The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-27
TO IMPROVE CAHABA
REPRESENTATIVE PrT.Ts WRITES
 TO CONGRESSMAN UNDERWOOD
Bill Providing For gurvey of River From Mouth to CentreviIIe VIII
 Be Introduced at Next


 Birmingham August 2s--(special)--. When Congress meets next December. Congressman oscar ". Underwood. of this city, will introduce bill provid- Ing for a survey If the Cahaba river to ascertain whether. in the Judgment of the government engineers. the river can be dredged and locked and damned for the purpose of making it navigable from its mouth to Centerville in Bibb county.
 The Legislature at it's last session adopted a memorial to Congress look ing to this end and Representative William l.. Pitts. Sr., of Perry county. the author of the memorial. has taken up the matter with Mr. Underwood with a view of having the provisions of the memorial carried out.
 Representative Pitts has written the following letter to MT. Underwood:
 Uniontown, Ala. Aug, z4, 1907. Hon. Oscar w Underwood. M. C.. Birni-
 ingham. Ala.
 Dear sir---At the last session of the Legislature I introduced resolution in the House. memoralizing Congress to dredge and clean out the Cahaba river from it's mouth to CenterviIle, in Bibb county; also to survey the cahaba from Centervflle to the mouth of Schultz creek, and Schultz creek to some point to be designated by the surveyors for the purpose of locking and damming that part of the Cahaba river above Centerville and that part of Schultz creek to be determined by the sur veyors.
 The resolution was passed by the house and senate and signed by the governor and will be presented to congress in order that action may be taken, and that the Cahaba shall be cleaned out and drudged and survey ed as above stated.
 The importance of this matter is national. and does not apply simply to the state of Alabama. This river, up to Centreville. has long since been de- clared a navigabie stream by congress, and could be made useful both for steamboating and barging from Bloc ton to it's mouth and thence to Mobile. thereby carrying coal, iron apd other products at very reduced cost. Along the Cahaba river Is. found the finest marble timber. cement rock. cotton and other products for transportation. And the dredging and cleaning out of the river will stop it's overflow on val uab1e farms, which was caused by the governments cutting timber and leav- ing it in the stream. While in Mont gomery I talked with Senators Bank hcvd and Johnston, and they assured me that they would do all in their power to assist in this matter, and carry it forward to completion, am sure you will give us all the aid in your power from the fact that practically all of this work lies in your district. I would like to hear from you at the earliest possible moment.
 Your friend. etc.
 William L. Pitts. ST.
 Mir Underwood has replied as rol- lows to the above letter: r Birming ghan,, Ala, Aug. 26, 1907. near sir:--I am in receipt of your letter of the 24th instant calling my attention to the resolution of the Leg dredge and clean o&it the Cahaba river: I fealize the great importance or this work and am heartily in sympathy with your efforts to secure the navi- gation of the Cahaba river to the coal fields of Bibb county. The beneficial results would not only be the securing of better freight rates for the people of Bibb and Perry counties, but It would also furnish coal to the people l along the Cahaba and Alabama rivers at much lower prices than at present, and would encourage industrial ideyel- opmert along the line o1fthese rivers. I will introduce a bill in Congress when 1t meets in December for a sur vev of the Cahaba river along the lines suggested in the memorial of l the Legislature, to ascertain whether l in the judgment of the government engineers, the proposed improvement l can be successfully accomplished, and will do all in my power to accomplish the work desired.
 Yours truly,
 o. W. Underwood.