The daily union., 1852-09-01

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be shoals either in The centre the shore each
side The natural and necessary effect OF the eauseway
in operation is 10 deposes 10 be made in the centre
ol The river, and they will ultimately bring that centre ou
OF water and thus form island; and examination
will show, as | believe, that such will be the ultimate
result whether the causeway shall be removed or not
II you remove the structure those causes will still ope-
rate, though probably not rapidly, and the deposite
will ultimately make island there Ii the present
structure be removed, you su have the sboal water.
You cannot get deep water by removing this causeway
which is some two thousand feet OF solid stone and earth
embankmen We also assured that if this way
is removed IL will be difficult, ii impossible,
seamierry across the river at that point because the
water will be too sboal for portion OF the way.
These considerations lead me 70 hope the amendment
OF the senator from North Carolina TO the amendment
will be rejected. and that shall make an appropriation
for the repairs OF The old bridge and when the project
for removing the strucure and erecting new bridge
shall be again under consideration there will be time 10
consider fully the subject We need undertake that
until we have all the Information before us that expert
enced engineers give The Committee for the Dis
trct OF Columbia several days investigating the
subject They at first impressed with the
ideas that several gentlemen have suggested here but
they found that there were other facts which modified
Mr. UNDERWOOD l shall vote against any appro.
priaon to rebuild repair this BRIDGE and shall do il
upon this ground: The people of Georgetown have 10
my knowledge, for fifteen twenty years last past been
ompanng Of This obs uction, and long that bridge
has been in passable condition, no movement has ever
been made in this body in the other House, to
eve their dicutes and il you put that bridge in pas
sable order again, will il not remain feen twenty or
perhaps : MY, years without being touched
Mr. BADGER. II will remain always, unless another
Mr. UNDERWOOD. | think my friend from North
Carolina has given the proper answer II we put this
bridge in passable order will continue without any al
teraon until another flood breaks ii away. Heaven has
flood which has destroyed portion Of the bridge,
and you have been forced to take action with regard
TO the matter Now il is proposed 10 put again in the
condition in which it has been for the last fifteen or
twenty years, OF which the people of Georgetown have
always been complaining II il put in passable order,
| | fear The subject will be touched For this
reason, shall against the amendment OF the Com
mee on Finance and for the amendment OF the senator
from North Carolina. am willing that my friend from
North Carolina should limit the appropriation and in
stead OF removing the brick and dirt embankm in The
centre OF the slrucure conhne Tor the present to the
wood plling each sde and allow to think about
the subject until The next session. But indifferent
about that and shall vote for his amendment whether he
limits il in that way not
Since this subject has been under consideration |
have converscd with Mr. Elicit, the great bridge builder
in This country upon the suspension plan He made
estimate years ago in regard to the money
sary TO be expended TO construct wire suspension
bridge the foundation of the bridge il stands,
and he thought would take little upwards of $780,
900 to build bridge there upon that principle. Accord
ing his estimates it would take 500, 900 build the
kind OF bridge the aqueduct Georgetown.
My own opinion Isl that if you build re-suspenson
bridge the proper site for il will be Masons
island because Immediately west OF the Observatory
there very high embank knent. and Masons island
considerably elevated, and you can build wire suspen-
sion bridge there TO allow space enough under
meath Tor The mass OF vessels going to Georgetown.
Such bridge will not interfere with the navigation OF
the river But sir, all that is matter for future nves-
galon and inquiry Ii you refuse temporarily re-
PAIR the present structure you should send out your
gineers Tor the purpose OF looking at sites making es
mates, and determining what shall be done. But, my
word for il, just so soon as you commence repairing the
old structure there will be eng gneers look
for new site, there will be estimates made for tina,
purpose, and the subject Will remain where has been
for many years past. therefore go for the amend
ment OF my friend from North Carolina.
MIR. HUNTER. rise 10 suggest that it would per-
ne hpsi n ms N fniln fha ~
the Committee for the District OF Columbia, who have
examined this subject more than any OF us. and who
better acquainted with IT. Even ii the from
/ North Carolina Mr. BADGERl Were right in his amend
ment think IL would be premature to adopt il until
we have some Information. shall be very reluctant
TO destroy the present MEANS imperfect they are TO
communicate with the Virginia Shore and am certain
that would be felt serious loss 10 do il until some
other is erected. II the Senate make appropriation
for temporary repair, think they ought 10 give the
amount recommended by the Committee for the District
OF Columbia. And if they should refuse 10 appropriate
anything for the purpose OF repair sll hope they will
not go the length OF destroying what now exists tor
even IN ITS present state II is very useful.
Mr.. PRATT, do not concur with the senator from
Kentucky (Mr USDRRwooDl in believing that Provi.
dence sent food tor the express purpose OF carrying
away the bridge; but nasmach tue bridge has been
pfovieniay carried away. am indisposed TO put il up
again.
One or Two considerations have been advanced about
which wish to say word. The first proposition is,
that the erection OF the bridge has destroyed the trade OF
Georgetown, in consequence Of the distractions it has
caused in the river Now, believe deny the
fact that il is Many years ago. went school in
Georgetown, aud at that tins vessels OF almost the
largest class enabled TO ascend the river that
point and load with cagoes for every part OF the world
At the present day IL is impossible for vessels OF that
class 10 get up there. Georgetown then place OF
considerable trade but from some cause other, that
trade has been destroyed, and its inhabitants allege the
erection OF the bridge and the consequent obsrucons
the navigation, 10 be the have doubt that
that is the fact
In the next place. it said that the erection OF the
bridge, with permanent causeway OF something like
two thousand yards has had tendency 10 produce dis
ease. satisfied that that Argument is correct II
committee OF the most learned and scientific men in the
District 10 assemble and make report that
the exposure OF sixty seventy OF marsh mud
TO the atmosphere would not produce disease, would
not believe them. Every knows that IL will pro-
duce disease in such climate as this and every one
who knows anything OF the locality, knows that some
sixty or seventy exposed day after day, to the
summer sun. and that disease must be The inevitable
sequence These of the reasons why will vote
with the senator from Norh Carolina Mr. BApoERl for
the removal OF this the refusal repair
the bridge will not either of these evils. There
permanent structure there which prevents the water
from flowing freely, and is desirable that that obstruc
ton should be removed but the refusal repair
would leave that evil untouched, and al the time
deprive OF the advantage which the of the bridge
affords. Therefore, unless the obstruction - 10 be
moved altogether there be no difficulty IN delermin
ing whether shall assent to the proposition 10 repair
because that repair will but increase the evils complained
Of and the only way in which any gooi be effected
will be 10 agree its entire removal The senator from
| North Carolina Mr. BADGER is mancstly right in de
string that that removal should take place My friend
from Indiana Mr. BRicHrl wrong in supposIng that