The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-11-27
WATERWAY NINE FEET
DEEP TO MORGAN CITY
Continued from page one)

| Continued from page One)
Mr.. Alexander explained to the Wis
. itors the magnitude and purpose of
the reclamation system which has
been put into effect there, This
great field is now shipping 800 tons
of corn and other produce daily, and
it has no means Of reaching the
market, save by the canal.
Chairman Smalps Views.
During the trip Mr.. Small, chair
man of the committee was asked
what his opinion of the inland watr-
ways project and he said:
There are good many products
| to be moved to and from the section
between the Mississippi and the Sa-
| bine rivers, and -'.w Orleans pro-
vides local market for these pro-
ducts, or a distributing center. 1t
seems the section to be served by the
waterway is not served by railroads,
or at least only in part, and in some
of the territory no railroad will or
| can be built, and the waterways will
| constitute the primary means of
transportation. l believe the pro-
ject to, be meritorious, and it is an
improvement that should be made.
1.-THE first section to be construct
ed, in my opinion should be con-
structed, in my opinion should be
from Morgan City to Lake Salvador.
When this section is improved, and
develops large water traffic and
demonstrates is value, Congress then
will consider the completion by the
purchase of one Of the two existing
canals or the construction of a new
one.
ut is impossible to say at this
time whether any part of this plan
can be embodied in the next rivers
and harbors bill, on account of the
war, but l believe the committee will
be inclined to give consideration to
that section from Morgan City to
Lake Salvador.
1.-The proposed dimension of the
canal is an important element and
it seems to be the consensus of
opinion that the army engineers
should be advised the canal should
have minimum depth of it. with
bottom width of ninety feet and
surface width Of $50. The engineers
have reported in favor Of five-foot
depth, with bottom width Of forty
feet, and it will be necessary to OBJ.
t1in recommendation from the en-
Fgineers before Congress can author
ze the construction of waterway
Of greater dimension. 1t will be
more economical 10 construct wa
terway of large dimension at once,
than to construct one more limited
and subsequently to enlarge it. 1t
is probable that steps will be taken
by the rivess and harbors committee
or by Congress to ask the army en-
gineer to submit proposition for a
waterway of the greater dimension,
with an estimate of cost. This will
probably be done at the coming ses-
sion."
- Opinions of Others.
Representative Switzer said: "The
project is meritorious, and l believe
the coming session will make the APP
preparation. l favor depth of nine
feet, but | will not venture to say
that Congress will adopt that depth
The conditions in the territory JUS
tify the appropriation by the govern
ment,. and | believe the committee
will recommend the digging of the
canal"
Representative Emerson said the
matter that would appeal to Con-
gress was the willingness Of the peo-
pie to aid in such projects, and he
thought the people of South Louis
lana had demonstrated their willing
ness to help. He believes Congress
would vote the appropriation, which
was for meritorious work Per-
sonally, he favored a nine-foot chan
mel.
Said Representative Hurlbert: l
favor the Standardization of govern
ment work. Digging a section of
canal nine feet here and five or sew
en- feet at another point, gets no
one anywhere. I believe depth of