The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-02-11
TO IMPROVE CONGAREE RIVER,
WAR DEPARTMENT WOULD
SPEND 100000 TO SECURE
RESULTS.
IL Columbia Will Provide Proper Ter
minal Facilities, Federal Govern
ment Is Pretty Sure to DO tho Rest
for Navigation.
Correspondence Of state.

Of state.
Washington. Feb. 5.-That big
things are in sight for the CONNER
cial development of the city of CO.
lumbia by means of better navigation
of the COngaree river. as already in
dicated i'm this correspondence, began
to appear a reality here today when
the secretary of war sent to congress
II communication recommending that
100000 be at once appropriated by
congress for the development of this
river,
For some time there have been
steady rumors here that something
OF the kind was on hand. but the war
department officials persistently re-
fused to tell what ii was or give any
information bearing on the matter.
Representative Lever was equally re-
ticent, satisfying himself with the
statement that there was something
good i'm sight for Columbia, but that
nothing could be divulged until the
official report of the war department
had been made public.
When Secretary Garrison sent i'm
this report today and it was laid ON
Speaker Clark's desk, Mr.. Lever was
sought by the States correspondent
and asked for "a statement regarding
the matter. He replied that for
many years--in fact. since his entry
into cOngress--hc has been deeply in
terested in river and harbor work i'm
South Carolina. and especially in the
development of the Congaree and the
EdistO rivers. these being the largest
navigable streams in the Seventh dis
trict.
so far az the work of developing
the COngarce H. concerned" Mr..
Lever said. 1T is extremely crafty
ing to me that the war department
has seen tit to send this report i'm
and TO make the recommendation for
the expenditure of SO large an amount
OF money for the purpose indicated.
Rcvctment work as well as that of
more general navigation is something
badly needed for the Congaree. The
mean anything else but great COM
mercial development for the city OF
Columbia and that, naturally, is espe-
cially gratifying to me-
The report mentioned is quite
voluminious, but the point to the sit
uation is told in the following, which
was made by the chief of engineers.
Col. Dan Kingman. to Secretary Gar
rison and by the latter sent to con-
gress:
THE board. therefore. recommends
an appropriation OF 100000 for the
COngaree river of South Carolina for
maintenance ~ four-foOt navigable
channel by dredging, assisted by reg
uid'ioH WoThS III necessary SUBJECT 10
the following conditions:
THAT the expenditure OF the ap-
preparation herein recommended be
made contingent upon ii suitable con-
nection being made between the Co
lumbia canal and the pool i'm the Con-
garce river above the dam and lock,
whereby the river boats can be raised
above the level of the river and placed
on general level with the city
streets. and also upon the establish
mcnt along the line Of this canal of
suitable public terminals. open to all,
on equal terms. and connected to the
streets of the city by adequate public
highways and to the existing railways
by spur tracks, all without cost to
the United states. the plans for the
canal connection and the location and
construction OF terminals to be sub
ject TO the approval OF the chief OF
engineers and of the secretary of
war
Successful Everywhere.