Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-05-05
From the National MteAigencsr of .an,;, 90

teas
the proceedings Of a meeting Of the citizens W
Georgetown, published in this mornings In,.G
sencer, that one of the grounds upon which ~"
oppose the free bridge at Washington is, that !,
violates their natural and Inherent right to nv
free navigation OF the rivera right secured we s
them, as they say. by the compact between ".
GINA and Maryland in 1885.
They seem to have forgotten. that, in ,oo,
five years before the bridge was erected 49,
were the first to impede the free navigation If %
river. In 1904. the best channel Of the river Wv VIC
posite Georgetown passed between Mason. ~
and and the Virginia shor,. 1t was the opIy ch,n
mel which was used by til, flour boats descen,;n,
the river. and destined for Alexandra, as il .ns
abled them to pole down under the lee of the VI.
cinia shore quite to Alexandria, without bein,
at any time exposed to the high wind, in us
open river; and large quantities Of -four ws,s
sent to Alexandra in that wayby the inhab;t,n,.
Of the upper country. But in(hat wear III. ~
habitants of Georgetown petitio,e, Congress. ;,
permit them to throw solid DIN acros. ,Ls,
channel, which was dane; and ever SINCE th, ,,
time very few. comparatively, d tie canal bo,,:
have ven,dfred to carry their ho,r dires T'' =,
Alexandria. The dam has beet in trnih
tnuCu HTGdlcI w NtC HAY N
river than the bridge.
That petition was signed by upware of IloJ
the most respectable citizens of Ge-ye,ovD.
and among the rest, BY Colonel Cox, th;nre.su,
Mayor of the town, by General WaItefSm;,S
and by Mr.. w. S. Nichols, who are now,n II,
Committee to oppose the very principle mo,
which, 10 1904, they had leave to obsruc,bs
best half Of the channel.
II Citizen ofthe District
From tie Georgetown Columbian Ga,eiie.
The preceding observations. which first ap.
peared in the lntelligencer, are transferred. with
preliminary remark, into the Gazette Of Alex
andria, on the following day. They requires
passing notice.
1t is true, that in 1904, the citizens Of George
town did ask of Congress authority to shut up.
| BY dam across it. the small arm Of the River
which separated Mason's Island from the Vugi
MIA shore. AT the point of junction Of its IN.
fcrior, INSTRUCTED and almost abandoned channel,
an extensive bar had for several years been for.
ming by the deposit of the alluvial washngs Of
! the river there; and was becoming, rapidly, de.
structive to the navigation. 1t was the decided
opinion Of practical men, that by shutting up The
narrow passage, and causing all the water Of The
river to flow through the other, thus avoiding u.
edd wing conflict OF the two channels which OCa
stoned the Bar, its further progress would bear.
rested; and that, aided subsequently By Other
measures, the navigation might be restOred.-
One of the most eminent and intelligent Civil
Engineers that this or any country ever posses,
. ed. was consulted upon the occasion, and, after
mature examination, not only approved and sane.
toned the plan proposed, but deemed 1t eSsMnG |
to the preservation Of any navigation. lheU
elusive aim, object and effect Of the work Top~
scd and executed, was. the preservation and I'M
prortnlcm OF the DayIeatlon--a natural, inherent |
aud dndenable right--one OF vital interest IN e.
erv commercial community.
IT was not measure which bore, or can bear,
any analogy to that which the committee Of Cit
Zens of Georgetown were directed to oppose
The one, far from impeding,"a as is unjust1
aiedged, "the free navigation Of the nveI,'
having the effect to improve and restore 1t, benz
IN strict unison with the spirit of the compact
the other, that of the - Free Bridge, certainly
having no tendency to promote 4" Tree na'.i
tom" but its re,srse--and thus, being direct
Infringement and violation OF the compact
Such was the effect OF the hapless structure 50 re
Gently swept off, and which whilst it mas been
source of loss to It's projectors and propne,"'
was productive Of incaIcuIaby greater 0IG,!
and mischief to the citizens Of Georgetown. 10
demolition restored the s'free navigation
which they had been deprived for upwards Of :.
years. And this it is proposed TO destroy aean
by "a free Bridge" In opposing tbs, or !"
structure Of the kind. the citizens OF George'0'L
are sustained By the immutabe principles
strict justice.
But it is alleged, "that in 1904 the cci eol'
mel of the river passed between Ma,on'' i'l.
and the Virginia Shoe, and As evidence o. u
that it was the only one used by the hour VO's
descending to Alexandria, as they could De py
led down, &c. &C." and that, by this @'0'.
much of the -four Of the upper country Na' 20"
to Alexandra, until INSTRUCTED by solid ol",
built across that channel, since when' yer! ~
of the canal boats have ventured thered"ea'
These are bold assumptions; but the "'IIS ., !,
stating them, has kindly spared us the necs':
of refuting Though easily done his pnoepl. =
sition--nameIy, the shutting up Inc oe' e'I
nell" For, surely it will not be seriously W.
that ACCLAIMED, whose only Recommendation "a a,
scribed, was "he faciliy NTH which ~" D1
could he poHed q,nte doWn TO .aierdndrd, VOC"
lie lee Of The Tirsinia shore. miihom be"g
,,a,y ~ tLe L;ob ,r;ods of IN, omen rirer, W.