The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1914-02-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.


Announcement mas been made by the
House Rivers and Harbors Committee
that the forthcoming River and Harbor
Bill will contain provision for the pur-
chase of the Chesapeake and Delaware
Canal The announcement shows that
the committee has agreed not to appro
PIRATE more than 81, 3oo, 900 for TIL. pur-
chase Of the canal. The Covington bill
asked an authorization for the payment
OF as much as So, 500, 900 for the canal
property, but the committee felt that
that authorization would be grester than
the value of the property.
The army engineers, in their final re-
port to Congress, recommended that
total of $S.ooo.ooo be appropriated to buy
the canal and improve it for navigation.
Their recommendations include II foot
depth and oo-foot bottom width. 1t is to
be sealevel waterway The canal now
has three locks 1t is only 9 feet deep
and SO feet wide at the bottom. The first
thing the Government will do after it
gets the canal will be to strip from il its
ltollgates. making it free waterway. 70
make the PROPOSED improvements the
army engineers estimate that it will re-
qnire $4,000. 900. The bill contains no
estimate Of the total cost of the project.
The purchase of the Chesapeake and
Delaware Canal by the government will
mark the most important step yet taken
for the proposed Atlantic deeper water.
way series of inland waterway links paral.
telling the Atlantic Coast. After the
canal has been bought the governme nj
will make the necessary appropriations
for the deepening and widening of the
canal, which will be operated free ef tolls.
Several years ago the government au-
thorized, in like manner, the purchase OF
the Chesapeake and Albemarle Canal
which connects Norfolk with the waters
of the North Carolina Sounds. This
canal has been brought.
~
The National capital Thursday i3ined
in the National celebration Of the Io5,h
ANNIVERSARY of the birth of Abraham
Lincoln. The celebration was naked BY
the breaking of ground in West Potomac
Park for the construction of a marble
memorial to the martyred President.
which when completed is to cost $2, 900,
900.
This was the last Lircoln's birthday
which will see standing two of the most
historic OF the landmarks connected with
the life and death of the great emanci-
Ipator. They are Ford's theatre, where
Lincoln was assassinated, and the Lip
colu Toyshop," where Lincoln with bis
little son, Tad, sought relief from the
cares of the Civil War in play with lead
lsoldiers.
~
/ The express company lobby is still at
work in Congress trying to kill the par
eel post. With the assistance of reac,
tionary democrats and similar stripe OF
Republicans in the Senate, it is pla aned
70 Impose restrictions on the system by
lacking an amendment on the postofice
appropriations bill prohibiting changes in
rates or weight limits in the parcel post
service without action by Congress.
i Under existing law the Postmaster
General has the right to reduce rates and
to increase the weight limits if be obtains
the app oval Of the interstate commerce
commission.
The provision would tie the hands OF
the Postmaster General. The purpose is
declared to be to give the express COM
paniss an opportunity 10 cut under the
parcel post rates wherever such reduc-
tions would be profitable That would
be to give the express companies control
of all profitable business.