The Republican journal., 1915-01-07
Our Washington Letter.
Correspondence of The Journal

WASHINGTON, ID. e., Jan. a, 1919. Inc
story of Maine affairs at Washington is
not long on details these opening days OF
the new year. Congress is not giving
much attention to local matters this win
ter: Maine, as we'll as other States, is
getting what may come in the way of
appropriations. but these ere not large,
for the Democratic administration is
practicing economy.
Senator BurIeigh remained in Wash
ington over the Christmas holidays and
has been devoting his time to his desk in
the office building, where he handles his
correspondence from Maine, and to the
the daily meetings of the Senate. He
and Representative Kinds were the only
members of the Maine delegation who
did not return to their homes in Maine
for few days. Representatives Guern-
sey and Peters are still tarrying at home.
and as the report is brought here, pro-
posed to visit Augusta in the opening
days of the legislature and meet with
their Republican friends from various
parts of the Pine Tree State.
Senator Burleigh is hopeful that Con-
gress will dispose of the essential bust
ness before it and adjourn for good by
March 4th. He thinks an extra session
in the spring would be unwise. While
he is not engaged in helping the Demo
Gratis along, politically, Senator Burleigh
argues that business throughout the
country would be better off if the Demo-
cratic Congress would take long rest.
And for that reason he is doing all he
can in the upper legislative branch" to
expedite business here and help the
Democratic Senators out of their bad
legislative tangles.
The Senator says it will be close
pinch for the appropriation bills to pass
at this session. but he believes the Sen
ate will settle down to its work little
closer very soon and that better progress
may be looked for sooner. Senator Bur-
leigh is cooperating with other New
England Republicans in this attitude.
They feel as though it is public duty to
do everything they can that will help a
revival of business by spring.
A number of items with reference to
the coast of Maine are developing as the
session of Congress advances. For ex-
ample, there are eleven projects for sur
vey on the coast of Maine in the Rivers
and Harbors bill, which is to be consid-
cred in the House of Representatives
shortly. Several of these were placed
on the bill through the insstence of
Senator Burleigh. All will probably be
authorized and rivers and harbors en-
gineers will be spending considerable
time in Maine next summer determining
whether Congress ought to vote money
to dredge and improve these localities
The eleven surveys asked for are:
Jonesport Harbor, including Moosabec
Bar; Monhegan Harbor, Mount OF Cape
Neddick river at York, York Harbor,
Machias River, South Bristol Harbor,
Isle au Haut Harbor, Hendricks Har-
Dor and Portland Harbor, including the
obstruction known as Witch Rock. Colts
Island Channel and Belfast Harbor.
Secretary of Commerce Redfield in a
recent report to Congress comments in
cidentally on discoveries during the past
summer regarding the bottom of Port
land orhrr H. lie Lor L.
lively new apparatus, known as the wire.
drag, has been used at Portland '|during
the open season of 1914" The officer
in charge of the work at Portland, ac-
cording to Secretary Redfeld, states
that the wire drag has demonstrated this
about Portland harbor:
''That number of submerged ridges
lies almost across the track of vessels
entering the harbor.
''That the depths on these ridges are
unequal. many of the higher knobs con-
shutting dangers to deep draft vessels.
Commenting further on the wire drag
in surveying work Secretary Redfeld
adds: ''lt. appears from the record of
this work at Portland that it is now pos
sible to select safe channel for the
deepest draft vessels and certain chan
nels which were being considered for i'm
provement have been proved unsuitable,
and harbor improvements may now be
considered with full knowledge of the
condition of approaches. The nature of
the bottom of Portland harbor is now
for the first time accurately known.
Prohibition advocates in Maine have
not contented themselves with flooding
members of the House from that State
with petitions for an amendment to the
Constitution. They have anticipated the
fight to be made for the amendment in
the Senate and sent a great number Of
petitions there. A recent list of these
petitions presented by Senator Burleigh
demonstrates the activity of the Maine
''drys":
Citizens of Rockland, BiddefQrd, Ken.
ne bunk, Mattawamkeag, .Lubec, Madi-
son, Lewiston, Wilton and Jay; Good
Templar lodges at Bangor, Jay, St.
Crow Kannchunlr and Mattawamk eap