The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-30

| uoLuu SuhlTUtdut III h'o
there is no harbor ia the country in which the tides
ebb and food, that has so extensive or so i'm.
portAnt an internal canal communication as that ol
! Hayre de Grace. This harbor is the terminus oil
| the Susquehanna and Underwater canal, which con-
meets with the Pennsylvania works at the town oil
Columbian thence continuous lines OF canals extend
up both the north and west branches of the Susque-
hanna near the line Of New York. thus affordng o
all northern Pennsylvania, large portion OF New
| York bordering upon that river, 10 its highest
northern fountains and springs, and TO the whole in
termediais country, with It's boundless forests OF
valuable pine timber, inexhausble mines Of rich
| ores and coal and EXTENSIVE agricultural regions OF
unsurpassed fertility, an outlet to the Chesapeake
| bay. From these canals, at the junction OF the
river Juniata with the Susquehanna, another canal
diyerges which reaches up the Juniatato the base
of the Aieghanies, where the Portage railroad
tho mountains connects with the weSlern division OF
the Pennsy wanna canals, extending to the Ohio
river at Pirtsburg, thence connecting with Erie
and the great frontier lakes, Thus, sir, these
yarious lines Of canal navigation stretch through
ell northern and western Pennsy lyania, drain con
siderable part New York and, tapping the Ohio, Of
fer direct and cheap channel Of with
the Atlantic cities; furnishing a route from the great
valley OF the West, which ia open several weeks
earlier Ia the spring and later in the fall than the
northern one by the Erie canal and lakes; some two
hundred mile. less in distance, and individually safer
than the trip down the river 10 New Orleans, or by
the lakes around 10 New York. Add, MIR. Chair.
man, beg leave TO say to honorable members who
represent this floor the States Of Ohio, Indiana
Illinois, Kentucky, and as far south Tennessee,
that many Of their constituents already avail them
selves Of thus outlet TO the markets Of the seaboard,
although II has only been completed a few years,
aud cannot be generally known TO those who are so
remote from il. | hold in my hand list, made
soon after the opening Of the canal To Hayre de
Grace which shows the great extent and import
n H.. IL tytn he hal. al,
government to improve. The following are the
principal articles arriving there for tTanshipment
cOastwise: viz, iron, coal. lumber, timber, wool
cotton, hemp, tobacco, lead, leather, domestic spi.
uts, bark, rough and ground, slate bacon lard tai.
low, cheese, butter, pot and pearl ashes plaster,
llme four wheat, corn, rye, clover and other grass
seeds, tc. DC, Of the aggregate value Of ten
millions Of dollars besides the ascending trade, which
is also very considerable.
But, Mr.. Chairman, the government has interests
connected with the improvement Of this harbor. II
procures there large supplies Of lumber, timber, and
granite stone. Its extensive Notifications in Vir-
GINA were built chiefly of stone taken from the
hills above and adjacent to this harbor; 80
were those in the Delaware, and at some points
dong the southern coast; and at this very time
the government has entered into large contracts,
now 10 the course OF execution, for the delivery
Of stone from those quarres for the completion of
Is works in Virginia. and for the sea wall at ST. Au.
NuStiic, W. ~ plaCc, alsO, tHs lfupDI-
lant articles of coal and iron, Of which the govern
ment is so large a consumer, can be had in great
abundance. and on terms favorable, perhaps more
so, than at any other point Underwater. Ii is in.
deed confidently affirmed that, when the short line Of
railroad, now constructing from the Lykens Valley
Coal Mines, represented nearer the Atlantic than
any others in the Union, shall be completed TO the
Susquehanns, coal adapted TO the use Of our war
will be delivered the harbor Of Havre de
Grace for 50 80 per ton-being lees, believe, than
two-thIrds Of the price now paid by the government
IL then, Mr.. Chairman, we consult the interests
Of the govern nent In this respect, identified with
those Of the immense regions Of the Interior fertile
and productive in its agriculture, rich, abundant, and
exhaustless IN its mineral treasures, which this ex-
tensive canal communication opens to this harbor,
cannot perceive what reasonable objection exists
looking to the expediency of the matter, against APP
propratIng the small sum desired forits Improvement
When the bar at the mouth Of this harbor is once
crossed there Is ample depth Of water within Goat
any safe sea-vessel but owing the ob.irucions al
Us entrance, those who ship from Havre de Grace
compelled TO employ vessels that are not safe be-
yond the cape' of the Chesapeake; thereby being
subjected TO the expense of heavy additional pre-
MUM for insurance. or obliged to undergo the seri-
Gus inconvenience and delay, az we'll as incur the
increased expense, of receiving and discharging
cargo of larger class Of safe sea-vessels outside
the bar, by means Of lighters. therefore trust sir
that the committee will express their concu renee 10
the propriety and necessity of the appropriation
asked for the harbor of Havre de Grace, by adopt
ing the amendment shall offer.
But, Mr.. Chairman, the question may and has
been propounded, why, if this harbor is so import
ant from the extent Of its commerce, not an APP
preparation for lis Improvement included in the bill
reported by the committed | will explain, sir
Early in the session this subject brought to the
notice OF the House by the presentation of resou-
tons Of the legislature Of Maryland, which were re-
ferred to the Committee on Commerce. The har-
Dor to which these resolutions related being within
the district that represent, and my constituents in
common with the people of the State generally
feeling deep interest in this subject, inquired of
member of the committee what action had been
taken upon it, and was informed that il had been
passed over to the honorable gentleman from Ken
lucky, Mr.. TIBBArTs.l From an interview with
that honorable gentleman, believed he was salts.
fed that the improvement We desired was proper as
national object, and hence supposed it would be
embraced in the bill from the committee And, sir
was not aware Of the reason why it was not in
Guided, until read, few days ago, the speech of
the chairman of the committee, Mr.. McCLELL AND,
in which he stated that the committee had allotted
The subject OF river improvements to the gentleman
from Kentucky, Mr.. TBBATTs,l while the appro-
priations asked for harbors had been confded to
others. This at once satisfied me that the commit
tee had mistaken the object for which the appro.
priation was asked, by CHASING it with applications
for the improvement of rivers instead of harbors to
which it properly belonged.
Mr.. TIBBATTs here explained, that the committee
had been led into the by the bill passed at the
last session, which described this as an improve
ment of the Susquehanha river .....
Mr. CONSTABLE, after stating that he had never
the bill of the last session. continued. As soon, sir,
as discovered this mistake, took steps to bring
the subject again to the consideration of the commit
tee; and, from indications of their opinion since then,
believe that may venture to state, that, if the
matter had been properly understood by them before
this bill was reported to the House, appropriation
for the harbor of Havre de Grace would have been
included. That separate bill for it could now be
obtained, do not doubt but, air. it is not desirable
want no bill with an isolated object, which could
attract sufficient attention to secure an exami-
nation of its merits, and, as consequence, could
never command sufficient strength to be taken up in
Committee Of the Whole on tho state Of the Union.
Mr.. Chairman, it the object pointed out by the
resolutions of the Legislature of Maryland repeated
ly adopted and pressed upon the attention Of Con-
gress, and, as I have understood by resolutions of
the legislature of Pennsylvania aIso--l know anx
iously desired by all western Pennsylvania--was
not enlarged, general, and national, would not
support il. Nav sir If il approximated near the