The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-25
OUR HARBoR APPROPRIATION.
TECHNICALITIEs MAY CUT SAvAN-
NAH OUT.

War Department officials Are Indis-
posed to Make "A Decision-Thc
Need of Additional Money for
Dredging the Channel Is Admitted,
hut Suspended Funds Were Noe
Appropriated for That Purpose.
Secretary Root May Assume the
ResponsibiIty-The Carter Scandal
Causes Close Watch to BE Kept on
savannah.
Washington, May A.-There appears to
be disposition on the part of the War
Department officials to haggle over tech
nicalties in connection with the PROPOSE
tion to permit the unexpended balance of
the river and harbor appropriation for
Savannah harbor to be used for additional
dredging in the harbor in accordance with
the recommendation of Capt Gillette and
so ably and forcibly urged by the COM
mercial interests of Savannah. The Pc
tition of the commercial bodies of Savan-
nah requesting that the appropriation now
available might be expended for dredg-
ing the harbor is still tied up in Secre-
tary Roots Office. 1t is understood that
the legal authorities of the War Depart
ment are bordering over the subject and
endeavoring to determine whether, in the
absence of additional legislation, the I'M
expended balance of the appropriation can
be properly utilized for dredging.
Way down under the surface. there is
a suspicion that future appropriations in
other sections of the country may be af-
10 s.
sumo the responsibility of exercising its
discretion as to whether or not the money
now at hand can be expended to good
advantage in Savannah harbor, notwith-
standing the actual letter of the law. In
other words it is said at the War De-
partment unofficially that in view of the
scandal attached to the Savannah harbor
improvements in consequence of Capt.
Carriers peculiar methods, the Engineer
Department is 10th to take any steps
which may incur the displeasure of Con-
gress in connection with this appropria-
ton.
Why They Watch Savannah.
One of the officials in discussing this
subject with your correspondent, said in
substance: you must understand Con-
sress has taken a keener interest in all
matters relating to the improvements in
Savannah harbor because of the Carter
scandal than usual and is therefore dis
posed to scrutinize with the greatest care
every act of the department in connec-
ton with that work. 1t is generally con-
coded that more dredging is necessary in
Savannah harbor than can be accomplish
ed within the limits of the $4,000 to be
expended annually on that work Now
| the question arises what will Congress
| say and do if the War Department
| should undertake to utilize the money in
| hand appropriated for a specific kind of
| work in the harbor and expend all or a
| greater part of that money for dredging
| alone. So far as the Engineers DEPART
| ment is concerned, it is conceded that
| $4,000 annually is not sufficient for the
| amount of dredging necessary in Savan-
| nah harbor. If the Secretary of War Is
| prepared to assume the responsibility of
| diverting the appropriations from its
original course as specified by the act
and exercises his discretion in the direc-
ton suggested by Capt. Gillette, and
| the commercial interests of Savannah. it
will be entirely satisfactory to the En-
| gineer's Department, for it cannot be dis
| puted that the suggestion offered by Capt.
| Gillette is reasonable and practicable