The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-01-22

be attained and that this bill will be passed now 50 as
@ anord an opportunity Of repairing the dam or other
wise improving the navigation daring the course Of this
present year. Sir, happen to have some knowledge
much more acquaintance than could wish to have had
with this particular obstruction II my misfortune,
or fortune, to embark on board the sold Hickory
steamboat bearing name rather 0minous,l conessstil
was not deferred by the name from going board Of
about three or four winters ago. We occupied about
four weeks IN q voyage from Louisville 70 Natchez,
taken us more than four days; and considerable
portion OF the delay from the very obstruction which
the senator from Tennessee audes to- the dam
particularly well We stuck fast upon It. All around
were the wrecks OF boats remaining there, Of them
broken in pieces and others laboring 10 get of again
we had on board, recollect, some seventy OF eighty
head OF TAT cattle, all OF which had 10 be thrown out OF
the boat swim the Shore or float down the river and
be taken up again by the boat they best might; while
at the same time the river was filled with floating ice.
In fac sir this obstruction not only affects the prop
erty, but endangers the lives OF human beings, and
hope that under the present circumstances, the Senate
having had the subject under consideration during the
in support Of the poposiiion trust il 10 be carried
j. will be carried as to its going into opera
t'on wllaoat Wrs the delay Of one o. two years II,
4 Mr. KING. l rise TO ask whether the committee In
this case has reported avotably TO the proposition III
understand rightly the object Of the gentleman is to get
clear q an Improvements as il was called, originally
constructed by the government, alter 1t had been urged
upon this body tune and again and that now in order to
improve the navigation Of the river, we are asked to
make an appropriation To- remove this very work, Am
tor IRON Tennessee inform me upon the subject t "
Mr. BELL. cannot give the honorable senator from
Alabama direct answer can only say that this i'm
provement was made upon the same principle that a
great many other Improvements were made BY dams upon
the Ohio river, do not know how many years ago
perhaps some twelve or ffteen--upon The applca-
no particular locality. whose interests were connect
90 with the navigation OF the Ohio river. Il answer
% ito purposes exceedng well for along series Of years.
but asbar formed in the channel which was proposed
70 leave open BY this dam to such extent TO impede
materially the passage OF boats between Cumberland
sland M and me Kentucky shore.
has made report, Mr. President; but they
relied upon the report made by the typographical bureau
upon the nature of the obstruction. the extent and the
causes OF 1T deduced from surveys made by skful and
scientific officers The proposition is either to remove
The dam altogether or to repair it; to make it eff
rient Tor the purposes for which It was intended,
i It can be made to answer those purposes. This
concerns some eight or nine States--western Penn
sylyania western Virginia. and the States and Terrific
mes upon the Ohio and Mississippi ryers--the entire
trade OF the cities upon the Ohio river and New Orleans
being affected thereby cannot say is particularly
aecied with The exports OF the State Of Alabama, all the
other States bordering on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers
the interest which feel the subject not only
upon the OF general interest but upon the of
The navigation OF the Cumberland river which, for its
volume OF water is one Of the finest rivers in the world
the senator from Alabama well knows, bearing on its
surface all the cotton, tobacco and corn OF middle Ten
aessee and great amount OF lumber-red cedarfor "a
act which gentlemen may not be aware of there from
hat quarter large lumber trade in slaves to supply the
French marketthe finest timber in the world for that
Well sir the Cumberland river, in consequences Of this
is liable to be blocked up, and the whole
commerce OF that part OF the country has been seriously
impaired and liable TO be more seriously impaired yet,
lOt by this dam directly, but consequence OF the dam
eadng to the formation OF bar at the foot Of Cumber
and island. The river spreads out there over broad
surface, and there is not sucen current Of water TO
open channel that the Cumberland river is liable to
be obsructed in such manner as to place most one
ous burden upon its navigation That is the principal in
crest that feel in the question. II the dam is removed,
he obstruction may be IN part removed also but the
yineers who have examined it estimate that will be far
cheaper for the government TO repair the dam than
o remove it. This is the opinion o. professional men
who have attended to the matter Therefore - pro-
posed to repair the dam, instead Of taking away.
Mr. KING obtained the floor, but yielded TO asH
Mr.. CLAY, who said; Mr.. President, if the senator
on do not understand that there was any defect or
error originally in the construction OF the dam. but on
he contrary, that produced very beneficial results for
he navigation OF the river. But them sir, artificial OBJ
ects of this kind require occasional repairs This dam
not repaired Il has been neglected for years. and
mas been getting worse and worse every year II there
mad been timely application OF very small sum, it
would now be performing all the beneficial purposes
which were intended in its erection II wasowng to the
neglect of repairs that il has not recently done
Mr.. KING. most heartily agree with the honorable
States in the Union OF keeping the navigation of this
liver open. II has been my fortune to have gone down
he OniO rye mol IN ne " Oid hlckOTys Dul N 6toan
,oat. the name Of which have forgotton-he = Henry
Jlay" [laughter,l believe il was and. sir we stuck
lpon every bar in getting down the uyer. and parcnary
consequence, as we were told by the mmander of
he boat of these dams They were 10 consIucfd as 70
pjure instead OF improving the navigation OF me nyer,
ende ring almost impossible pass themwhen the wa
er wac low; and, from ell that could lsan. woad be
much better for hs navigation IL they removed al
ogether, Now. alter the expenditure of very large
ums of smoney, additional appropriations are asked
or repairing OF taking away what have been called
hrfx hat ho of1y-
hing but improvements. think, therefore, the sub
ect should be well scrutinizcd myself, sir, have
always been in favor OF lending the aid OF the govern
nent 70 improve the navigation OF this great thorough
are My votes have been recorded and again
favor OF propositions of that kind but until there is
,ome mode devised by which can know that the
moneys thus appropriated not 10 be squanderedun
ess works can be constructed which will prove bcne-
icial, and in degree pennanentit is useless ex
,enator from Kentucky knows well rs any in this
,ody, that the expenditures made BY appropriations for
Internal improvements upon rivers and Tor cutting canals
ind improving ports and harbors have always cost twice
Is much they should have DONE and thai the works
been generally OF very inferior description, and
,iten quite Inadequate to answer the purposes Tor which
hey were designed. Now, sir, do not rise with view
oppose this ropraton My wish that this obsiruc
ion which we have created by an improper expenditure
il money, should be removed and that we should let
he Ohio river aow in its own natural channels for, af
this noor who characterized that beautiful stream
IS frozen up one,haf OF the year and dry the rest
hould wish, sir, that this bill itself should make some
,rovison that this money should be applied to removing
his obstruction altogether instead Of going to repair
work which is only calculated 10 aid in throwing the