Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-01-16
WATERWAY AID
BY NEW BLOC
Jersey Representatives Unite
in Effort to Get Funds for
Big Projects
By GEORGE III. MANNING

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16:-The
New Jersey congressman will line up
solidly with the rivers and harbors
bloc" in the fight to be staged in the
House to increase the appropriation
for rivers and harbors work during
the next fiscal year, commencing
July 1. from $4,000 600 to $50, 000.-
900.
This clash will be the biggest fight
of the week in either house of con-
gress and one of the most deter
mined and spectacular of the session.
Upon its success will depend
whether sufficient appropriations will
be made to continue the improve
ment of New Jersey rivers and har-
bors during the next fiscal year. or
whether the congress will cut in half
the sum which the army engineers
In charge of the work assert is alb
solutely needed, and let the water
ways get into poor condition.
Chairman Dempsey of the House
Rivers and Harbors Committee will
lead the fight for the rivers and har-
bors bloc. He will be assisted by
Congressman Amos Radcliffe Of Pat
erson, a member of the committee,
and several other New Jersey mem
bers deeply interested in waterway
Improvement.
The war department budget bill
containing the appropriations for
rivers and harbors will be taken up
in the House today for general de-
bate; amendments will be in order
Thursday. Mr.. Dempsey will then,
on behalf of the bloc, offer his
amendment to increase the appro-
priation for rivers and harbors work
from a lump sum of $37,000,000 to
$50, 1000, 900, the amount recommend
ed by the engineers.
The New Jersey delegation is SOL
idly for the increased appropriation
and it is believed sufficient support
| will be obtained from the delegations
of other states having waterways to
put it through.
The army engineers carefully
itemized the various projects and the
amount needed for them next year,
amounting to about $50, 100000. The
budget director discarded the item
lied estimate and recommended APP
preparation of a lump sun of only
$27, 600, 900.
Fearing a revolt by the rivers and
harbors bloc, the House appropria-
tions committee increased it to $37,-
900, 900 and SO reported it to the
House. If the cut in the a%ppropri-
alton is upneld II Will DC necessary
for the engineers to reduce the esti-
mated work for next year on numer-
u worthy projects in New Jersey
and other states and entirely aban-
don work on many others.
Believing hat New Jersey water
Ways will be the "cut" the New Jer-
sey members have decided to stand
with the rivers and harbors bloc
to get the full $50, 900, 900 asked by
the engineers.
The engineers made the following
estimates for work in New Jersey
during the next fiscal year: Newark
bay, %$650,000; Staten Island sound,
$1,000. 900; Passaic river, $4,000;
Hackensack river, $100,000: Raritan
bay, $500, 900; Raritan river, $4,000;
w oodbridge creek, $4,000; keyport
harbor, $4,000; Shrewsbury river,
$4,000: Delaware river, Trenton to
Philadelphia. $4,000; Mania l creek.
$4,000; Oldmans creek, $4,000;
Maurice river, $4,000; Cold Spring
Inlet, $4,000; Absecon Inlet, $24O,-
900.
If the bloc's fight is not successful
and the appropriation remains at a
lump sum of $37,000,000, the pro-
posed expenditures on New Jersey
waterways next fiscal year will nee
essarily be slashed. some probably
being stricken put altogether.