Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1913-01-01
WATERWAY MEN
To MEET At ONCE
RIVERS AND HARBORS CON-
MITTEE TO HOLD
SESSION.
DISCUSS APPROPRIATION
DURING DECEMBER COMMITTEES
HEARD REPORTS ON OHIO
AND MISSISSIPPI
RIVERS.

WASHINGTON, Dec. Sl.-Chair-
man sparkman will call meeting
OF the Rivers and Harbors Committee
Immediately upon the resumption OF
the session of the house, with a view
10 an agreement for an early report
on the annual bill making appropria-
ton for waterway improvements.
Consideration of the measure mas
not vet reached such stage as TO
indicate what will be the size OF the
bill. except that. from expressions
OF members OF the committee, IL VIII
nearly approximate the necessities
OF provision for continuing contracts
maintenance and outlays for such
public works as are obvious and I'M
perative importance in carrying Tor
ward the progressive policy adopted
by congress responsive to widespread
public opinion
Both the Rivers and Harbors COM
mittee Of the house and the Com
merce committee of the senate gave
hearings during the presence in
Washington of members of the Ma
tlonal Rivers and Harbors congress.
The work OF the two committees has
thus far been almost wholly given
10 these hearings. and but few more
hearings, at least by the house COM
mittee, will be had before the bill is
reported to the house. as II is planned
shall be done early In the remaining
days of the session.
During the meeting of the national
waterways association the first week
in December, delegations from that
organization were heard by the two
committees of congress on problems
affecting the larger inland water
ways, notably the Mississippi and
Ohio rivers.
In both Instances respecting these
two rivers. advocates Of improve
ments laid stress upon the desirable
ity and Importance O. ,'he fede al
government taking over the entire
scheme OF Improvement and aban-
doning the local cooperative prac-
sice on the Mississippi river, partc-
ularly in levee Improvements and on
the upper Ohio, at the junction of
the Allegheny and Monongahela riv-
ers. involving lock and dam construc-
ton and flood prevention projects
The hearing on the Mississippis 5
levee problem, disclosed that local
cooperation in leyee work had made
excellent progress up to the disas-
trous fool of early last summer,
the extent of the vast destructive
ness Of which convinced all interests
that the safest dependence to pre-
vent the recurrence OF these numer-
GUS disasters. is for the federal gov
ernment to be given complete control
OF the construction and care OF the
lcvees of the great water highway. It
was particularly emphasized that the
speediest possible improvement in ac-
cord with the policy was now more
than ever manifestly the most yitally
important OF all river projects, in
view OF the approaching completion
and opening to the commerce of the
world of the Panama Canal
The estimates from the engineers
OF the army for all river and harbor
Improvements call for the expendi-
ture OF about $44,00O,000 There
are millions more, already involved
in former recommendations At the
first meeting Of the Rivers and Har-
bors con mittce after the holidays an
effort will be- made looking TO an ad-
justment OF the difficulties indicat-
ed, and applying the amounts as far
as possible TO an equitable basis Of
distribution, keeping in mind always
the two considerations OF public
economy and the superior Importance
Of public works already projected or
commenced