St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1911-07-15
|VV|CK[|FFE
HASASCHEME.
Important Plan to Utilize
Canal Equipment.
Will Introduce a Bill in Con-
gress to That End.
Machinery Can be Used for
Draining Lands. Etc.
Important In Reclamation Or
River Improvement.

lllVCI 4AAAf Nv
Washington, D. c., July IL, 1911.
Representative Robert Wickine, OF
the Baton Rouge District, has intro
duced q bill, which, if passed, VIII
greatly advance the water and narDor
;n,nrovements in the United States.
The bill is lengthy, but the substance
OF it it to provide for the proper
utilization of the equipment USED ID
the construction of the Panama
Canal. after it has been compieteo,
for the Improvement of the rivers
and harbors, for the construction "
works in reclamation, drainage anu
irrigation projects, and for the con-
struction and improvement OF puDhc
highways in the United states.
s.The idea of utilization OF Ihe
splendid equipment now on the fa
mama Canal Zone explained Mr.
Wickliffe tonight, .in improving our
waterways and in reclamation anu
other great national projects In tne
United States, occurred to me last
summer while touring my district.
white the measure is national in lts
scope. and no sectional, since by lts
terms the equipment becomes await
able for use in all parts of the Union,
where waterways Improvement IS
authorized by Congress, or drainage
reclamation or irrigation projects are
entered upon by national authority,
| I have often been impressed with the
sriendid possibilities which the State
Iof Louisiana affords for the utilfza-
Ition OF such equipment in the I'M
| movement Of the splendid waterways
within her borders, the reclamation
i and drainage of her swamp or over
flowed lands and the construction
and Improvement of her highways.
During my visit to the Canal
Zone last November / was further
| impressed with my idea of utilizing
the vast equipment in this way, and
/ I found that the machinery was far
more durable than ! had supposed,
| even some Of the old French outfit
being still in uses while quantities
4 of the very latest and most inn
proved machinery on every side DEM
| onstrated to my mind beyond doubt
| that il the legislation could be had
to secure this vast equipment for
use in the various states, the prob
lcm of how to secure good roads,
more nayigable waterways, better
and cheaper levees and drainage and
/ reclamation of low lands, would be
| largely solved.
The government has expended
from 1904, when it commenced work
on the canal, down to June 80, 1910,
1 the sum of approximately $40 ,000,-
equipment for this purpose. While
there are no figures available show
ing the amount purchased during
the fiscal year ending June 80. 1911,
it is safe to say that fully $3.300,000
or one-sixth Of the first sum, should
be added thereto in computing the
total amount to date. In addition
to the above should be added the
value OF such of the French equip
nlent as became available for use
to the American constructors, say
fully million dollars, thus making a
total amount of nearly $25. 900 900.
/ 'The equipment of the Canal Zone,
as shown by the Isthmian Canal Com
missions records on May /, 1911,
includes, among other things, 315
| locomotives, $50 drills, 4,346 cars
4 Including steel dumps, ballast
dumps, wooden dump sand and many
other kinds, for moving dirst, etc.
4 % spreaders, 10 trackshifters, so
unloaders. 19 piles drivers, 30
dredges, 81 cranes, IL tugs, II
clapets, 20 barges, lighters and
sccws, IA launches and many other
itams too numerous to mention here
Think what this gigantic outfit could
do along the lines called for in my
! bill, when properly distributed on
these improvements in the United
: States. Large amounts of the money
: appropriated in our rivers and har
bors bills for waterway improvement
r are expended for equipment, where
: as under the measure have pro
/, posed, all necessary equipment will
/, b. fully supplied, thus enabling ou
t engineers to expend the full amour
l appropriated on the actual work q
: Improvement
a The amount of equipment tina
4 would become available under th
: measure | propose would be SO vas
as to enable the secretary of way Il
r award large part thereof TO TN
: respective states as directed by sec
d tions and 10 of the bill. wbic
q would thus make such equipment {
t awarded available under the stat
7 control, for use on our public road,
( IN our levee and drainage district
ana local reclamation projects.
J. seems to me that 1t would be "a
better TO enact the legislation / hay
d proposed than to permit all of thi
}, magnificent outfit OF equipment. IN
g mediately after the canal is finishee
To be sold at private noncompetiiiy
s sale, as old junk, and for me,
i pittance and tfns lose this splendj
g opportunity which should appeal
IA waterway. reclamation. tlrainap
Y road and levee improvement whie
Y Wouid mark new era III prograssiy
internal improvement ], ~