The age-herald., 1902-03-02

Bankhead Worked Hard.
 Congressman Bankhead endeavored by every possible argument and effort to se- cure an adequate appropriation for the Coosa; but the committee resisted all his appeals. The temper of the committee in this particular was explained in this correspondence a month ago.
 Coming to the details as regards the Alabama improvements in support of the great work done for the Warrior in the bill today adopted, it may be noted that the whole amount of money expended to June 30, 1900. on that part of the river above Tuscaloosa, which is called the Black Warrior was $613,271.4 A and on the Warrior below Tuscaloosa to the same date S256 376. 13 making a total of $S69, 647 .57 though the bill which failed to pass the last Congress carried $670, 000 which was about the sum given to the Warrior by the previous Congress and now beirg expended. The present bill carries for the Warrior 4.000 which is the entire estimated cost of completing the rivers improvement from Tuscaloosa to Demopolis.
 The original project for the improve ment of the Black Warrior was approved by the chief engineer of the army in 1887. the object being to obtain a six-foot channel. by means of five locks and dams from Tuscaloosa up to Daniels Creek 13h miles. at sn estimated cost of s741, 670; though little money was then ap- propriated. By dint of hard work on the part of the Congressman who represented that immediate section In Congress. more ar more money was obtained, until dur ing the fiscal year of 1896 three locks were completed. All locks of the system are to be 52 feet wide and 2S5 feet avail able length.
 The river and harbor act of March 3, 1899, provided for the construction of lock No. 1. at cost not to exceed $190. 800, and this full amount has been appropriated to the work.
 The commerce through the completed locks above Tuscaloosa during the year ended June 30. 1901, amounted to 9109 tons, of which 4255 tons were coal.
 The act of Congress approved June 6. 1900, provided for a preliminary survey of the Warrior and Tombigbee rivers with view to the construction of locks and dams numbered l, 2 and g. between the mouth of said rivers and Tuscaloosa" the cost to be set aside from appropria- tions previously made for those rivers. But previous to that, in 1897, an engineers estimate of $1,320,000 was submitted for six locks and dams on the Warrior river to give a lift of sixty feet, thus affording a uniform channel six feet deep all the year around. The minimum depth of the channel at that time was one foot and the width sixty feet. The act of Con- gress of March 8, 1899, provided for build ing three of the six locks and dams at cost not to exceed $660 900. Contract for the work was made in February. 1900, but the season was so unfavorable as to greatly retard operations; but during the past season the work was pushed to the utmost. Under an emergency act of July oil thA 1o. Dx11 I.I some instructions in the ordinary War rior river channel were removed; but it will require $lo,000 a year to maintain the channel pending the completion of the lock and dam improvements
 improving Tombiebee.
 The present project for improving the Tombigbee from its mouth to Demopolis was adopted in 1890, and slightly modified in 1S97 It is meant to secure channel six feet deep at low water by the re- moval of logs, snags, and trees and the construction of bank revertment and locks and dams, at an estimated cost of $600,OoO There are to be three locks, each 52 feet wide and 2S5 feet available length, with total lift of S1 feet
 The total amount expended on this Tombigbee improvement to June 30. 1900. was $377, ,73944 of which about s500O0 was for maintenance.
 The general plan now being carried out Tor the improvement of the chain of rivers. the Black Warrior, Warrior and Tombigbee, is to provide six-foot low water navigation from the Warrior coal field, near Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, to the Gulf of Mexico, following the Black Warrior to Tuscaloosa the Warrior from Tuscaloosa to Demopolis, and the Tom bigbee thence to the Mobile river Col Peter c. Hains, corps of engineers, writ ing in 1900. said: "I am of the opinion that a six-foot navigation from said coal fields to the Gulf of Mexico is one well worthy of being undertaken by the gov ernment." And on this point there is no difference of opinion in Congress or our of 1t.
 The bill carries $6OO,OOO for Colbert Shoals in the Tennessee river, near Riv- erton, Ala. This is practically a new un- dertaking, and provides for canal. A lift lock has been practically completec, and within the next three years the only remaining great obstruction in the Ten nessee river in Alabama will have been removed.
 The improvements heretofore made in the Tennessee between Chattanooga and Riverton, and mainly in Alabama have cost the government $4,6z7,4f5 the Muscle Shoals and the Elk River Shoals alone costing $3, 1S1, ,726. The work has covered a great many years.
 Mobile Work Started 1926.
 It will perhaps astonish most Alabam- ians to know that the work of improving Mobile harbor has been in progress al- most as long as Alabama mas been a