The Washington herald., 1909-02-20
RIVERS BILL IS FILED
National Waterways Commits
sion Is Recommended.
APPROPRIATIONS $9,5OO,OOO
Measures Include Mostly Emergency
AIIOwance-ImpOrt Provisions
Affecting the Great Lakes-Msny
Maryland and Virginia Items Are
Incorporated In the Bill.

4 national waterways commission. TO
be composed Of seven members Of the
House and five members II the Senate is
created in the river and harbor bill which
was reported 10 the House yesterday.
The commission is instructed to make
investigations and report the needs Of
navigation 70 Congress. For surveys OF
various river and harbor improvements.
and for emergency purposes the bill car
ries approximately g, ,500,000.
Senator Hale created something Of a
stir by an announcement, made In the
Senate. that the bill would not become a
law az this session. This is interpreted TO
mean that the measure will be talked TO
death, II necessary.
Work on Great Lakes.
Several important provisions affecting
the waters Of the Great Lakes are IN
cluded In the measure. One OF them re-
quests the President % enter into nego-
tiations with Great Britain for the pur-
pose Of effectuaily providing by suitable
treaty arrangements 10 maintain ample
water levels for the uses Of navigation
ters.
Another contemplates the acquisition by
the government Of all private property IN
the St MaTys River. Mich. between the
present public works and the boundary
line
Various surveys are authorized, among
them one with a view 10 providing a
channel. not less than 200 feet in width
and twelve feet in depth, on the Upper
Hudson, from deep water in the lower
river 10 Waterford, including a lock and
dam at Troy suitable in size for all prob
able purposes Of navigation and COM
merce 10 and from the State barge canal.
Allows Navigation by Night.
Permission is given under the bill. in
accordance with regulations 10 be pre-
scribed By the Secretary OF War. for
navigation by night as well as during the
day OF that section OF Ambrose Channel
which IS now being improved under the
I provisions Of former river and harbor
acts.
The authorization for the improvement
OF the PatapscO River and channel 70 Bal
timore, contained in the river and harbo-
/ act OF 1876. Is eALElQeQ so as 10 iLClIQB
the widening Of the channel in the Fort
Mcpherson division. In the vicinity OF It's
/ intersection with the channel leading TO
I Curtis Bay, so as 10 provide az the most
( practicable point an additional width Of
GO feet for a distance Of about 300 feet.
Virginia improvements.
The following improvements are pro-
vided for Virginia:
I Dymers Creek. with a view 10 increas-
/ ing the depth over the bar at the entrance
/ TO fifteen feet: ChlncOteague Inlet: Mat
I tox Creek, with a view 10 increasing the
/ depth over the bar az OF near its mouth;
7 MattapOni River; TOtUskey River. from
( deep water IN Rappahannock River 10 the
I bridge about FIVE miles above its mouth
/ NansemOnd River, from Hampton Roads
( 20 Suffolk. with a view 10 widening and
Strengthening the channel and deepening
( the same 10 twenty-five feet; Norfolk
/ HarbOr and the approaches thereto, with
view 10 obtaining a suitable depth and
width from deep water in Hampton Roads
via Elizabeth River and the Southern
/ Branch 70 the navy yard; also between
/ Lamberts Point and Primers Point. with
a view 20 providing additional anchorage
area abreast OF and above LsmbeTts
I Point; also the Southern Branch Of the
! Elizabeth River above the navy yard.