Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-05-12
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
THURSDAY, May 8, 1928

business Of Yesterday which was the bill au,ho
rizing subscription Of Stock in the Chesa
peake and Ohis Canal Company.
Mr.. Wicklife, after expressing himself to b
In favor ofthis undertaking, said, that hi, onl
objection 10 The bill, as now reported, was
provision in one Of them; tnat the Uuited State
were to guarantee the subscription Of the sew
eral corporations.
In reply to this objection, Mr.. Mercer stated
that, since the Adjournment, Of the House
Yesterday, he had been officially authorized
nay, instructed, 10 waive the insisting upon
this guarantee; that feature, however, belong
ed to the third bill reported, and not to tina
now under consideration.
NJ. Wickiffe expressed himself satisfied
with this assurance, which removed his only
objection TO the bill He then welt into q
general discussion Of the system Of surveys
now pursued by the Executive Department OF
the Government, he quote a schedule from the
War Department, showing that 81 different
objects Of internal improvement had either
been surveyed or examined: for only 81 Of
which any estimates had been received. The
amount necessary to complete these 81 would
be $50, 1853, 900, and If the othe required S ,
much, the whole expense would fal little shor
OF S7o,ooo,0oO. More than 5000 miles Of road
had either been surveyed or reconnoitered the
whole of which remained yet 10 be made lie
commented particularly on the survey Of d road
from Cumberland 10 the District Of Columbia,
and insisted, from view of the whole subject
that it was time to put stop to the making of
new surveys, and proceed 10 The accomplish.
ment Of some of the objects which had been
already commenced. He concluded bv dec
laralion OF his opinion. that the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal was work of National i'm ,or
lance, and ought 10 be commenced without
DELAY.
Mr.. Mercer made brief reply, in which he
imPlored the friend, of internal improvement,
not to enter into general discussion Of the
subject OF surveys, but TO cor6ne themselves 10
the subject immediately before the House, and
come lu d speedy decision as TO The fave of the
present bill. He had hoped not TO be Obliged
TO enter into debate on the question, but
had anticipated answering any queries which
might be addressed to him on the subject
Mr.. Hoffman then put variety Of queries
to Mr.. Mercer, as Chairman of the Committee
of Roads and Canals, calculated to elicit
statement Of facts in relation to he probable
expenditure of the Canal-the time os It's cons
plctipn--the resources Of the Company-and
The brne6, likely to result 10 the General Gov-
ernmen from the proposed straightforward
also, what benefit the United States had deriv-
cd from the subscriptions il had heretofore
made to similar Companies?
Mr.. Mercer replied, some length, TO the
sever al points of this inquiry. Surprising the
present bill to succeed, the company would
then have had subscribed TO its stock $780,
900. The Canal was divided into three sec
Ions-the Eastern, Middle and Wesrern.
The Eastern section was 1876 miles in length;
the Middle IS and the Wesern section III
miles, making the total length Of the canal
342 miles. Ii the canal should be made
OF the same dimensions with the grand Canal
OF New York, the total cost of The East m sec
ton would be 100000 dollars, or, with the
allowance for The usual Contingencies, abou,
100000 dollars. II Il was made forly-eipht
fee, wide, its cost would be increased by about
200 900 dollars, anc II, as was mos desirable.
and upon the whole, most economical, it should
be made Sky feet in width, and Sve feet deep,
its cos. would be about 5,5oO,0oo dollars He
then stated the subst rippions Of stock BY the
several Corporations of Washington, George
town and Alexandria, amounting, in all, to one
million and hall. He stated the undoubtrd "a
biity Of these Corporations to comply with
their engagements, besides, that ABILITY would
be vastly increased by the very effect Of he en-
:crprise, in reducing the. price of one of the
prime necessares of life, the article Of fuel. in
such manner as 10 produce nett saving OF
one hundred and twelve thousand dollars in the
annuel consumption Of that article. Coal Of
the very best quality could DE- furnished in this
city, so soon as the first section Of the canal
should be completed, at l29 cents per bu shell
he then sdverted 10 the provisional subscrip-
ton OH the part Of the State Of Maryland. OF
bait . million Of dollars, totake eff CT when
100000 dollars should be subscribed from
other sources He then proceeded to make a
Few rsmarks with regard to the number and a.
mount Of private suhse rp,ions, the highly re
spectacle character Of the subscribers general.
ly, and their ability to pay the sums ic il thew
had subscri ed. When the canal had reached
Cumberland, il would prove Itself to be very
profitable enterprise, and lhsre would be NO dit. |
hcuty in Obtaining further funds, either in his
country or in Europe. Its total cost, from |
Georgetown to Piusburg, would prob.bly a.
mount to about zen millions. The stock oi tn. |
English canal was profitable in hisa degree;