Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-28
DELAWARE RIVER FUND
LOSES S1,5O0,000
Appropriation for improvements
Reduced to Million by Chief
Of Engineers Blacl-.
Washington, Jan. 28.--A drastic cut
4 from s2 BOO, 600 to 81. 600. 600 in the

Washington, Jan. 3a.--A drastic cut
Of from s2 2b0O, 600 TO 81. .OOO. 600 In the
appropriation for improving the Della
ware River from philadelphia to the sca,
was madc yesterday by the Senate Com
mercc Committee, which reported the
Eivcrs and Ilnrhom bill. Half a million
dollam was also eliminated from the
lump sum appropriations for the mnin-
tcnancc and Improvement Of the existing
works. As passed by the House the bill
carrics an appropriation Of S37 600 600
The action taken Ivy the Senate Com
mittee In reducing the items allowed in
the House followed the receipt q = letter
from Major General Black. chief of
engineers Of the War Department, saying
review Of the estimates md All tnsreC-
tlon Of the Delaware River project showed
that 81 900 GOO appropriated this year,
confined with the unexp~nded balance
on hand, provide sufficient funds to carry
on all the work that could be accomplish
cd during the year
About $1,000, GOO will be on hand for
expenditure prior To June 30. 1920, Cen
eral Black reported. which will permit
work being carried on more speedily than
Mt any time for the prst five years.
The letter of tho chief Of engineers N
hNIltfti ftfi'ttN stihstItfAs va lttN AfsitbtV
, Committee, was ~ follows:
II have the honor 10 recommend that
the item carried in the pending rivers
and hari,ors bil appropriating s., 500 600
for Delaware River continuing improve
mcnt and for maintenance from Allegheny
avenue, Philadelphia, to the sea he 80
amended s 10 appropriate 81 ,WO 600
only
AT the tune tho estimates wvre sub
mitted careful confederation VIVA given 10
the amount required for the improve
mont and maintenance Of the Delaware
River below Philadelphia on account Of
the very great Importance Of this work
At thnt time tho conclusion wue arrived
st that an appropriation of $500, 600 in
addition 70 The amounts n or avnilalIe.
would lie sufficient for this improve
ment for the fiscal year ending June 20.
1920, and the amount of $500, 900 was
accordingly included in the original
cstImnfes auln'ittd a. Congress
while these estimates were under
consideration by the Rivers and Har-
hors Committee of the Houee, letter
was received from the distrl, engineer
recommending that the amount he in
creased to t25,000. 600. Based upon the
information therein given recommended.
Committee that tho amounts to be pro
vidcd for the Delaware River below
Philadelphia be raised to 81, 800 900. which
WAS done
'Sub-eouent study of the data now
available indicates that the amount of
S2,5O0.0OO will bc more than can be
advantagously expended tho next year
and a half, and, taking all things INTO
consideration IL IA believed that Al 900
Coo will bc sufficient amount to bc
carried IN The pending bill.
There was an uneSpendef balance
available for this Improvement January
|, 1919, of si.il0,1 1SS IS, of which amount
81 l3l 1928 was covered bv outstanding
liabilities and existing contracts leaving
an unobligated balance of 81, TSa, ,9fS IS
of the contracts then IN force, Ono, for
dredging, rs IN process Of adjustment under
the PROVISIONS Of section to the River
and Harber act of July Is, 1918, and this
adjustment will involve the cancellation
Of this contract
his Will release q portion Of the
funds now obligated and increase by
that amount the unobhEated balance.
One million dollars, therefore, added to
the funds available will give for ex-
pendiutre prior Ia June 80, 1890. an
5000, 900 (of which 81. 600
600 is obligated or under consrsct), an
amount which will permit a rate of work
considerably greater than has been main-
tanned any year for the past five years =
Frank Parker OF GOO Walnut street
IS buying all the Liberty Bonds thst h,
can got holt III - sdv