The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-07-22

By adding the number of dwellings erected
since the last Of June, 1850, to those returned by
| the census, and, multiplying by the rate of each
ward it will be that the present population Of
the city is nearly 10000, and the prospect Of the
number of dwellings to be erected before the year
closes, this number will be much increased. In
other respects the city is advancing in many ways
by pulling down and rebuilding many houses and
embellishing stores, &C.; the erection and en-.
largement of factories in various places, among
which may be mentioned the iron and machine
shops of McKinstry, Rider, and Cathcart; the saw.
ing and planning shops Of Van Rswick, Ager &
Nc Lean, Baldwin, and Byrd; the foundries Of the
Scbneiders, and tho shops of Buckingham, and
others in the smith line. At the shipyard Of Mr..
Page there have been built five steamboats,, four Of
which afloat, and a large one now on the
stocks; and at the yards Of Easily and Lambell
much 10 done in building and repairing vessels,
which are taken out of the water by marine rail
ways. These, with many minor establishments,
give employ to great number Of persons, and
produce a home market (the best of all markcts)
streets by paving. grading, &C., keep pace with
the others. Great Inconvenience results to the
city from the destruction of a portion of the Pc
tomac bridge by the great freshet, and which,
Bile. This is due to the city. well as to the turn
pike companies in Virginia which lead to 1t,
the travel on which is now cut off When a
permanent repair is made il should be BY rails
ing the bridge, making the openings wide
enough between the piers to pass all the drift
wood in time Of fresbets, instead Of arresting il
and damming back the water near two feet, to the
injury OF Georgetown and the centre portion Of the
city Tho bridge itself should be go consruc ted as
to afford a railway over il, and which rai.road
might easily be continued from the end of the
bridge at l4h street, around the squares facing the
river and the Monument square " 18th street, on
the canal, and along the south eide of the canal
eastward TO point near Maryland avenue The
extension Of the excavation of the canal to 18th
street and to the end Of l7th wharf ought to
be expedited to admit vessels loaded with
lumber, conl &c, up the canal to 18th street. and
ultimately up to the mar ket; for which provision
should be Immediately made for a draw on l4th
street BRIDGE which Is absolutely necessary for the
admission Of vessels Of a moderate draugbt laden
with coal. lumber, wood. oysters, grain, &C., in
creasing the trade to the city and also the revenue
from wharfage to very great extent. This trade
would necessarily benefit tho shopkeepers and
others. This 10 evident from the fact Of the great
many vessels which come through the city draw to
the mouth Of the Tibcr, and whose cargoes have
now to be scowed up. Nor is this mere surmise,
for at the time of writing this there nine scboon
at the mouth Of the Tiber that could all come
up TO the wharves along the canal, producing .
might obtain return freight Of Cumberland coal,
bricks, &c. In the neighborhood Of the city for
many miles around extensive improvements are
making by cultivators on their farms and old
worn.out land brought into use.
J. SESSFORD.
wAsHiseros, July ls. 1852.