The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-21
IMPROVEMENT OF
 ALABAMA RIVERS Chief of Engineers Gives Re-
 port for the Year COMMERCE IS IMPORTANT Traffic on the Several Rivers of Ala bama Amounts to Millions in
 Year and a Great Deal of
 Money Will Be Used.
COMMERCE IS IMPORTANT

Washington, July 2O-(special)- )-capt. H. B. Ferguson, stationed at Montgom- cry, has submitted his report to the chief of engineers on the work of improving the Alabama rivers during the last fiscal year. Owing to the long delay in ln- stalling the new boilers the snagboat Twining did not commence work until November 1, 1907, and on November 22 work was stopped on account of high water On June F. 1908, work was re- sumed and hundreds of snags and over hanginh trees were removed. The dipper dredge removed large quantities of sand and gravel at various points, and jettles were built and repaired at number of points. Construction of 15-inch hy- draulic dredge was about 50 per cent completed at the close of the fiscal year. Captain Ferguson states that the most troublesome obstacles are at Hobbs isl- and, Gardners island, Evans lower bar MeGuire's bar and First bar above Selma. It is proposed to apply the avail able balance and the funds recommend ed as follows: Operating one suction dredge, $20.00O; one dipper dredge. $1O.000; one snagboat, s1000O; one tow boat, SlO,- GOO: building and repairing works of con- struction $50, 600; and repair and care of plant s10OoO Amount expended during the year for improvement and mainten- ance of improvement, $6o,00172; amount that can be profitably expended next year in addition to an unexpended bal ance of $194,SSS.1O on July l, s1OO,oOo.
 Captain Ferguson notes particularly that the commerce of the stream is inn portant, the freight of all descriptions for the calendar year of 1907 being estimated at 17,62S tons, valued at s1,765,OOo He adds "Very large quantities of sawn and hewn timber saw logs, cord wood etc, consisting of yellow pine, sycamore, cot tonwood, poplar and ash are barged and rafted down this stream to Mobile The total amount of this commerce from the Alabama, Tombigbee and Mobile rivers is reported at approximately S10,000 tons. valued at $5,9O3,914, of which it Is esti- mated that 40 per cent comes from the Alabama river. This falling off in freight carried from the amounts reported in previous years was largely due to short age of cotton crop and stringency of the money market"
 On the improvement of the Coosa river in Georgia and Alabama Captain Fergu son says that it is proposed to apply the 1 available balance and the funds recom mended to improve the channel between ! Rome, Ga. and Lock 4 as provided in the act of March 3, 1905, and to apply the additional appropriation recommended to the construction of an additional plant and the further improvement and main- tenace of the channel between Rome. Ga. and Lock 4, Alabama. From 1876 to the present little over $1 100000 has been appropriated for this project The traffic last year was valued at nearly $1,O00oOO
 On the Coosa river between Wetumpka and the East Tennessee. Virginia and Georgia railroad bridge, Captain Fergu- son makes the following recommenda- tions: The buildings at Lock 31 are de- teriorating rapidly for want of proper re- pairs and the property stored in them needs proper attention and care. There will be required for these repairs s2000. which should be provided. At present no 1 other work is recommended pending i decision as to the character and extent | of the further improvement of the Coosa river Should a new project for secur- | ing six-foot navigation in the Coosa ana i Alabama rivers be adopted funds should be made available for examinations Of lock sites, borings for foundations, dis charge measurements, gauge observa- tions and other necessary work prelimi- nary to actual construction.
 It is proposed to apply the additional appropriation recommended to the care and preservation of property at Lock 31 On this part of Coosa river there is small commerce in the rafting of logs and square timber, but this can be carried on only during the season when the river IS about F feet above low water, ana no reliable estimates of it's value can De
 obtained.
 The available balance July 1 was $27,- 41S. .29 Captain Ferguson thinks SlOO,OoO
 could be profitably expended next year,
 and estimates that about se,OOo0Oo will
 be required to complete the project.