The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1921-05-27
NAVAL BASE WILL
NOT Be ERECTED
ALAMEDA PROVISION is CUT
FROM APPROPRIATION BILL
AFTER LONG STRUGGLE
Senator King and Borah Win Fight
After Long Struggle; Mare Island
Navy Yard Will Be Kept in
Tact AS Coast Defender

When the senate Monday afternoon
by vote of ~ to 80 rejected II pro-
vision in the naval bill establishing a
new base in the San Francisco bay al
Alameda, il paid tribue to Senator
Kings ability as debater and real
guardian of the treasury. In the long
drawn-out fight, which began last SEES
sion, Senator King had as his chief
lieutenant Senator Borah.
Senator Kings fight, which ended
VIGOROUSLY today, was begun last SEES
sion when the naval bill was brought
up. His attention then had been call
ed to the Alameda question, and he
demanded that the item be laid aside
while he could go into its merits. This
he did most thoroughly, with the re-
suit that he and Senator Borah, large
ly on account of this one item, forced
the defeat of the naval bill on the 4th
of March, and made necessary rein
PRODUCTION this session.
Senator King went to pains to get
at the bottom facts, and when he was
fully informed he explained the situa-
ton to Senator Borah, who joined With
him in determined attack upon the
Alameda project. When Senator King
and Senator Borah this session ex-
posed the entire affair, nineteen Re-
publican senator's. including some
large navy advocates, Joined them in
striking the provision from the bill.
The Alameda provision had an in.
nocent appearance. 1t called for the
appropriation Of only $1,bOOOOO for
the establishment Of a naval supply
base. II it had been adopted, the gov
eminent would have been committed to
the expenditure Of something like $780,.
100000 at Alameda. and the scrappins
of the Mare Island navy yard, which
has cost the government $4,000, COO
Aside from the great expense involved,
the Mare Island navy yard. as Senator
King showed from official reports, is
the most efficient shore establishment
maintained by the government.
To begin with, Senator King divulg.
! ed the fact that the Alameda site was
really quicksand nat covered vita
| an average of about twelve feet of
water. Although borings to the depth
| of $50 feet have been made, no solid
| foundation had been found. With q
| solid foundation, the cost Of filing In
| the fiat would have been 5000 per
acre. The navy departments plan.
| Senator King showed, called for over
| 5000 acres, and as a result the gov
| eminent would have expended at
! least $30,000000 in securing ground at
| the site upon which to erect It's build
| ings.
| In contending that there was no rea-
son for the establishment Of another
base on San Francisco bay, Senator
King submitted official reports to show
that with an expenditure Of $o,O0O,O0C
or S10,000,000 the entire needs Of the
new Pacific fleet could be provided fol
at the lower end Of Mare Island. Thu
senator simply overwhelmed senators
with information from an official
source to sustain his position in the
lex of Illinois, who had origally pro
posed the resolution by which anothe,
base was to have been selected fol
San Francisco bay, joined Senate,
King in protesting against the passage
of the Alameda provision.