New Britain herald., 1916-01-18
OPEN CONNECTICUT
 ABOVE HARTFORD
Favorable Report on Government
 Survey Transmitted to House
Especial to the Herald )

Especial to the Herald.) .}e Washington, Jan. 1S.-The Secre- tary of War yesterday transmitted to the House the report of Major G. E. Pillsbury, U. s. Army Engineer in charge of river and harbor improve ments in New England, on the re- suit of a survey authorized by an Act approved March 4, 1913 of the Con- necticut River above Hartford.
 100 Foot Channel.
 Numerous plans for the improve ment of the reach under consideration have been presented in reports refer red to by the district officer. The last one was submitted in 1910 to the Sixty first Congress recommended the improvement of the river by the Fed eral government under a project pro- viding for channel : feet deep and 100 feet wide at an established cost of $1, 1,O1 5, 500. No action by congress has ever been taken on that report. A bill, however, was introduced last month by Representative Treadway, of Massachusetts and in now pending before the river and harbor commit tee of the House, to carry out tie recommendations of the district off, cer at that time.
 Aid to Business.
 The report shows that the popula- tion of the territory directly affected by the proposed improvement ex- ceeds 20O,000 The total freight tonnage is given as 2,977,90O tons the principal commodity being coal What part of this commerce would be carried by water if adequate ia cilities were provided is speculative, but the district officer believes it would amount to as much as 100000 tons annually and would effect a saving of from $20O,000 to $30O,0OO a year, with a prospect of this amount being increased if the communities adjacent continue to grow.
 The district officer discusses the question of the proper depth to be provided to meet the probable de- mands of commerce and, for reasons given, concludes that it should be 7 feet and the width generally 100 feet so as to accommodate the vessels to be used on the enlarged Erie Canal and to permit such vessels as now go to Hartford to to proceed to points on the river above without breaking bulk
 Canal Plan Better
 Plans with estimates are presented for improving the reach between Hartford and Enfield Rapids both for open-channel improvement and bv equalization by means of one look and dam located 1 F miles above Hartford bridge, the respective estimates being S2,o3O, ,OO0 and s1,405,0O0 with s45 o0o and $4O,000 per annum for main tainence due to the lower cost of con- struction and maintenance and an ,c- count of other advantages. the district officer is of opinion that the cana1iza tlon plan is the better
 In the upper reach the noo1 fo,,,,,os oE the Ehheld dam gives generally q greater depth than proposed, and tbe only work required is some dredoinr and rock excavation. estimated to cost $465,000 and 5000 annually for maintenance
 Cost $2,OOO,OoO. To complete the improvement ard make It of value to navigation. as well as to water power interests will require new lock and dam at End field rapids. It appears that priyate interests are ready to provide these structures without cost to the United states Tor the use of the power de- Feloped if the necessary authority is given. Plans are presented for a dam and lock having a chamber 31o by 4o feet in horizontal dimensions estimated to cost $2,OSOOOO and s1o Oo0 per annum for maintenance and operation. The cost of the improva. ment to the United States will there fore be S1, ,S70, ,000, if the United States constructs the dam and lock in addi- tion to the work required above and below. Maintenance and operation would amount to s65, 900 per year.
 The amount of water power that may be expected from the develop ment in excess of that now used by- the mills is computed by the district officer, on the basis of a $3O,OOO horse power plant, at about 13,333 horsepower, which he states would have leasing value estimated at $100.o00. or S7.50 per horse power per annum.
 1,N J. J.rt,,; t11IA