The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-07
CHAIRMAN BURTON
WROTE To MAYOR
HE WANTS INFORMATION.
PAID CONGRESSMAN LESTER A
HIGH COMPLIMENT.

| First District Representative Is
Ever Looking After Interests OF
Snvnnnnh-The Pamphlets Giving
Facts and Figures About Savan-
mains Harbor Are Exhausted-Sec-
Ond Edition Will BE Printed-Five
Hundred Copies Sent to Senator'S
and RepresentativeS-May Myers
Wrote MIR. Burton, Setting Forth
Savannah's Claims.
Mayor Myers, chairman of the Sa-
vannah Harbor Improvement Commit
tee, yesterday morning received a let
| ter from Chairman T. f. Burton, of
the Rivers and Harbors Committee of
/ the House of Representatives,
acknowledging receipt of the pamphlet
recently prepared by the committee for
distribution, giving facts and figures in
favor of deeper water in the Savannah
harbor.
Chairman Burton also asked for in
formation regarding the improvements
in the harbor, and called attention to
a rule which had been adopted by the
committee in regard to appropriations
for surveys. where the last appropria-
ton had not been expended. He paid
| Congressman Lester a high compliment
and said there is no member of the
| Committee on Rivers and Harbors who
| looks more zealously after the inter-
ests of his constituents than Col. Les
| ter
| Chairman BurtOn's Letter.
The letter from Chairman Burton to
Mayor Myers is as follows:
Your letter of the End, stating that
you sent a pamphlet just issued by the
Harbor Improvement Committee of
your city. is at hand. If convenient,
please inform me what is the present
condition of the improvement in your
harbor. Has the appropriation made
under the act of 1902 been expended?
1--WE have followed a rule in the COM
mittee, which, as you recognize, is a
most necessary and salutary one. not
to order an additional survey for an
improvement which might involve
large amounts, unless the work done
under preceding Survey or project
| is finished.
Your member. Mr.. Lester, will no
doubt give careful attention to the
| claims of Savannah, and l can assure
you the request of no one on the COM
mittee would receive more careful con-
sideration than his. Nevertheless, this
rule may stand in the way of ordering
a survey"
Mayor Presents Savannah's Claims.
In replying to the letter from Chair
man Burton Mayor Myers set forth the
reasons why the appropriation for the
survey should be made. His letter is
as follows:
II beg to advise that the contracts
made under the act of 1902 for the 2S-
foot project in this harbor will expire
in August and October, except the deep
sea dredging, for which a special
dredge was contracted for, and which
will be carried on directly by the gov
eminent. This dredging will be finish
| ed before the close of the current year,
at which time the entire appropriation
will have exhausted. All work then
ceases, there not being funds provided
even for proper maintenance of the
work already done. AS you are doubt
less aware. the river and harbor here
require a maintenance appropriation to
protect the past work from deteriora-
ton.
What we desire now is merely an
authorization from Congress for a sur
vey looking to a S0-foot channel at
mean low water. If no survey is or
dered we lose a year or more time. as
/ have pointed out above. in a few
months the contracts under the appro-
priation of 1902 cease. Our commercial
Importance is steadily increasing, the
position of the port in reference to the
South and West make 1t, we believe,
to the interest of a great extent of our
country, that 1t should be further i'm
| nd eli, no
can see your way to assist us in hav-
ing survey made.
Your courteous and former reply to
my former letter is very much appre-
ciated by me and our citizens"
First Edition of Pamphlets.
Mr.. Thomas Gamble, Jr.. secretary
of the committee, reports the first edi-
ton of $500 copies of the pamphlet
giving facts and figures in favor of
deeper water for Savannah, has been
exhausted. An order will be given
for another edition of $500.
The pamphlets were distributed
among the members of Congress, the
mayors Of $50 of the leading cities,
1000 business organizations through
out the country and 500 copies among
the leading business men of Savannah.
Secretary Gamble is anxious that the
business men who have not responded
to his request for names do so at once,
in order that he may furnish their
friends with copies of the. second edi-
ton of the pamphlet.
Each pamphlet is followed up with
a personal letter urging the person re-
ceiving the pamphlet to use his influ-
ence by writing letters to influential
friends and business men urging that
they write to their congressman in be-
half Of Savannah's deep water move
ment,