The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-01-27
RIVER FUND NEEDED
APPRoPHiArIoN FOR THE ALA
 BAMA WILL BE INADEQUATE.
Hop for Jetty work Lies in Possibility of Donation from the Emer-
 gency Fund.

The appropriation for the Alabama River this spring will probably be too inadequate to allow for permanent irn- provement, such as the building of jetties to prevent shoaling. only the necessary work of dredging the river indications, unless unusual pressure IS brought to bear on the Congressional Ways and Means Committee.
 In Captain Ferguson's last report to the chief of engineers he asks for an appropriation of 32o0.000 for two years, fully one-half of which must goi to continue the work of river contrac- dfpper dredge and the new suction dredge that Is now nearly completed, and will be ready for use during the spring.
 Captain Ferguson will have on hand, after making the last payment for the suction dredge, only about s40,0Oo. This will be sufficient to carry on the dredging for about three months. even should no appropriation at all be made.
 With the use of the new dredge which will dig up 5000 cubic yards of sand a day. ten times as much as the antiquated dipper dredge. the present force assigned to the Alabama River will be able to maintain a passage way between here and Mobile throughout the summer. Previously. they were only able to keep the river clear be- tween Mobile and Selma. open for na- vigation.
 If Congress does not appropriate enough to carry on the jetty work, 1t will only make the task of permaI nently improving the river all the more expensive, for the cost is cumulative. Chairman Burton has already an- nounced that there is insufficient time, fn ha sidering a regular river and harbor bill This bill would appropriate $2o0.- 900, enough for two years. for the Ala bama River, were 1t to go through, as it provides that all work now being done shall be continued. and indicates that new work be performed. There Is a slight possibility that Chairman Bur ton will allow a minor river and har- Der bill granting to the Alabama River and other specific streams. enough to maintain all improvements and operate the entire government plant for one yeaE should this bill pass, this river would get $100.o0o. adequate fer all work permanent, as well as temporary. for one year only.
 Solution of DimcuIty.
 Still, even if this does not pass, there is a partial solution of the difficulty, in that the chief engineer has commit ted himself to donating from an emer- gency fund, which Congress usually allows in the absence of no specific appropriation, some s50.000 for the Alabama River. This is enough to maintain the dredges and also to al- low surveys. This. added to the e40.000 which will remain from the appropria- tion in 1907. will also enable some of the jetty work to go on, should the local officials decide that 1t was not necessary to maintain a surplus in case of exigency,
 The appropriation for the Coosa River and also for the Chattahooche River, are, of course, in similar pre- dicament. Captain Ferguson. in his rer port, requests t100,000 for the former and $230.000 for the latter.
 It is extremely probable that these rivers will be allotted the amounts re- Quired and that the chief of engineers will have to allow a portion of the emergency fund for them as may be necessary for the Alabama.