The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-03
SAVANNAH HARBOR ALL RIGHT.
THERE Is MONEY ENOUGH ON HAND
TO KEEP 1T CLEAR.

Should Congress Refuse to Make a
River and HnrbOr Appropriation,
Savannah Would Not Suffer For the
Present-CumberIan sound, How
ever, Would Be in a Bad PIight-NO
Jetty Work Done in Two Months.
Considerable Dredging to he Done
in the River Channel.
Among the interesting situations that
grow out of the coming court-martial of
Capt. o. NJ. Garter is the question of what
action congress may take with regard to
river and harbor appropriations, and how
such action will affect the ports that de-
pend on these appropriations for keeping
up their navigable channels.
Capt. c. E. Gillette, when asked about
the matter yesterday, said he did not think
any action on the part of congress in with
holding river and harbor appropriations
would affect the work in the Savannah
harbor at the present time, with the ex-
ception of that on the detached portion of
the oyster bed training wall, which is to
be used as a oreakwater. The work in
Cumberland sound, however, might be
greatly affected, since there is now no
money available for it, and there will be
none until appropriations are made under
,he sundry civil bill.
The work on both these projects is be-
ing done under the continuous contract
system. The appropriations were made in
such a manner as to authorize contracts,
by the river and harbor bill. but the money
is made available only through the sundry
civil bill.
The last appropriation for the work in
Savannah river had three objects in view
The building of the so-called breakwater
the construction of a seven-foot channel
on the inside route to Beaufort, and the
maintenance of the Savannah river chan
mel, which was completed under the pro-
ject for depth of twenty-six feet at mean
nigh water from the city to the sea.
There is now on hand something like $40,-
600 which is available for dredging pur-
poses. This money may be used either in
payment on the inside route to Beaufort,
or on dredging in the Savannah river,
where the channel has shoaled. 1t will be
seen, therefore, that there is plenty of
money on hand to keep the shoaling places
dredged out of the channel for some time
to come. The Savannah river channel is,
therefore, safe in any event.
The inside route to Beaufort will prob
ably be completed within eight or ten days
This, as has already been stated, is prac-
tically what the old channel used to be-
AS soon as this work is done it is proba-
bic that some dredging will be done in the
w il 10 al
to have shoaled to such an extent as tends
to impede navigation.
Capt. Gillette says the upper end of the
channel beginning about the Central rail-
road wharf has shoaled considerably. Ma
terial has been deposited there for depth
OF two or three feet, he states, for about
a mile. He called attention to the fact
that a vessel drawing twenty-five feet got
stuck on the bottom there at high tide sew
eral days ago. He thinks considerable
work will be required every year to keep
the channel clear, and that to maintain the
depth of twenty-siX feet at mean high wa
ter there will have to be taken out from
10000 to 10000 cubic yards of material ev-
cry year. MIR. Rittenhouse Moore has
the contract for doing this work at some
thing over thirteen cents per cubic yard
According to this estimate the cost for
keeping the channel clear will be some
thing like $4,000 or $4,000 a year
koi4OuAu CCISI6SS IAN 10 make aDDrODrla-
tons for rivers and harbors, however, the
Fernandina project would necessarily suf-
fer. That is work which will cost about
$2225,O0O, and there is now no money avail
able for carrying it on.
AS matter of fact, however, the Allan
| tic Contracting Company. which has con-
tracts for the Cumberland Sound work as
well as for the work on the Tybee break
water, has been doing nothing for the last
two months. 1t appears that its work has
been stopped, pending the investigation of
the charges against Capt. Carter, and it
may be that nothing further will be done
until that matter is settled. 1t is claimed
| however that the contractors are about
up with their work
Nothing new was reported yesterday
with regard to Capt. Carriers case Messrs
Charlton, Mackall & Anderson. Capt. Car
| ters attorneys, have had nothing definite
from Washington yet. nor have they re-
ceiVed copy of the charges with which
the court martial is to deal 1t is anuoun-
ced that the court will convene here Ian.
o. and that the matter will be disposed of
as quickly as circumstances will allow.