The Savannah morning news., 1904-11-30
CONTRACT WORK
NEARLY ENDED
WORK ON SAVANNAH HARBoR
AS CALLED FOR IN CONTRACTS
PRACTICALLY COMPLETE.

VIII Be Finished shortly After Jan.
L, 1905 at the Latest-AII Work,
Save That of maintenance, win
Then BE DrOpped-WorI< on Tybce
Knoll and Tybee Bar Can BE Com
tinued-PIans in Case of Limited
Appropriation.
Unless an appropriation is made for
rivers and harbors improvements at
the next session of Congress, work on
the Savannah river and harbor and on
the rivers in the interior of this dis
trict will shortly cease.
Announcement was made yesterday
by Col. James B. Quinn, division chief
of United States Engineers, that the
work called for in the contracts of 1898
was nearly complete. Barring all ac-
cidents and unforeseen delays, neither
of which. are probable at this stage of
the work. the contracts will be COM
pleted shortly after the first of Jan
uary, if not before that date.
This would mean that all work on
the rivers save that which the MAIN
tenance of what has already been
accomplished, makes necessary, would
be stopped. The only work that could
go on would be that of removing Tybee
Knoll, and of continuing the work on
the bar of Tybee. These projects are
under different provisions and con-
tracts than the other portions of the
river and harbor work in this district.
The reports from the work done
shows, when the contracts have been
completed, which will occupy but a
few weeks more time. the channel
will have been not only deepened, but
bettered and Strengthened, and work
done which will tend to make it easier
to keep it in proper condition. The
stone work at Cockspur Island jetty
has also been completed, and other
similar improvements carried out.
The Plan Contemplated.
1t is certain that sufficient moneys
will be advanced to this district to
maintain what has already been ac-
complished, but there is some doubt
as to whether more extensive I'M
provements will be authorized. 1t is
feared by many that the disposition
of the last Congress to cut down river
appropriations will be manifested in
the next Congress.
In case it is found at the last mo-
ment that a large appropriation can
not be secured, an effort will be made
to limit the use of the money that is
given to work on Savannah harbor, to
the upper part of the Savannah riv-
er, and the Altamaha. The work on
the Ocmulgee and Oconee will proba-
bly,, under these circumstances, be
dropped
The river channels in the two last
l.
streams that have been worked during
the past, is maintained principally as
a check on the railroads and their
tendency to charge exorbitant freight
rates. Otherwise the rivers are prac-
tically useless for purposes of naviga-
ton. The greater usefulness of the
upper Savannah river and of the AL
greater necessity than either of MAX
ing this harbor even better than it is,
will justify limiting limited appro-
priation to those purposes.
RumOrs from Washington.
The statement in the telegraph dis
patches of the Morning News yester-
day to the effect that a secret meet
ing of the River and Harbor Commit
tee had been held, and that it was
rumored an effort would be made to
secure large appropriation, was good
news to those interested in the har-
Dor here. Such course is highly prob
able, especially in view of the influ-
ences that will be brought to bear to
secure a large appropriation.
Congressman Lester and the entire
Georgia delegation will do their best
to secure the money to begin the work
of further deepening the harbor. An
outline of the plans by which the aid
of other states will be secured has all
ready been given in the Morning News,
together with the estimates of the
cost OF the work here. No stone will
be left unturned to secure this money
and there is a general feeling here