The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-04-10
DELEGATES MAKE ] STRONG CASE FOR
 BESSEMER CANAL
By HUGH w. ROBERTS.

Washington, April 9.-(Spe- cial. .)-Describing the War rior river as an office building minus an elevator, and offer ing Valley creek as means of supplying the deficiency, a delegation from Birmingham and Bessemer appeared today
 before the review board of the engineering corps of the gov ernment.
 The delegation pleaded for a de- tailed and otherwise thorough survey Iof the proposed project. Senator Underwood urged the board simply to l'.untie our hands; to determine by a survey whether the improved Warrior ishall be supplemented by canaliza- tion to Bessemer or whether the un- ldertaking shall prominently be aban- doned." Senator Bankhead, conclud- ing the arguments, exclaimed: "This matter has hung fire for 20 years. If this board will recommend to Con- gress the authorization of a complete survey will guarantee that the neces- sary money, whether S5000 or $20, 900, will be made available"
 As to the feasibility Of the project, members of the delegation. convinced themselves, attempted to convince the l engineers. T. H. Motion, after intro ductory remarks, presented T. A. Well 1 Ter.
 MT. Weller attempted to tell the story
 of possibilities by map which he | had prepared himself and pictures
 which he had himself taken. He sup plemented his argument by declaring that necessary water could be had in
 abundance, and in course of his state
 ment referred to underground rivers 1 and the prodigious increase in Bir-
 mingham sewage, which rapidly grow
 ing population had made possible. l 0. l.. Bum gave statistics of Birming = ham tonnage, and declared that for movement of coal and iron products ] alone 2000 trains, each drawing 40 cars, would be necessary, He graphic ally depicted car shortage and added l that available material to fill 1900 lack l ing cars was at present piled in Bir- min gham yards. His statements ap- pealed with force to the engineers | Representative Huddleston, in course of remarks, attacked the adverse report rendered some months ago by Maj. w. | l.. Guthrie, then stationed at Mobile He declared that this report had been 1 forwarded to Colonel Sanford of New Orleans and that Colonel Sanford had | formally, by an appended statement, taken issue with it's conclusions. The representative declared that Major
 Guthrie had delegated his duties to
 Major Little. referred to as civilian
 engineer, and that Major Little in turn lhad delegated the survey to one David 1 son. whose report it probably was l MT Huddleston. in further criticism
 declared that Major Guthrie did not have the necessary information, and that, the reading of the report would convince the engineer. Major Guthrie was obviously embarrassed Other thar this criticism, however, the session was
 entirely harmonious and uneventful.
 Representative Oliver Of the Sixth
 district made a pleasing address, ir which he declared the interest of the delegation in the project and urged the recommendation that minute sur
 vey be athorized.
 The visiting delegation was com. posed of T. H. Molton T. A. Weller, o l.. Bum, F. M. Lowe and w. O, l Broyles of Birmingham and Mayor B
 c. Jones and F. |. Huey of Bessemer