Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-02
WILL RENEW FIGHT FOR
RIVER APPROPRIATION
Congressman Montague Accepts In
vitation to Meet Chamber
Committee.
SAYS POLICY is sHORTsIGHTED
Government Has Gone to Great En-
nenSe to Provide Twenty-FOOt
Channel Only Part of Way to
Richmond, He Says.

Representative y. j. Montague. of
the Third Virginia District will re-
new his efforts when Congress recon
Vcncs in December to secure the pas
sage of direct appropriation for fur
thcr Improvement of the James River.
Mr. Montague said last night that
100000 or 100000 should he made
available next year for completing a
twcnty-foot channel from City Point
to Richmond. making the depth uni
form to this city, and ne proposes to
urge this idea before the Rivers and
iarbors Committee.
y channel of twenty-five feet all
the way TO Richmond is what has been
planned under the original speciiica-
! lions OF the army engineers, but Mr..
Montague says that can be taken up
after Congress hos authorized the use
of sufficient funds to make the depth
uniform at twenty feet. At present
the channel from City Point to Rich
mond is eighteen feet and from the
former port to Tidewatcr it is twenty.
The Congressman calls attention to
the impracticability of having fair
depth three,fo"rths of the way up the
river and then only eighteen feet to
the terminus of navigation.
SHORT-SIGHTED POLICY
SAYS CONGRESSMAN MONTAGUE
More than 30 per cent Of the river
traffic comes TO Richmond" said Mr.
Montague. and I consider il short
sighted policy to have the channel only
eighteen feet from City Point TO this
city. Army engineers oppose a fur
Their expenditure of money on improv-
ing the James on the ground that
the river traffic docs not warrant IT
think 1t is true that most OF the
steamers now coming to Richmond
have moderate draft. bu, larger
boats will certainly take advantage
OF twcnty-foOt channel"
Mr.. MONTAGUE has accented an in
vitation from President w T. Reed of
tho Chamber Of Commerce.. to attend
a conference next Wednesday,. when
the James River Improvement Com
mtttce of the Chamber will discuss
with Senator Martin. Senator swan
son, Congressman Montague and army
engineers tho necessity for securing
additional arpronria lions to carry out
tho original plan for dredging the
James To a uniform depth Of twenty
two feet.
The difficulty Of securing the pas
sage Of Legislation along this line is
not minimiZcd by Congressman Monta-
que in view OF the opposition Of the
army engineers and the treasury de-
felt tho country is facing. Novcrthe-
less. he said. II propose to wage tho
light to the utmost Of my ability. and.
If 1t Is possible, we expect to get the
lappropria ton"
APPROPRIATIONS PASSED HOUSE
TO MEET DEATH IN SENATE
In 1911. Mr. Montague secured an
appropriation of 100000 for improve
mcnts on the James. after the commit
To" had recommended only $4,000. The
measure passed the House but was
defeated in tho Senate.
The Congressman said he had no in
tcntion of critici2inc the Senate but
merely called attention to the fact
At the session of Congress. which adj
1ourncd March last army engineers
opposed any appropriation. however
small, but the Rivers and Harbors
: Committee recommended the cxpcndi-
ture Of 100000 on the project This
passed the House, but was defeated in
the Senate and the bill. as passed.
carried no specific appropriation for
authorizing the engineers to expend
as much as 10000 from an unalIotted
appropriation carried in the bill
Mr.. Montague was not i'm a position
TO say wha; disposition had been made
rf this fund. He took the position
that great deal of the money al
ready appropriated br Congress had
! been wasted by reason of the fact that
not sufficient funds had been provided
to keep the dredging plant in proper
shape.
The plan OF the Congressman Is to
have specific legislation asSed for i'm
proving the James River. and not to
leave the expenditures optional with
orally inclined to favor such appro-
pr!ations
MENTuEp nDOD cuhAhssDv