The daily union., 1852-08-31


The next amendment of the committee was to insert:
" For the com pensaton OF clerk in the Office OF the
Commissioned of Patents 81 200"
n Mr. HUNTER This is an item which the Senate
have for some past inserted annually The House
have stricken il out My opinion is that this officer
ought TO have clerk, for he has great many duties TO
discharge
MIR CLARKE. move that 81 ,2Oo' be stricken out,
and 81 000' inserted in lis place. The Committee for
the Dlsncl OF Columbia had prepared amendment not
knowing that THIS would be offered, in which they put
the salary OF the clerk al vi 900.
Mr. HUNTER. l am willing TO accept that amend
ment.
The amendment OF Mr. CLARKE was agreed to and the
amendment OF The committee, amended, adopted
The next amendment OF the committee 10 strike
out $780, and insert 81 000," for the purchase of
nuTe Tor tie public grounds.
Mr.. HUNTER This is according 10 estimate
The amendment agreed TO.
The next amendment OF the committee TO insert:
To complete and revise the grades In the city Of Wash
ngon, and 10 determine plans Tor drainage and sewerage
heIeo $4,000 the surveys and plans TO be made by the
ton OF the President OF The United States"
Mr.. HUN FER. A former appropriation was made for
this object and has proved to be of the most useful
ever made in the District This is designed to continue
the work
The amendment was agreed 10.
SUPPLYING WASHINGTON WITH WATER.
The next amendment was as follows:
To enable the President Of the United States
the necessary surveys prolecs and estimates 10 be made
ior determining the best OF aordng the city OF
Washington unang and abundant supply OF good and
wholesome water, report thereof be made Congress
at Its next session, the sum OF 10, 900
Mr.. HUNTER This was according 10 estimate Ii
was thought best. as it acknowledged to be
important PROJECT, and relation 10 which there
were some difference OF plan and some difficulties,
that should be sent 10 the engineers department for
plans, estimates, aud surveys. This appropriation is
therefore made in accordance with estimates by the
department for that purpose.
MIR. BRADBURY. This subject, Mr.. President, was
before the Committee for the District of Columbia and
after some examination OF it. considering the very great
amount oil expenditure that is going in this Dis
lct, the committee did not fit to recommend any est
mate of the kind. How il came before the Committee
on Finance the chairman has already indicated II ap
pears TO that it unwise this time TO this
expense. We already expending money the
OF hundreds of thousands OF dollars here and it is be-
eved that whenever survey OF that kind is undertaken
il might well be undertaken under the direction OF
some committee OF Congress, who may have something
to do in designating the various surveys that may be
made. hope The amendment will not be made. see
bat member OF the Committee Tor the District OF
Columbia pr-sent-the honorabs senator from Rhode
Island Mr.. CLARKE-and think his recollection will
correspond 10 mine
Mr.. CLARKE Mr. President, that fact is as the
senator from Maine Mr. BRADBuRYl has stated it. This
appropriation allows IS 900 for survey, and for report
OF the best means OF supplying the city OF Washington
with water That sum strikes me as enormous 1t IS well
known that the supply oil water for the city OF Wash
ngon may be obtained within three four miles OF the
city in abundance and 10 appropriate IS 900 for such
survey appears TO be extravagant The Committee
for the District OF Columbia had this subject under consd
eraon and TO the conclusion not TO recommend at
very expensive, and the appropriations that already
made IN this bill Tor the city OF Washington, exclusive
OF the public buildings, amount to Sl2o5l4, and there
certain amendments that TO be proposed by the
chairman Of the Committee Tor the District OF Columbia,
which will swell this up TO about $500 900. 1t
appears that that quite enough at time, ii not
too much. The appropriation is for exploration
OF the grounds survey 10 ascertain in what man
aer the city OF Washington can be supplied with water.
Now, If you do that, II necessarily implies an intention
on the pait OF Congress 10 go on at any expense and
complete the object desired The Committee for the DIS
tric OF Columbia have not recommended II, and for my
sell, think the appropriation is not necessary al the
MIR HALE Ii strikes me, Mr. President that il there
is single appropriation which there is an imperative OBJ
legation upon Congress to make, IL Is this. remember
early during the present session being called out OF
evening alarm OF re-I think IL was al the cor
OF "A street and C-and saw building after building
burned down without palllul oil water 10 put on H. and
the FIRE exhausted merely because there was no more
buildings within it's reach 10 consume And subsequently
to that. very near to the house where happened TO be
boarding at the time, called out al midnight by
alarm OF re and that fire, too, exhausted itself IN the
same way-there was no water.
Now, would be very willing TO amend this amend
ment OF the committee by saying at the end OF IT. after
the S5,000 'or much OF II as may be necessary"
the department need not feel under any obligation 10
spend the whole OF IT, But il there be place in the
world where there should be some facilities afforded for
supply OF water especially where il be done so
easily as be done here, II seems 10 me II Is this
capital OF the nation Go and ask the citizens OF Bos-
ton New York. or Philadelphia, what they would aban-
don their water facilities for, which they have procured
at such an enormous expense and they will tell you,
great has been the expense, that they would rather
double and treble II than to give up the facilities which
they have for putting out hfe. Well, here sir, IN this
cltythis capital where we have the exclusive egsla.
on-I think there the worst provision for water in
case of FIRE OF any place that IN my lie. Aud
at the same time, have within very short distance
at the falls OF the Potomac means OF providing Tor
supply OF pure and wholesome water at less expense
and greater than IN any other cry oil similar SIZE
ia The whole United States. And II never will be done
until there been exploration and survey made that
may laid before Congress, that they may be able TO
determine whether the thing is practicable and feasible,
and at what cost II may be done think az matter
OF safely to public buildings and our pubic records
we owe il ourselves that should inquire, al least
at what expense il may be done. The cities OF Boston,
lions procure supply of water and they would double
the expense rather than foego The advantages they have
secured. - !,
move 10 amend the amendment by adding al The end
oor 80 much thereof as may be necessary; anu WIN
that qualification do hope that we Will order THIS eK
poraon to be made that at another session we may
al least have the light before and be enabled TO know
whether the thing is practicable, and Il il be pacca
Bile, at what cost and expense u can be done.
Mr.. HUNTER. | have no objection TO THIS amend.
men proposed by the senator from New Hampshire ou
think II is not necessary vi course only so much OF
the sum appropriated will be expended will be neces
sary There was come difficulty in the department 10
ing the precise estimate. They could not come at u
with exacness but presume they will not expend any
more than may be necessary OF the appropriation
Nor do | know that would disagree, II the senator
from Rhode Island Mr.. CLARgEl were 10 desire TO re-
ance ihe sum- il that would suit him. All desire is
that there should be appropriation to enable us to
get surveys plans. and estimates, N order mat the Com