47 



Where cUamage to private property will occur is not apparent, except in the taking 

 of a few acres of land for rights-of-way. It is rare indeed to find a project which will 

 conter such \'aried and gener.d lieiiefits. 



But the benefits described cannot be had without some expense. There is no 

 difficulty in the way of building the barrier which cannot be readily overcome. The 

 head of water against the barrier when it acts as a dam will never exceed fO feet; 

 rock foundation is not re(|uired. Hut the water is deep and the structure will be long. 

 Its cost should preliminarily be taken into account at S3(), 000, ()()() to $50,000,000. 

 This is relati\'el\' small compared with the benefits, direct and indirect, which its C(jn- 

 struction will bring. It is a project deser\'ing of the most careful examination. Above 

 all it will be necessary to determine what agenc\' shall be created to construct and 

 operate the barrier, and to agree u])on a plan of apjiortioning its cost to the llnited 

 States, to the .State, to the Municipalities which will be placed within convenient 

 reach of abundant water supplies, to the owners of tide marsh lands, to the delta 

 landowners, to the railroads which will utilize the structure as a bridge and to the 

 many private industries which will ha^'e a share in the resulting l)enefits. It may in 

 fact be necessary to pro\'ide for the organization of a district, so as to create proper 

 facilities for e\aluating the relative benefits as a basis for the assessment of cost of the 

 structure to those who are benefited therel)y. 



It should for the present be assumed that, where the resulting ad\antages are of 

 the magnitude above indicated, sooner or later means will be foimd for the erection 

 of a properh' located and projierly designed salt water barrier. 



