New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-03-02

The Bridge over Lake Champlain.
The Select Committee Of the Assembly, to
which referred the various petitions and remon
connected with the proposed Bridge over Lake
Champlsn, reported the Goth ult fsvorsbly 70 the
project The follow lie the g,t Of the report:
The Northern Railroad Company was chartered BY
act OF the Legislature Of this state passed 10 ci3 under
which charter the present company was organized and
the company represents that i;s road has been To-
Gated from Osdensburg. the river st Lawrence 70
Rouses point Lake Cbsmplsin that the entire line
Of the road s under contract tor construction that
1000 tons Of heavy iron rail have already been deliver
cd on the road aud 800 tons more contracted for and
10 process Of delivery tina, twelve miles Of the road
now completed and that the whole line viii oe com
poted and pu, into operation la the Summer OF 100
that on the eastern shore OF Lake Chsmplsn railroad
companies organized for constructing continuous
line Of railroads from opposite Rouse point extending
southery through Vermont. 10 our state line near
Whitehall, from which last point connection has been
authorized. and will no doubt be made. with the Sara
toga and Whitehall road that from Burlington two rail
roads, connecting with eastern railroads reaching 70
Boston also Ia progress OF construction and that
the only obstacle TO complete and contiguous railroad
connection from northern Eew-YOfk 10 Troy Albany,
EewYork and Boston, Is the outlet Of Lake ChamplsiD
IL 10 this obstacle that the hight 70 con
struct the proposed draw. bridge lie demanded
Your Committee fully satisfied, that II matter
of the highest importance ~ the business and future
prosperity Of Northern New York, that such Railroad
connection should be attained and they feel that this
hitherto secluded and ne elected portion Of the state
has just claims upon the Legislature Tor favorable
consideration Of its present application
For i've months Ia the year the counties OF 81 Law
Franklin aud CintOD etectualiy smut out
from our great commercial marts, IS though no such
msrts existcd. This railroad connection would enable
them To reach such markets at al seasons Of the year
AZ " its Winter business, that portion Of Canada
bordering the ST. Lawrence River is similarly sit
usted with these North rn counties and should This
bridge connection take place aud the branch railroads
leading from the Northern Railroad into Canada, now
10 contemplation be constructed It IL believed that an
immense Winter business would spring up and be car
Tied on between that Province and our own citizens
10 was argued before your Committee behalf OF
the remonstrsnts that the power 10 construct such
bridge ought TO be granted for the following
lst That the State has power 10 make the cOnteTn
plated grant Because Ia would Obsrct, and Interfere
with the commerce on Lake Champsip between the
Upied States and Canada and would be IN violation Of
the Treaty stpulatlODs existing between the Dnted
States and Great Britain.
ID That the State has the power 10 make the grant
II 10 expedient regards her Interests 20 do So and
3D. That such bridge would Obsiruct the free How
OF the water from tho lake aud cause the overflow Of
farms wharves and mill privileges on its border
Tho FIRST objection the violation OF treaty stpulaiOn
TO- In the opinion OF your committee, most conclGsvey
answered ia the very able and interesting report Of the
select committee OF the Senate having this subject IN
charge TO which report your committee beg leave to
refer. (see Senate Document No "a, lc49)
10 was shown To your committee by certificate OF
the collector at 81 Johns that the whole number of
entrances and clesrances to and from the United states
during the season OF navigation in 1871 was only equs
per day Most Of the business below kOuses Point IL
done by steamboats,. from which trsnshipment takes
place at 81 Johns 10 railroad for Montreal, sud
charter has been granted TO extend the Montreal and
81 Johns railroad up to Rouses Point 10 connect with
tho Northern Railroad distance Of less than twenty
miles When that shall be done the transhpment will
take place at Rouse's Point and steamboats, probably
would not generally pass below the bridge.
was farther shown by aiidsvi, 10 yous committee
that many times the commerce OF Lake ChAmpain At
kouses Point passes through draw bridges over The
Charles River Boston without serious Inconvenience
obstruction to the trade. Aud the whole commerce
OF the Welland canal amounting often 10 more than
so vessels per day OF from 200 to 400 tons buhen each
passed through succession Of draw bridges con
strucsed the canal every low miles throughout ~
entire length Of p miles and though one of your con
mtee has been engaged In this trade Tor many years
he has never heard these numerous draw bridge
spoken OF as an embarrassment or obstruction to II
That the citizens OF Montreal should be hostile TO tn
proposed bridge and to the rosd itself TO b
expected That they should fear that this road vii
have the effect 10 draw off, 10 own cities, much
that portion Of the trade OF Upper Canada and 10,
Western States, which now passes down 10 Montreal
your committee can well believe and hence II Il per
fscty natural that the people OF that city should eNe
themselves 10 embarrsss the construction of what they
consider rival enterprise.
The Committee then 60 TO argue that the oppos
ton of the Canadians IL why the Legislature
OF New York should favor the interests of our own
ctzens and think the fact that the proposed rosd vii
draw OF to this State good portion of the Montreal
trade, consideration In ts favor. The Report con
tinues;
"From stfidsvts and opinions Of eminent engineer.
OF this State produced and statements made before your
Committee, and from their own knowledge and eNpe
In such matters they convinced that the
ton OF the proposed bridge could not in the least Oh
struct the flow OF water from the lake.
IL will Do observed that the waterway under the
bridge 10 not less than 1000 feet IL appears by the
afadsvit OF the engineer who made the examinations
that ct Ash Island, three or four miles below Rouse
Point the whole width of waterway 10 only LOIS feet
with depth giving area OF waterway equal 90 about
10000 square feet while q, the bridge there will be
width OF water in the clear between the piers OF
not less than 1000 feet double the width Ash
Island and that the depth of water at the bridge Is
such. that after shall be built there will be = coo
square feet Of waterway being three times great
err capacity of waterway at the bridge after its
struction, than there is at Ash Island.
IL was stated before your Committee, that in times
Of high water, the river below Rouse's Point Ash
Island overhows its banks greatly TO increase the
area of waterway at that place
In answer 10 this IL was shown by a steamboat mas
Ter OF great experience ON Lake Chsmplain and the
Rchelieu River, that At 81 Johns the river ba,
about thousand feet In width with high banks which
never overlooked and that the whole volume Of Wa
ter escaping from the lake had to pass this place and
that la times OF reshels the water about high At
ST. Johns at Ash Island Rouses Point other places
thu ske. These facts satisfy your Committee that If
there 10 any obstruction to the dow Of water from the
lake, such obstruction 10 below Rouse's Point And,
that the OF wser under the proposed bridge
would be between two aud three times greater than
Ash Island ST Johns the construction of such bridge
would la wise obstruct the now OF water from the
lake. cause the overflow Of lands on It's shores
Your Committee are therefore Of the opinion. that
the prayer OF the petitioners should granted aud
leave TO introduce bill accordingly.
INDIAN REyoLUrIoS-On the 5th OF last De
cember the Seneca Indians met In convention at the
Cattarsugus Rcservs In Erie County and sbOshed
their former government that OF Chiefs and established
sohartered republic. The following statement OF the
which induced this revolution "a worthy any
people however refined
We the people OF he Seneca Nation OF Indians by virtue
OF the rehs Inherent IN people trusting In the Justice
spd VI underssktng and huuhy invoking The
blessing OF the God OF Nations upon eotts improve
car eivi condtn and to secure TO nson the sdmnis