The age-herald., 1902-03-02
LARGEST SUM EVER SET
 ASIDE FOR THIS STATE
Warrior River Gets $s74,ooo, $374,ooo of Which Is Cash and $500,000 Continuing-Large Sum for
 In Mobile Harbor.
BY LuclEN JULIAN WALKER.

Washington, March 1.-(Special.) )-Ala- bama receives in the river and harbor bill finally agreed upon by the House com- mittee today the grand total of $2.1S4O61, counting the s10O,OOO appropriated for the Chattahoochee.
 Of this sum. which is the largest by several hundred thousand dollars ever set aside for Alabama in one bill $,094,000 is made available in cash and the remainder in continuing appropriation.
 The Warrior river gets $S74,00O $374.00O of which is cash and $5OO.000 continuing, be- sides S2O,OOO for maintenance. making total sum of almost $9OO,0Oc This is to be expended in completing locks 1, and B. below Tuscaloosa lock No. being in the Tombigbee at Demopolis; and it will en- tirely complete the improvement of the Warrior.
 The bill provides for detailed plans and estimates for two additional locks, mak- ing six in all, on the Black Warrior, mak- ing six-foot navigation from Tuscaloosa up to the foot of Squaw Shoals, dis tance of about twenty-five miles; the cost of the two locks to be appropriated by the next bill and made immediately available
 The bill recognizes the principle and value of making the entire water outlet from the Warrior coalfield one system of Improvement; as insisted upon by Con- gressman Bankhead, the Alabama mem- Der of the committee; this system to ex- tend from the confluence of Locust ana Mulberry creeks, within some twenty and odd miles from Birmingham, through the rriO nd Tom bigbee rivers to the gulf. The entire com pletion of the Black Warrior improve ments calls for $1, 750, 900; ,.,.s.... ssss The bill gives Mobile harbor, $50O'OOo or which S3OOO00 in in cash and $200,0OO con- tinuing; S1O,OOO to be expended in clearing the present channel of drift timber.
 Colbert Shoals Get $6oo,ooo.
 Colbert Shoals in the Tennessee river re- ceive s6OO.OOO the total amount required; s9oa O0O being in cash and S300,OOO continu Ing.
 The Coosa river receives S40OOO Tor maln- tenance between Rome, Ga, and Lock No in Alabama.
 The Alabama river receives $20,00o for maintenance in addition to an unexpend- cd balance of several thousand dollars in hand.
 The Tombigbee, from Demopolis to Co., lumbus Miss, receives $20,000 for mainte- nance in addition to balance of $20,0 unexpended; and the bill orders a survey and detailed estimates for locks and dams below Denopolis. including the comple ton of the lock and dam at McGrew's Shoals; the cost of the improvement to be provided in the next bill
 The Chactawhatchee river receives S1O,- 0OO. all that is required, for maintenance from Newton to the railroad bridge"
 The Chattahooche river, the middle of which is the dividing line between Ala bama and Georgia, receives s100,000.
 Graphic illustration of the great sum secured for Alabama is found in the fact that it exceeds by $l36000 the sum total appropriated for the entire State of New York including the great work in New York harbor, the Harlem river and the harbor of Buffalo.
 More Than Illinois.
 Alabama receives more than the State of Illinois, including Chicago harbor and river and Indiana.
 Alabama receives more than the three States of Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. including the James River, Newport News, Norfolk, Whining ton harbor Cape Fear River, Charleston harbor and Port Royal.
 Alabama receives more than the three States of Tennessee, Arkansas and Ken lucky, including the upper Tennessee, the Cumberland, the Red and the Kentucky rivers.
 Alabama receives about 312 per cent of &he entire rivers and harbors appropria- lion of about $60 GOO. 900; or that State re- aeives about one thirty-third of an the money the bill provides for the forty-fve states of the Union, seventeen of which exceed Alabama in population.
 In round figures the bill carries $60, ,O00,- oOO. of which. roughly, s24.OOO,0OO is in raady cash and s36.000 900 in continuing appropriations. which will amount to cash; the grand total not being required before the next Congress shall pass other bill.
 There is no misgiving here that Con .ress will quickly pass the bill as re- ported from the committee.
 As to Alabama's splendid good fortune tn this latest river and harbor bill, it IS not only proper but entirely essential that an explanation be made in justice to Colonel Banlkhead of the committee and tbe other members of the Alabama dele gation. who did all they could do for AIabama; Colonel Bankhead having la bored with the committee seven hours osy and three hours a night for seven weeks. and being cordially sustained by bis colleagues.
 There cannot be any reasonable doubt that the majority of the rivers and har- hors committee was inclined to give to the Warrior system alone all the money appropriated in the present bill for Ala hama rivers; but that enterprise of the government being confined to Congress- man Bankhead's immediate district. he vas unwilling that 1t should receive all the money As set forth In this corre- upondence several weeks ago. the govern nent is coming to the plan of completing one at time the greater undertakings In river improvements, instead of scat tering the appropriation for each state in small sums. But Congressman Bank head could not see his way to ask for an assent to such generous action for the