The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-08-27


instead Of the Two. and perhaps with better result
DO not know about that
Mr.. DOUGLASS With the same result.
Mr. DAVIS Then, ask the honorable senator !, ms
aIboT is not incompetel And shsl we sop WIN .ne
work in that harbor OF Chicago now because is lncom
pete =
that you will have any harboS or any good mar
bors long they are under the charge oil men who
have no knowledge of the currents and the sand bars al
the places where the money is 10 be expended II you
will put these Improvements under the charge OF old Sc
captains and others, who have been there for twenty
years past. and know the effect OF the storms and cur
rents here you would then have the money judieousy
expended and then you will have harbors SO constructed
that they will stand. and not be continually required TO
be renewed extended every year. Now, the way mus
system has worked is, that you expenc twenty dollars
where you get dollars worth OF work done and ha'
which is done is done upon plan that does not accom-
pllsh the object in view.
Mr.. DAVIS The gentleman would have us go on,
then, and with captain instead OF your sce-
tc engineers he would have these works go under The
charge gentlemen who have watched the currents more
than The engineers have Well. think you would come
out rather than you have now Now, 1t Is admit
ted that something be done in order to give 10 these
large interests and this large business the accommoda
,ions which are indispensable TO Them.
But was about adyernng to another matter to show
that why these piers are not completed, and why they
should not be completed is, that they merely tempo
raty structures they but wooden PIERS filled with
stone And these structures can last only as long as the
TEey put there to try the experiment and ascertain
whether permanent Improvement could be made there
benehcay and properly. and, 1t succeeded then put
down stone piers.
That has been done, in part, in Cleveland. | believe
Of the piers running out OF Cleveland is permanent
masonry. But the difference between Cleveland and
Chicago is this in the former place they are able by
much shorter piers to strike quite deep water so that The
sand does mol reform bar.
Mr.. CASS. II the senator will permit me, will ask
him if lie is aware OF another important fac-hat the
of the Cuyahoga river al Cleveland stronger
than the current al Chcsgoi
Mr.. DAVIS The senator says the current is stronger
at Cleveland dare say that is true. They have reached
pon, Of the experiment there which has desisna-
ted satisfactorily what ought to be the permanent i'm
povements and as soon as they reach that point the
government begins to put down these permanent I'M
None OF those harbors will be improved until you have
reached that point, and they will require large sums Of
money beyond all doubt Now, Mr.. President, have
personal interest and feeling in this matter have
been through the western country and have seen the
operation OF all these matters have seen the great and
prcec lion from the calamites which have been we'll
described by the senator from Illinois, Mr. DOUGLAS
understand all tha and is but an act OF humanity
that protection should be afforded. II is indispensable
that something should be done; and while my own local
position places where we have little interest in these
transactions, yet cheerfully and freely, at all times,
subscribe the necessity OF doing something for that
portion OF the country 10 protect Its inhabitants from the
evils which surround them.
But do not wish 10 trouble the Senate further with
regard TO the general principles upon which surveys
made 1t is quite matter OF indifference with me
whether you adopt the $50 900, whether Congress
presses its opinion each particular surveywhethe
they consider it expedlent to adopt II or not would
add however, that among the papers laid before the
Committee on Commerce noticed letter. do not
ecollect precisely how il comes into the but be-
eve it is by correspondence between the opograph-
cal bureau and the head of the War Department-in
which the head OF the War Department deprecaes the
course which the honorable senator from Michigan Mr.
CAss now proposes to pursue de does not desire to
at his disposal in this way do not know that his per-
sona wishes ought TO be regarded The convenience of
the government should be consulted in this matter but
doubt very much, from our past experience, whether
you could get administration OF this object that would
b. satisfactory, if you threw it into the War Depart.
meni, as that by Congress itself would be.
Mr. SHIELDS. Mr.. President, | shall vote 10 change
be character Of these surveys and shall do it because
am friend TO The bill, and because want 10 pass.
And am sorry TO say that it is such bill as should
wish 70 see passed BY this body IN its present shape
will add that If the highly intelligent and able gentle
who have had charge OF this subject both branches
OF the Congress Of the United States have found impos
sble TO prepare more equitable and impartial bill than
this is will become very strong argument ag ainst
The whole system.
have looked il carefully, and examined the DIFF
ieIent objects which are contemplated by IT, and the
different amounts proposed and confess that could
scarcely imagine, in my humble opinion, a more une-
quail distribution OF money Than this bill presents.
will say further, having beard il said here the other
day that this was similar 10 The bill that President Polk
vetoed must say Tor myself. that if called upon,
as President act upon this bill, would feel il TO be
my duty 10 il, the ground OF its inequality on
the ground OF lis injustice and upon the ground that
there seems TO have been taken into in It's form
alton no elements either geographical commercial
will not 60 into that now, but ii is 80.
We western accused OF coming here and csmor.
hg Tor large appropriations Sir, take this bill and ex.
examine item by item, and you will find where the up.
preparations going Do they go TO the Northwest and
70 the Southwest No, sir; but they go 10 the Atlantic
States. There is nearly double the amount appropriated
for the Atlantic States that there is for the West nclud
ing The gull and the valley OF the Mississippi with all lis
rivers and navgabe slreams-lakes and all Why, SIR
this is The extraordinary bill have ever inyes.
gated There running into the Mississippi through
out It's length OF twenty FIVE hundred miles about fifty.
navsable rivers Look at the appropriation for
the whole OF ,hem-tor the lakes, and so on
is curious TO the distinctions that are made he re
from day TO day. which have listened to ever since
have been member of the Senate; and every one OF
these distinctions is violated in this original bill The
appropriations Tor surveys are confined to particular
States.
But Mr.. President among all the inequalities of this
bill, THIS Is the most gross and garinghai ont OF this
whole country, from the Atlantic TO the Pacific they
should select few placespetted, favonte places-and
appropriate for the surveys OF those places and leave all
The Others not only neglected and overlooked but entirely
dsregarded and then say that that il such bill as ought
TO be presented and sustained here.
In regard 10 referring these matters TO the Topographic
cal bureau would merely say, that that bureau ought
TO have Sufficient Typographical knowleige and norma
ton upon these subjects else their recommendations
TO purpose II has that knowledge; al ell events
II has that information 10 certain extent and IL j. the
duty OF those officers 10 be able 10 give that kind OF
Information and that kind OF knowledge when call ed
upon TO do will ask II il would not be advantage
hia Sens In hay he hane nf ,nfnr