Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1899-12-22
NO RIVER BILL.
Major Powell Tells how it Will
Affect Local improvements.

Z
Between this Place and Fairmont
Affected Statement From Chairman
Of Committee.
PlrTsBuRG Pa, Dec. 22.-The
strong likelihood that there will not
be a river and a harbor bill passed
in Congress this session has been
the cause of many an earnest CON
ference among the risermen and
others interested in the continual
ton OF the Governments improve.
ments that will do so much for this
section when completed. Many of
those who have expressed themselves
thus far cling to the hope that Con
gress will yet see the necessity of
doing iomething for the country in
this matter, but their opinion is not
shared by Major Charles f. Powell,
the Government engineer in charge
of the river work in this District
Major Powell says that he has new
er felt sanguine OF the passage of
such bill this year because it is
hard thing to get Congress to break
rule, once established, to pass such
appropriations other than once in
two years The fact that the last
appropriation was made after a
lapse of three years on account of
the war would, in the opinion of
some, be ground for believing that
Congress would make UP for the loss
of time by giving the work another
helping hand this year. This is not
probable, as badly as it is needed,
and the effect will be shut down i'm
provements not included in the work
being done by the continuous con
tract system which Congress has al
ready authorized and pledged itself
to complete.
The most serious effect of the fail
ure of the river and harbor bill in
this section, Major Powell said, was
the stoppage of work in keeping the
Allegheny river free from snags and
boulders that are annually swept
down the stream by the high cur
rents aud heavy ice. This work is
essential for the safety of moving
new flats and barges to supply the
coal men. There are upwards of
500 such craft built upon the Al
leghany river each year to supply
the coal trade, and then there is
large amount of hey, lumber and
other material foated down the
stream that will not be possible
with any degree Of safety without
the clearing work being done on the
stream each year to keep it free from
instructions.
The money for the completion OF
the three new dams in the Allegheny
and the six new ones on the Monon
gahela river is available and the
work on these improvements can be
carried ON through the year. The
rebuilding of the coal dams and
locks that have been in use on the
Monongahela river since they were
bought up the Governments one Of
the most serious matters that will
be neglected in this failure by Con
gress to make the necessary provis
ion for the work Several OF the old
locks are in bad shape, but they will
have to be kept in working order
and repaired as it becomes absolute
ly necessary until new appropria
ton is made in 1901.
STATEMENT FROM BURTON.
Chairman Burton of the river and
harbor committee has authorized
the following statement.
There will probably be no river
and harbor bill at the present SEES
sion. One strong argument against
a bill is the fact that the engineers
force will be occupied during the
year with the projects already pro-
vided tor. In many cases plans for
improvements are not even complet-
ed In others advertisements for
bids have not yet been made. An
other fact of Importance is the in
crease in the price of material in the
last year. Some of the projects al
ready ordered cannot be completed
| for the amount estimated by the en-
gineers.
| OF course the demands upon the
treasury and the amount of revenue
are facts to be taken into considera-
ton, although / do not mean to say
by that, river and harbor improve
ments are less important than 9th
ers. 1t is only because contrary to
usual custom the bill was passed
during the last session Of Congress.
/ recognize, however, that on many
accounts it is preferable that the
bill be considered at this session.
There is so large an amount OF de-
tail and the settlement of disputed
questions arising from amendments
Of the senate make it desirable to
have plenty of time. This is hardly
possible during the short session.
Also there are several projects Of ur-