Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-03-24
THlRTY-FIVE FEET OF
WATER TO CAPE HENRY
Amended Measure Goes TO Confer
ence committee Of House and Sen
ate and Senator Martin VIII De
Member Ct That COMMUNICATIONS
mel TO Norfolk, Too.

After all IL looks as though ms
congress will appropriate the neceS-
sary money for the construction OF
thirty-five foot straight channel acrpas
the Middle Ground bar from this port
to Old Point Provision already mas
been made for the building OF a thiity-
Ave foot channel across the Thimbie
Shoal bar. thus giving channel vi
thirty-five feet depth from Newport
News TO the Atlantic.
In Il special bulletin issued soon AZ
ter congress convened. the war de-
partment recommended the consruc-
ton of such channels as outlined
above as we'll as a channel TO Norfolk
The house committee on rivers ana
harbors considered the matter. and
delegation from this city and Norfolk
appeared before the committee to al
vocate the proposition. In spite Oh
this. the committee returned the
rivers and harbors bill without che
new channel leading TO this port ana
the new channel leading to Norfolk.
Provision was made for the channel
across the Thimble Shoal bar and for
some improvements TO Norfolk har-
Dor
Senator Martins Amendment.
The house passed the bill in ms
form and the measure went To the
senate. IL was referred by that body
TO the senate commerce committee
and Senator Thomas S. Martin sue
ceeded In getting the committee 10
adopt mis- amendment. appropriatinS
5000, O00 for the Improvement of Nor
folk harbor and the building of n thir-
ty-foot channel from Newport News
10 Old Point The amendment is as
follows:
improving Norfolk's harbor and
the approaches thereto and the chan
mel to Newport News with view 10
obtaining a depth of thirty-five feet
OF water from the navy yard TO sea.
an increased depth In the southern
brach of the Elizabeth river. above
the navy yard, and a thirty i've foot
channel between Newport News ana
Old Point in accordance with the re-
ports and recommendations submitted
In house documents numbered $50
and 55i. Sixty-frst Congress. second
session, six hundred thousand dol
lars"
Il have not any doubt that the In
creases will be found in the rivers
and harbors bill when II becomes
law" said Senator Martin in discuss
ing his amendment. Il will be APP
pointed member OF the committee
of conference on the bill and | shall
try to see that the amendments are
taken care of.
Surveys Already Made.
Surveys for the channel at this por'
already have been made in accord
ance with n resolution adopted at the
first session CT the Sixty-iirst congress
and oGe.ed by Senator Martin. Al
the amendment goes through work on
the channel will be started this year
and will be completed as soon as
practicable.
The new and straight channel will
save vessels considerable time both
on the inward and outward voyages
and. as the channel VIII be- directly IN
rbe path Of the tide il will be kept
open. The present channel is con-
tinually being filed with sedimnet
from the Nansemond river AMI at low
water there is less than 90 feet of
water in T. The result is that YES
sells sometimes are delayed here sew
eral hours waiting for high tide in or
der 10 &c, out Of port.
After the channel is completed. the
~our oac hnovc nil H. TRANSFORMED 10
II and the old channe, will be aban-