Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-04-14

ing construction Of the hnrbur of Will
mington, Dol, 800. 600; ami tho pro-
vision 10 the River anil HBrbur Appro.
priation bill OF June sd, 1896, authoris-
ing contracts to no made for improving
the harbor of Wilmington, Del, is
hereby amended to read az follows:
That contracts may be entered into by
the Secretary Of War for such matarials
and work as may be necessary to com
plete the modified project OF improve
msnt and submitted in the annual re-
port OF the Chief Engineers 10 the
Secretary OF War, dated September Both,
1897, to be paid for as appropriations
may from time TO time be maize by law,
not to exceed in the aggregate S416. So.
This was the original amen dment
offered By Senator Gray in the Senate
Cd Thursday for the Improvement OF
Wilmington harbor. In explaining It,
Senator Gray snih:
"Mr. President. ] wish to ssy word,
to which / ask the attention Of the
chairman OF the committee on appro-
priatinns particularly, and OF the Senate,
in regard to an amendment Just offered
Ivy mo. 10 june. 1896, in the river and
harbor act passed. during the session of
Congress Ut that year. there is the fol-
lowing provision OF law:
Improving harhor at Wilmington
and ChristiRna River, Delaware: Con
tiuuing Improvements In accordance
with the modified project, $40, 900. And
provided further, That contracts mgy
he entered into by the Secretary Ut War
for such materials and work as may ho
necessary To complete the project OF i'm
provsment. not including estimate for
flushing basin and extension OF ietty.
to he paid for as appropriations may
from fine to time be maids by law, not
to exceed in the aggregate, 1925. SAG. ;
THAT provision ia found in the river
and harhor act passed in June, 1896,
and that is the provision of law in re-
gard to the Improvement Of the harbor
at Wilmington and the Christina, in
ths State Of Delaware The Congress
of the United States BIS that enactment
decided that the improvement should
be made. That was the determination
made 10 the only way such a deter
mination can be made by Congress-, to
wit, by the enactment OF a law. Incl
dental to that provision Of law was the
authority to enter into continuing
contract, not to exceed 1925, 600, to be
expended from tims to time as appro-
priations should be made in order ia
carry out that project Mr.. President.
when this provision of law came before
the Department of Engineers, after the
passage OF the bill, some time, / sup
pose 10 the summer or fall OF 1896, II
was deniIied that tho amount fixed fol
carrying out that provision of law wat
too snail. That was the result OF @
commission OF engineer ollicerB ap-
pointed by the department, who, after
waving the situation and considering
the project, reported to the department.
Ny colleague haa their report 1t II
Incorporated 10 the report Of the Secre
tary OF War, and ask him to read it.
Mr.. Kenney. "The report is madt
under date Of October Sd, 1896. They
say, in view of the above:
"Referring to the fact that the con
tinuing contract could not be com
pleted within the appropriation made
In view of the above, the boar, be
lieves that the execution Of the modified
project under existing conditions j
practically impossible within the limit
Of expenditure established by the act
The board. therefore, does not recon
mend that continuous contract Il
complete this project Of imnrovemen
BIO made at the present time. y
On page 1853 Of the annual report o
tho War Department for the year endinl
June Both, 1897. an estimate is mad
for the entire work:
Construction OF jetty on south sid
Of mouth, $50, 900; construction Of jett
at the mouth of the Brandywine
$40, 900; dredging l, 400, 900 cubic yard
tplacs measurementl, as estimated b.
Gen. Smith, at IS cents, 1857, 220
estimated annual deposit in two years
during progress Of work. 200, 900 cubi
yards, at Is cents, S36, 600; total
S3i3.2 go: contingencies, S3i, 322; total
1877, 542."
THAT is recommended and estimate
for by the department.. l conceive tina
the amendment offered by me is !
order on two grounds. In tho hrs
place, IL is IN amondm ent in pursuanc
OF existing law. This existing law ]
this case l have already pointed out
the Senate, which lie a determinatiU
by nm enactment OF Congress. which
law, that that harbor ahall be madi
that work undertaken, and tho authorit
for continuing contract given to TIL
War Department, the only difficult
about it boing that the engineers
executing the law found that it was n,
expedient to make a continuing cot
tract for the amount provided for.
this amendment / follow tho recon
mendationH Of the Secretary Of War an
tbs estimate maize by him, aud auntir
the language of the law PASSED in la9
except in adopting the estimate mat
by him of 1877. 600 instead OF 1925. 0o
So on both grounds the amendment
in substance an attempt to carry oil
the provisions of existing law. 1t
also an amendment mHds pursuant
the estimate of head OF lepartnen
the Secretnry of War, who Recommend
this revised project and this increas,
appropriation think that under Il
circumstances 1t is clearly within II
most conservative rules OF the Senate
regard to amendments to appropriate
bills.
mot wishing to make any fancif
ar strained use nf the crisis throul
which We are passing. should like
call tho attention of tho Senate to Il
fact that on the Delaware River Il
most important shipbuilding plants
the United States, certainly on Il
Eastern coast, are situated. The olde
iron shiphuilding establishment in b
United States is situated upon tb
very narbor of Wilmington. where tn
are now constructing torpedoboats
the use Of the United States and burr
ing them to completion with all Il
energy and skill OF the trained m
chanics who are now there performi
their duty. II is exceedingly importa
that whatever obstruction can be
moved in the harbor for the ingress n
eRress OF ahips Of war of the large
81 hn .