Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-01-09
Local People Well Pleased With
Committees Attitude.
FAVORABLE REPORT MADE
Army Engineers Recommend That
Hampton Road Ports be Given 3s-
foot Channels and Submit Three
Propositions for improving Route.

upon JnciT return 10 tuiS CIT. ySo-
terday morning from Washington. the
members OF the delegation which APP
peared before the rivers and harbors
committee of congress Friday TO pre-
sent Newport News claims in the
matter OF the construction of 35-foot
channel from Cape Henry TO Sewalrs
Point and branch channels to this port
and Norfolk, were very hopeful as 10
the result of the conference and they
express the belief that the necessary
appropriation for the channels Will be
recommended TO congress.
Although well pleased with the re-
ception accorded them by the commit
tee, the local representatives are par
ticularly gratified with the report of
the army engineering board to the
committee relative TO the proposed
channels Besides recommending the
construction OF the main channel. the
board submitted three propositions
for improving the channel TO this mar
Dor. The most practical of there, and
the one most likely to be accepted, is
the cutting of straight channel from
this port to Hampton Roads across
the Middle Ground bar. The chan
mel on the OUTER edge of the bar Is
filed up every year or SO with the
deposits coming down the Nansemond
river and Is long and circuitous. The
straight channel will be kept open
By the natural current of James
river and would save vessels several
miles in making the outward or In
ward trip.
Will Cost s4e5, 200.
II Is estimated that the cost Of the
straight cut would be $i65, GOO. The
present channel has to be dredged
out every two years or more and, IN
the opinion OF local shipping men, is
wholly inadequate for the needs OF
the port.
Realizing that the committee could
give but short time, the representa-
tives from this city and Norfolk held
a conference while going to Wash
ington on the steamer and it was de-
cided to call upon Congressman W.
A. Jones and Harry l.. Maynard to
discuss plans. The delegates met
with the congressman Friday morning
and it was decided to let President
W. n. Bouteli, CT the Virginia Pilots
Association, present the claims OF the
Tidewater cities.
The combined delegation with Con-
gresham Jones appeared before the
committee at 2:30 O'Clock and through
President Boutell laid the proposition
before il. with data showing the i'm
portance of the proposed channels,
both to this city and Norfolk. Con-
gresham Jones also spoke on behalf
of the project and the local represen-
tatives say that it could be readily
seen that the committeeman were I'M
pressed.
While the hearing was In progress.
one OF the congressman brought up
the fact that Newport News has q
population CT only 10000. The local
representatives quickly impressed the
with the enormous
amount OF commerce carried on at
this port and with the fact that New
port News has the greatest shipbuild-
ing plant in the United states. The
local delegation informed him that
the value of the foreign and domes-
tic comms rec carried on at this port
is nearly $50 100000 a year.
After giving their visitors an hours
hearing, requesting that the data pre-
sented be left with them. this re-
quest was taken to mean that they
viii rport favoFably On the PROPOSE
ton.
The Norfolk and Portsmouth dele
CATION was composed Of President
Boutell, d Lawrence Groner and Mr.
Davis. while the local delegation was
composed OF A. !. HOPKINS. J. E. B.
Stuart, Z. I. Ford, II. r. Parker. W.
z. Cottreli. John 3. Kimberly and
Frank r. Carly.