New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-14
AR ID HE I,
Broadway & 9th St.
4 NOVEL OBSTRUCTION 70 COMMERCE.


STREAMS ~ THE GULF COAST STATES CIoGGED
ry THE WATER HyACINTH
Washington. Feb - (specian.-The Senate COM
rni.tee on Commerce has recently made a report
on a rather curious ana novel subject. For some
time the committee has had under CONSIDERATION
a letter from the Secretary or War reIersed 70 u
on January D. iu response 10 a Senate resolution
adopted in December The letter transmitted A re-
not of the chief Of Engineers on the obstruction 10
rho naviaabl. waters OF Florida and other south
Atlantic and Cuff STATES by aquatic plant known
ae the water hysc.nth The rapid growth ana
spread Of this plant have excited some alarm
About q wear ago the subject was called 10 the
,,tortion OF the War Department by Represents
tive Cooper OF Florida. who forwarded 70 secte-
rarv Lamont 70 petition from the citizens OF Pa
latka At this time much trouble was expert
oncad from the accumulation Or the wafer hEA-
clnth about tie bridge across the - Jonn f''e''
near Pa,atka Major Thomas H. Hamburg. corps
OF Engineers was directed 10 make report 10 tAe
chief Of Engineers. The Major reported that the
miami about Two years ago began 70 increase rap
idly collecting IN large patches ana nod'1hs on
the surface OF the water ~ the wind and current
might direct. strong wind from the southeast
would cause large quantities OF the plant 70 collect
on the south side OF the bridge referred 70. re-
.a,, cold snap in Florida killed much of the growth,
hut Major Hamburg says tha.. basins an opinion
IN The evidence OF the last Two years. the snaIi
remnants VIII be sufficient 10 start new CROWN
a. rouhiesor. prODOrtiOas. lie says tnat the pant
s.er,s IN he the same as that beginning 70 give
-roible in the bayous OF louisiana. L is supposed
- have been brought from Venezuela or Colombia
The Committee on Commerce in its report recon-
n,ands the passlge OF oil authorizing the sec-e-
-- ~ War 70 investigate re extent O. the oostruc-
tfo, ~ -ha navigabie waters OF Florida LOUISIANA
ard n,her South Atlantic and cur States by the
v.arer bvacinth and 10 perform SUCH experimental
work a. may bs deemed necessary 10 discover some
feasible plan o. checking the growth o. or removing
80 nl,r, so fa- a. BE- Is "a h.ndrance 20 interstate
commerce Ten thousand dollars Is the sum carried
by rha ril TO p3v the cost u such experiments.
Recent comm U.ca-.0ns from General Cra!gnJ and
coionsl Be1yalrd. Of the Corps Of Engineers seem
m snow tnat Congress should act promptly IN en-
deavor.ng 20 che'k me slo"t" % TIE "a'1' Hya-
said IN colonel Benyaurds letter that the plant
forms a serious and growing OBSTRUCTION 70 natl-
cation He suggests. as perhaps the best method 20
rer10vs he nuisance. the construction OF special
lssig, ~ stern paddle steamer, having double
how or outrirssrs watch be forced mo mass
81 the plants would cause them 70 gather toward
fha middle OF the boat, where an incline! carrie
u,o,,,d MIX them UP and deposit them In 'front.' %
large rollers driven ny machinery which would crush
them forcing the water out q them and thus greatly
Re thrown into harges. which could carry them 10
the shore 70 b. burned
"Cofonei Benvaurd saws that in recent dredging
o,sr,tions an the Florida coas; work delayed
bevond hs expected tine 81 completion. owing 20 the
n-sssnra Of the wate~ hyarinth. He adds that the
ni,nt Increases 50 rapidly that before the end 81
vra-s n is feared that IL Will have spread 10 such
sndanger the NAVIGATION
The needed improvements must materially add 20
the expense o. subsequent operations General
Craipnlll advises that some steps bs taken once
70 stop the propagation OF the plant