the original appro-
priation, of course the Senate could hard
I taken E
the appropriation is to be maintained il
is time for the city authorities and com
mercial bodies to take the matter in hand.
and make an urgent demand for the orig
maj appropriation. 1t might be well for
the city to take it up and
communicate with Col. Laster
ana Senators Bacon and Gordon to bring
influences to bear to retain the appronria.
ton at the former figure
Mr.. Rittenhouse r. Moore. contractor for
dredging, has been at work in Wrights
river, part of the inland water route he
tween mere and Beaufort, but has not done
mueh. Regarding payments he
is on the same footing as the iettv CON
tractors, not having been paid anything up
10 date. The work at Tybee roads which
consists of a breakwater. has so far been
attended with much difficulties, one tow
GOAT having been lost already, with good
chances for losing more
A cut to $500, 900 for the works here and
at Cumberland Sound will allow but SO 500
per month practically on each which is
inadequate for the proper carrying on of
the work. Whether or not work will be
prosecuted vigorously or allowed to drag
on internationally, will be left TO Messrs
Greene and Gaynor to decide Under Their.
contract they need not proceed only at the
rate the appropriations will allow, They
may, If they choose, carry on the work 10
completion and wait for payment on a
, future congress. W neither or not they will
do this is a matter of conjecture
This bill does not affect in anv way
the appropriation for Brunswick and Da-
rien harbor and the inside route to Fer
nandina funds for the carrying on of that
work being available now having been
! appropriated last June. The work of
dredging at this point is also very slow.
even though the contractor is working
day and night.
Formerly congress passed a river
and harbor bin every year. one at the
long and one at the short session, but dur
ing the last eight or ten years this prac-
tice has fallen into disuse and the bill
makes it's appearance only at the long
or first session The river and harbor
Improvement advocates make up for IT.
though, by having put in the sundry civil
bill during the short session items for
the various works under the continuous
contract system. When an Improvement
for river or harbor finds "A place under
that system appropriations are sure
TO SHOOT AZ AVONDALE.
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