New-York daily tribune., 1845-04-30
Albany Bridge.
TEoT, April Is. ls.5.


est obstruction in flowing stream is liable 70 cause the
formation Of bar below If you passed along the
banks Of stream, large small, you viii have noticed
tina, BY every large rock every steep rocky shore
water viii be deep while at shor, distance around Q.
low, bar VIII be created AL islands IN rlvers are caased
by the deposition Of soil around some obstruction in TIE
channel All the bends and windinss of a stream are
caused By rocky other durable projections side
Or the other As island earyes by annual deposits the
channel on side gradually hs up and becomes shall
lower till The island is part Of the main iand while the
other channel dens and deepens by encroachments upon
the opposite shore. Now. If four piers put into the
River At Albany each 20 feet wide, the capacity Of the
present channel is lessened By eighty feet. This would
make partial dam and the waer would rush through be-
the piers with greater velocity than in the presen,
channel Directly below each pier there would be for
distance slack Now let log stone be lodged In
this slack and presently there viii appear foiaa-
ble bar. Such uniformly the The dock owners
for mile below the bridge would be subjected 10 snnu-
charge for dredging In order TO keep their docks 1T for
use. The bridge Troy has this effect bu: the difficulty
lescned in consequence Of the protection afforded By the
State dam above IN The slack water Of which all the gravel
and sediment brought down by the Spring and Fall
feshe;s deposited The dam over the srou OF the
Mohawk which enters the Hudson opposite Troy having
two or three years. the side cut Of the Canal atwess
Troy 1t Is even now the imperative duty of the State
70 repair that dam.
a. The Legislature Of New York has right TO ohsruc!
the navigation Of the Hudson by charterng bridge.
Troy is port of entry. 1t L. s. Revenue officer
like Albany. All the vessels and steamboats, owned In
Troy are regulated by the laws Of the United States Troy
is at the head OF the navgabe Of The Hudson. All
navigation above artificial The T. s have spent $780,
600 to sragh.en and deepen the channel and improve the
navigation of the river No appropriation 10 improve the
navigation was ever made without part OF it being
quired to be spent above Albany.
The U. S. Arsenal, containing government property to
the value of millions of dollars is situated at West Troy
While therefore, the United States makes Troy port Of
entry establishes at West Troy Its most important depot
OF and munitions OF aud expends large sums 10
all distractions and Andrances 10 free navigation
what right has New-York nuly action Of Congress
by throwing bridge across tie river, an impeachment
which the T. s. Courts would order be abaed pub
lie nuisance
Congress has exclusive power regulate trade and
merc. foreign and internal 1t has exercised its urdlc
the Hudson and the State is therefore, prohibit
ed from any interference Congress might auhorse bridge
to be built Let the AbanIans petition Congress. With
what face would they before Congress with petition
ing the same time for privilege of building
piers the middle of i, and spanning them with bridge
they got appropriation under such circumstances 1t
would deserve 10 he Tei,ed Every argument urged by
Albany favor bridge ustfes John Tyler in vetong
the Hudson Riter appropriation The Abanians sultify
this subject When they go 10 Congress, they
the words and rcute the arguments they
before the Legislature.
About year ago the Common Council of Tror offered
TO unite with Albany in eXpendng large sum OF money
for the improvement of the navigation above and below
Albany. The City OF Albany declined the ground that
it the duty OF Congress to improve the River. Albany
spend money improve the navigation because 1t
would be committing respaSs upon Uncle Sans domain
or the State would decline making appropriations
The purpose for the The State has
built dam above Troy for the benefit of Lansngbugh and
Waterford, but has done nothing below Troy. Why Be-
Congress has exclusive jurisdiction OF navgabe wa
tiers. but not above and beyond them.
But the City and State have ample power 10 hinder and
when they have aid and improve. What
beautiful consistency Powerful for cv and mpoten for
good
But are told that Bridge may be built with draw
that will offer no material obstruction navigation.
Why not then have one at Hudson, at Poughkeepse,
at NcwburSh at Hoboken al Brooklyn n, WillamsOufsh
at Harlem? Why not span the rocks at Hell Gate with
bridge? Why RhodeIsand au,horse the Provi-
dence River be bridged Why bridge the Delaware
at Philadelphia? Why not put bridge the Ohio At
Cincinnati for the benefit Commerce and the accommo.
daon OF the travelling public
Has The bridge the Potomac been injury to Alex
sndria Are the docks and wharves, and the real estate
above the bridge At Troy above the Warren bridge al Bos
ton above the bridge the Schuylk at Philadephs,
or above bridge any where valuable as below Every
body known the contrary.
At the hours fixed the Railroad trains cross the
would have be closed This would frequently be
hndrance 10 vessels and steamboats,. Sometimes soOp
steamboat might set entanged III the draw the
time when the Railroad oueh. TO pass No doubt
travellers would be frequently able su.h delays.
But draw 100 feet wide Is forsooth enough
nodae all and every possible cram any time and any
weather The Troy boats unfreQuently have fleet
bargcs, canal boats and soors III tow, than 100
width How such fleet could conveniently pass
draw without much delay, is puzzle not easily solved
as the reel in the bottle.
Three steamboats, ply hourly between Albany and Troy
and four daily between NewYosk and Troy Their hours
ofdeparture fixed but their hours of arrival
tain depending greatly wind and tide For the
ience of travellers they stop Albany. How they read
lily to get under way again and pass through draw The
Albanian woul laugh your You should be simple
ton enough to ask If might wei! be above The
eect OF bridge then would be stop The running OF al
the large steamboats, Troy Would not the delay and
difficulty and the apparent, If resi- danger OF passing
through draw induce all travellers stop at Albany
Would all coas,nS vessels from the Eas, and South
that trade with Troy. for the same reason stop At
Albany?
Indeed man who will seriously refec: upon the sub
ect, must be convinced that bridge would bring ineya
bic ruin upon Troy and IVES; Toy.
And whs: IS to he gained by It: Only imagined
advantage Albany; and that, Tor the eene: of
capitalists, and not o; the citizens generally.
As for the passengers and fegh; the Western Rail
road aud the prospective Newlork and Albany Railroad
they can pass West without going through Albany at all
and with equal safety and speed
IT. then the true Interests OF Albany and the Interests Of
the public do no, require brdgefi viii bring destEuc-
ton or material injury upon Troy and West Troy-i Con-
rrs has exclusive power AMI the legislature OF NcwforA
none 10 improve the river and remove ohsruciions-why
should the Legislature entertain The project for me-
lourS. y.