The chronicle=news., 1914-08-25
WAR EFFECTS
TRAFFIC Of
RAILROADS

Washington, Aug. 25.-The War
OF the Nations is not only causing
the closing down OF factories in the
United States by shutting off the i'm
portation of material from Europe.
but Is also causing the dismissal of
hundreds of railway employees.
the railroads running out of Jersey
City shows such an enormous falling
off that the railroads are compelled
to make wholesale discharges in
their operating forces.
| To make bad matter worse. mil
lions OF dollars worth OF property
are being hung up and thousands Of
men thrown out OF employment be-
cause OF the failure Of congress to
pass the river and harbor bill.
According to the army engineers
having river and harbor work in
charge, work on 1876 projects has
either been suspended already or will
be suspended by September Is. be-
cause of the failure OF congress to
make the needed appropriations.
In a memorandum submitted to
Chairman Sparkman OF the rivers
and harbors committee of the house.
the chief of engineers. in calling at
tention OF congress to the pressing
necessity for appropriations to carry
on river and harbor work, said: "Ev-
cry effort has been made to keep the
estimates down to the amounts ac-
tually needed to permit of economi-
cal prosecution Of the works adopt
ed by congress and, by reason Of the
regular passage in the past four years
Of rivers and harbors acts. confidence
that this policy would be continued
has been gradually acquired: and not
only the engineers department. but
contractors engaged in furnishing
materials or doing work under the
department have acquired the same
confidence and have made their plans
accordingly. The suspension Of
work results not only in positive loss
OF time and possible Interference
with navigation, but seriously hand
leaps and greatly adds to the cost of
future work by the disorganization
OF working forces, and the effect
which it has upon the confidence of
contractors supplying materials"
Among the many important pro-
jects that are seriously affected
through the failure of congress to
pass the river and harbor bill. are
the Mississippi river from its mouth
to Minneapolis: the Columbia river
at its mouth: the Delaware river be-
tween Philadelphia and the sea; the
,fnh to
of the Erie barge canal: Mobile bay
channel from the Gulf of Mexico to
the city of Mobile; Black Warrior
river, locks and dams; Boston har-
bor. Massachusetts, 35-foot channel:
Ohio river, locks and dams.
1t is stated at the war department
that millions of dollars worth of ma
chinery will shortly become idle on
the Mississippi river because Of lack
of appropriations to carry on the
work of revetment. etc. But while
1.-The loss OF time will be seriously felt
| In completing the Mississippi river
project, the greatest loss will fall
upon contractors who, believing that
the river and harbor bill would be-
come a law by June 80. have gath
cred great quantities of willow
brush which is used in making the
mattresses used in revetment work.
This brush. lying along the river and
exposed to the sun, will soon lose its
resiliency and become perfectly use
less for mattress construction.
Having been "stung" once the con-
tractor will hardly prepare his mate
rial again in advance of contract,
with the result that work on the
Mississippi river next year will be
greatly retarded. The working sea-
son on the Mississippi is also neces-
sarily limited. as the high waters do
not recede generally before June. and
consequently, the period for active
work Is considerably shortened.
On the 35-foot project on the Del
aware river between the sea and
Philadelphia, two or three govern
ment dredges are constantly at work.
together with dredges owned by pri-
- Ill