Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-22
Apportionment Of Appropriation Be-
tween Upper and Lower Potomac.
HOW TIE FUND WAS SECURED
Washington to Receive the Bulk
Of the Direct Appropriation.
CONTRACTS BELOW THE CITY

Inquiry at the War Department discloses
a practical subsistence Of the opposition
which at one time was manifest in the mat
ter of the allotment Of the appropriation
of 100000 for the improvement Of the Po-
,omac river at and below the city of WASH
ington, and which has been referred to in
The Stars Alexandria correspondence.
While this subject was under considera-
ton by the acting secretary Of war state
ments We're made by Representatives Rxey
and Jones and residents of the northern
neck of Virginia to show that the entire
appropriation of 100000 was intended for
use in the improvement of the Potomac
river below the city of Washington. and
more particularly for removing the obstruc-
tons to 24-foot navigation at the follow
ing named bars or shoals: Mattawonan
shoal. Smith Point shoals, Maryland Point
shoals and Kettle Bottom shoals. The
claim was made that the appropriation was
secured mainly through the efforts of the
representatives of Virginia, and was de-
signed for the Improvement of the Potomac
river below Washington.
A careful study of the subject was made
by the officers of the War Department, in
Guiding Col. Alexandria Mackenzie, at that
time acting chief of engineers, and Col. AL
len, the local engineer officer, with the re-
suit of demonstrating that the contention
of the Virginia delegation as to the manner
in which the legislation was secured and
the purpose for which the appropriation
was made applied only to the provision in
the House bill, and not to the Senate
amendment and to the actual enactment
1t was developed that the board of trade of
Washington, through its officers, had taken
an active and successful part in securing
the appropriation in question, and that in
stead of its being mainly intended for the
special benefit of the lower Potomac, that
feature of the statute was incidental.
Two Distinct Provisions.
The appropriation of 100000 is contained
In the act of Congress approved March g.
1899 After specifying that the money is
intended for the improvement of the Poto-
mac river at and below the city of Wash
ington the section provides that the Sec
rotary OF War may enter into contract or
contracts for the materials and work neces-
sary for the completion of the improve
ments below the city of Washington in ac-
cordance with a project submitted Novem-
Der q, 1871, to be paid for as appropriations
may from time TO time be made by law
not to exceed in the aggregate $780, 200, ex-
elusive of the amount herein and heretofore
appropriated
The legislative record of the appropria-
ton leaves no doubt as to the intent of
Congress in the premises. AS the bill pass
ed the House 1t appropriated $4,000 for
improving the Potomac river at and be-
low the city of Washington" with a pro-
Yiso that the Secretary of War might in
his discretion, expend such part thereof,
as well as any balance on hand'-amount-
ing approximately to S70,090-''as may be
necessary, according to the plan and e3.i-
mate set forth in report of survey of said
river, dated November q, 1891" That re-
port, submitted by Col. Hams, related to
the lower river. The Senate committee, as
a result of the efforts of the board of trade
committee, increased the amount to be ex-
pended lat and below the city, to 100000
(Which is the wording used in previous ap-
proprH tions to describe the Washington
arbor improvements, struck out the pro-
viso TO the work under the report of
1901 and substituted for it a provision that
the Secretary of War might enter into con-
tracts for the materials and work neces-
sary for the completion of the improve
ments below the city," in accordance with
the project named, Ito be paid for as APP
may from time to time be
made by law, not to exceed in the aggre-
gate S150,0O."
Clear Intention.
Thus the Senate committee specifically
drew distinction between the work in the