New-York tribune., 1901-04-07
RIVER AND HARBOR WORK
THE MOVEMENT FOR REFORM GAINING
HEADwAY-oPINIoNs OF ENGINEERS.
LBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.

lBT TELEGRAPH TRIBUNE
Washington. April THE movement in favor
OF some reform in the system in force for
the improvement Of rivers and harbors has al
ready gained considerable headway since the
adjournment Of Congress. Regardless of what
Senator Carters motives may have been IN de-
feating the appropriation bill, he certainly
voiced the opinion OF many eminent engineers
who are thoroughly familiar with the present
system of public works and the manner in which
money is secured for carrying them
In speaking of Senator Carter's argument, an
engineer of standing. who is in the Army Corps.
but who favors restricting the operations of
that corps 10 purely military work, said
have just finished reading carefully Senator
Carriers speech, and there is enough of good in
IL to make honest men think. Carter dllates on
the Trinity River scheme particularly, where,
starting with q few thousand dollars, the appro-
pration rolls on with each year until II amounts
TO about 81 000000. all this to be expended to
secure navigable channel four feet in depth
which must depend artesian wells TO supply
the water. The Senator suggests, what is evil
dent 10 any one, that il an engineer was TO make
such a recommendation for the investment or
private capital. he would forfeit his reputation
as an expert. The army engineers, to retain
the good fellowship and friendship of Congress
men. make recommendations Of pernicious
projects 10 dispense public moneys, and thus
aid in securing the re-elecuon OF these Con
gressmen. Carter might have added also that
81 the Congressman does not DO what the en-
gineers want the Congressman is also in danger
being defeated at the subsequent election.
The remedy naturally suggests itself to elimi-
nate this patronage business by returning to the
conditions which prevailed before the war Let
the United States surrender its claim Of absolute
jurisdiction over any stream that is or can he
made navigable and confine this jurisdiction 10
harbors and trunk line improvements. the pur-
pose 10 be kept in view at all times being 10
create continuous and deep channels and
pools Of deep water inaccessible from outside.
Let the government turn all other works over 10
private or local interests TO develop by any plan
that may give the best results. was the Gus
tom years ago. Thus was started our original
system Of waterways. Some Of these early
works are still in existence, and some have been
turned over 10 the government with business
and commerce already developed Many of our
highways upon land and railroads were built
IN this fashion. and ii has proved the most eco
nomical method, because il requires no distribu-
ton Of public patronage and no payments of
money until there was business enough IN sight
justify private capital taking hold Of IT. 1t
in this manner that the Sault Ste Marie.
the Illinois and Michigan. the Delaware and
Raritan the Erie, the Chesapeake and Delaware,
the Albemarle AMI Chesapeake the l)lsllal
Swamp, the Delaware and Hudson. the Union.
the Juniata, the Lake Erie and Ohio River, the
Louisville, the chicago drainage Canal, the
Monongahea River and many other improve
ments were put upon their feet and perma-
nently esta ablished before the government
pended a cent. Many Of these have continued TO
grow and now free waterways
Another instance Of blundering the part OF
engineers was illustrated in incident which
occurred AT Pensacola recently. The govern
,lent has been dredging the harbor channel at
=
I mentioned vessel stuck on the bar. Senator
Tillman's remark 10 the effect that the object of
the River and Harbor bill seemed to be to keep
the United States engineers busy does not seem
very far out of the way when they recommend
S300000000 worth Of public improvements TO be
done under their direction, when over half or
these improvements would be ridiCuled an
investment Tor private capital II seems 10 ne
rather an expensive way of employing the en-
gineers to buy big plants and let them expert
ment at damming up our harbor entrances. 1t
hardly necessary to increase the corps from
129 TO 100 officers If they hadn't enough to do
before this increase was made by the terms Of
the new army bill.
RECOMMENDATIONS OF BUSINESS MEN
This subject is not by any either
with the Army Engineer Corps or with civil en-
gineers, who have had much 10 do with gov
ernment work. a great many business organiza
tions throughout the country have made
protests for years past against the man
ner in which the government carried on its
river and harbor Improvement work, and the
National Board Of Trade, well many other
organizations Of similar character, have me-
Inorialzed the government TO the effect that a
mixed commission Of civil. army and navy engi-
neers should he appointed u supervise all gov
ernment constructions The government has
lso been urged 10 encourage the policy Of grant
ing rights and franchises 10 private corporations
for the purpose Of improving tributary channels
70 more important works. and Of granting the
power collect tolls thereon for limited period
These recommendations are made as they are
believed TO express the most expeditions and
economical method Of improving lateral or con-
meeting waterways which tributary to the
works Of great magnitude in the large harbors
and principal rivers improved by the govern
ment.
II has been suggested that the manner Of ad-
mnstering public works such here dis
cussed should be the same in the private
administration Of railroads Al present the har-
hor works are concentrated in the hands OF a
few men, who have received a military education
and who placed in charge Of the numerous
localities where works are in progress at the
option Of their chief. The superintendent thus
becomes Kaleidoscope sort Of affair, wherein
the scheme Of important works is frequently
changed 70 suit caprice This system also
depends for the means 10 carry on the works
continuously the moods Of Congress- which,
shown by the experience Of the past.
varied. Large appropriations have been made
for unworthy purposes and money has often
heen refused for the inception Of great enter
rrises. In number Of instances large sums
have been spent on public works which could not
he used because they were not connected with
some accessible waterway
II now remains for some prominent and in
f1uential member Of Congress aided by engineers
Of distinction and unQuestioned disinterested-
Tess. 70 propose p satisfactory scheme for car
rying on river and harbOr works in an economi-
cal and common sense manner and TO force the
adoption OF such a plan Congress, despite
the opposition u the lobby Of army engineers
and the greediness Of such members Of Con-
cure patronage and Congressional favors.
NINE WORKERS OFFICIALS TO MEET.