The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-10-02

board is In general accord with views
OF the district officer and the division
engineer regarding the ACCESSIBILITY of
the proposed improvement, but it
believes that the lock chamber di-
mensions proposed should be in
creased from 80 feet wide by 125 feet
long to SO feet wide by $50 feet disable
length. The estimated cost of the
project, as thus modified, is $4,000
and $4,000 per annum for mainten-
ance. The board expresses the opin-
ION that the present and prospective
commerce is sufficient to justify the
United States in undertaking this
/ improvement
provided, That any land necessary
for the construction of the water
way shall be given to the United
States without charge; that interest
ed property owners shall agree to
protect the United States against
claims for damages on account of any
land that may be flooded: that local
interests gre satisfactory assurance
that they will provide for the use OF
the public suitable wharf and termi-
nal facilities in the vicinity of Lees
burg; and that that they will establish
and operate boat line over this
waterway which will be competitive
with the railroads and not subject to
control or purchase by railroad and
other corporate interests"
When the congress approves this
report and adopts this project upon
the basis of this report it writes into
law that provision and that condition.
The chief engineer continues:
After due consideration of the
aforementioned reports, / concur in
general with the views of the district
officer, the division engineer, and the
board of engineers for rivers and har-
bors, and therefore report that the
improvement by the United States of
Oklawaha river from it's mouth to
Lake Dora is deemed advisable to the
extent Of obtaining a channel feet
deep and 60 feet wide, in the manner
contemplated by the district officer,
and with locks of dimensions as pro-
posed by the district officer, and
with locks of dimensions as proposed
by the board of engineers for rivers
and HORRORS, at an estimated cost of
$4,000 for original construction and
$4,000 per annum for maintenance,
subject to the conditions of local CO.
operation recommended by the board
and quoted above. The frst appro-
priation should be $175,OOO. with sub
sequent appropriations sufficient to
complete the work in four years.
Mr.. Bryan. Mr. President
The Vice President. Does tho SEN
ator from Florida yield to mis- col
league?
Mr.. Fletcher | do.
Mr.. Bryan. I ask my colleague if
he has included in his remarks the
finding of the board of engineers in
their report in which it is stated that
the estimate of the district engineer
is that there will be saving of $780,
900 annually to the commerce on this
river?
Mr.. Fletcher. | have not included
that portion of the report in my re-
marks. | have simply referred to the
whole report, but I will be very glad
to recite that.
Mr.. Bryan. 1 will read it to the
senator 1t is one sentence:
The district officer believes that
conservative estimate of the saving
that would result from the improve
ment on a basis of 100000 tons of
commerce would be about 100000
annually.
The district engineers report says
that that amount of commercially
VVU COho-lo q fOAJ NOhoCA fotA'O %
innate.
Mr.. Kenyon. May l ask the SEN
ator what page of the report he is
reading?
Mr.. Bryan. Page 4 of the house
document No. 514, Sixty-third con-
gress, second session, in regard to the
Oklawaha river.
Mr.. Fletcher. I think that ought
to be specifically included in my re-
marks, Mr.. President. 1 will say that
the board of engineers, after going to
the locality and after personal investi-
CATION on the ground along this
waterway, approved the finding of the
district engineer.
Mr.. Kenyon. May l ask the SEN
ator a question?
Mr. Fletcher certainly