Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-02-08
HOUSE PASSES RIVER BILL
Measure Carries sSS,0Oo,0Oo for the
improvement Of Waterways
SURVEY OF THE MISSOURI AUTHORIZED
Amendments Providing for Larger
sums for work on Mississippi
River Decentralization
Replies 90 Critics.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The house today
completed and passed the rivers and harbors
appropriation bill carrying more than
81, o00,OO with sundry amendments, all OF
which were suggested by the chairman of
the committee, Mr.. Burton OF Ohio. Among
the important amendments adopted were;
For continuing the Improvement and for
she maintenance of the Chicago river
$4,000. being an increase Of $4,000.
The paragraph in relation TO the Calumet
river, Illinois and Indiana, was amended
so as to authorize the secretary of war TO
enter into a contract TO complete the
project, for which s1s1,500 Is appropriated.
The aggregate cost is limited to S7o0OO,
exclusive of the amounts heretofore APP
propriated.
A survey Of the Missouri river was au-
thorized from its mouth to Sioux City.
The naval appropriation bill was taken
Up and made the continuing order.
During todays consideration in the house
OF the rivers and harbors bill Mr.. Ellis Of
Missouri was given fifteen minutes to fur
ther present the views Of friends of the
Mississippi river project
The several amendments introduced by
Mr.. Barthoidt of Missouri relating to the
Mississippi, and increasing appropriations
for that river, which we're pending yester-
day, were all defeated today. Incident to
their defeat Mr.. Burton, chairman of the
rivers and harbors committee, bitterly
criticised the campaign of abuse and vii
LITIGATION" as he called It, which had been
IN progress against himself as well as the
committee. He said that there were three
cities in which INSCRIPTIONS villihcation
had been going on, and added with much
emphasis that st. Louis was one of the
three He remarked that the house had
gone on record during the consideration of
the bill against such a campaign Of vitu-
peration and he wanted It distinctly I'M
derstood that the misrepresentation could
not go unchallenged.
Not Interested in Other River.
When they attack the chairman OF the
committee and charge that he is interested
in waterway other than the Mississippi
river they say what is not the fact"
Those who were backing the Mississippi
river project came into the house and
charged that wrong had been done.
These persons ought TO go into statuary
hall and do cake walk to the keen en-
Joyment of the marble figures there as
sembled."
He said the Mississippi river received
larger Individual appropriation than any
river In the country.
An important amendment. looking to a
deep water scheme onsthe Mississippi north
of the mouth OF the Missouri was adopted
on motion of Mr.. Burton. The amend
ment provides that appropriations shall be
made in accordance with the report of the
engineers on sthe river between st, Paul
and St Louis. 1t is estimated that the
cost OF a six-foot waterway between the
two cities will be about 100000. The
project Is to be a continuing one and addi-
tional appropriations may be made
Denatured Alcohol Act Amended.
The house today passed the bill amend
ing tho act relating 10 the withdrawal from
bond. tax free. OF domestic alcohol when
rendered unfit for beverage or liquid
medical uses by mixture with suitable
'denaturng materials. The bill provides for
the establishment OF central denaturipg
bonded warehouses other than those at
distilleries. to which alcohol of the required
proof may be transferred from distilleries
or distiilery bonded warehouses without
payment Of the internal revenue tax.
Speeches on the bill were made by Rep
reseptative Marshall. North Dakota; Mann
Illinois; Marlin, South Dakota, and Gros-
venor. Ohio.
The bill was passed without division.