Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1853-11-15
TIE WASulNGTON aQUEDUCT.

TUESDAY last was rendered f;c!nJib!c lhr annals o!
washington cy district, b. Tie commencement q" me
p,ca .u duet which is hrius into the cy The wacis 81
The PGumac fhc approval OF Tie liGsceut Z" IN" o"i.s1
States having girca HE requisite ohGa' oh 10 me
!aro,s OF the p!Ins reported ny Capt NJ Mes5 Inc en-
gncc- entrusted with this important and dll:" hneah'
ing Tuesday apart Tor It's natGura'in ny I'VE P.
sUn1l attrndlncc and participation oi ic tse'' a'u
portion Of his cabinet, accompanied BY me Gnciai ao-
tiles of Washington and Gcnttnwn Passage boats haV-
ing provided III" party embarked at The us@ 'anaEs
3ce ncsr the :kc house in Georgetown, and proceeded
one by steam and tie by track horses up the Ccsa
ieu aud Oain canal Cronmen, ncaI the feat avs o'
Potomac in the vicinity OF which the Slucduc IL r:S W
CONNIE nccmCn, This day though at lrst ovt'c"uita
proved prOpiti0ns end The beats rcachcu lel'
about l2H O'clock.
The spot having designated by nag rrcred On pole
os approuchcI by the President and soon surrounded
by concouTs Of citizens assembled witness The ceeno.
ny 0l Inc Inauguration.
The exercises were introduced with solemn PRAYER by me
Rev. Dr. Pync rector OF ST.. Johns Eplscopal Ch'ch OF
Washington.
Clptan Sicigs then addressed the company rs follows
mi President and gentleman, We have nviicd you 10
moe, here ,ty 10 naun,a,c the Washington Aqnefnct
Ii is a time honorcd CUSTOM when any great WorH Io nc
5ci' nt mankind undertaken, to innEe as '.'r pro-
rusr formal commencement and whefH "hhh We '"'
wnrk mage worthy Of such s0cnriy than Ihs which we
bern this day Or all the which civilization and
science enable 10 construct perhaps an elucoIc' "
useful tho most enduring.
Tine channels constructed by Pagan cmperors before the
Christian era stall continue 10 pour her heallhu waters
into dccayny kome. What other structure o t'ost cary
DAYS now continues fulfil !s original puIposef nc
Guary with panfl labor decphcTs the inscriptions
reveal half conceal The ui The her" D! uhc!H ?,
or triun,phal arch; while the aqlcdnc cH''i",- III @
rali,; of The people the uf its onncf si, shppcs
health ard e pGrpc,uatcs his name ai'eF e 'aPsc VI
eighteen hundred years - oooos;on
worthy ui your presence and ask you 10 whom Con
gross entrusted the decision upon tc Gan TO s'"e te
frs, soo into The ground md begin the Washington Aqnc
tuct work which, COM ced upon the scaie you a,e
ordered will be worthy monument 10 tHc a'e u. ~.
Country whose name il bears, ani which WEI eaNs -
Ia be ors AMI gratefully IeIhen'oc!ed oy t
czsns of The METROPOLIS which nc laid out oa go sca
p!an-a plan which shows tina! he looked Tar h.o iuusy
and saw with faith The onward ana upward coulse VI l
nile governed upon free principle and BY rulers ot hc o""
choice" .,.
The President. being then presented with the necessary
mram,n nj for commencing the excavation mace b',e pre-
nayv address in which he observed that the part he had
been called upan take in relation t. ts w"h a ose
confined decision on the best pan OF roaucS h; 49, 49, M
h1t u,on The statement Of facts submitted ~ MN oy t
cnonccr the proE!ety OF It's adopon considering he i
niude of the enterprise, lis duraon ana It's stta' ',np
tancc all parts of the District did n2t aus W
break The first ground in prosecution vi the pam Is s
should now with great sasiacon proceed 10 ao
| the rest TO others. -, .- or tho sroc,,
HI then took The spade. amidst tEc checis oi HE Si
| tors. and turned the ifst Soc . ,,. tu.
I.ne Hon J,N..son Davis, Secretary o. War, io'o%e'
my. i, order He atIfrssci the company in snort oG
o,,csiva neccb in which ne congra uiied ienl as Assem-
bed To witness the commencement ot "2TR IN 'e 9es
drgrcc useful AID honorable I" our o"n sthtat'o 81"
whosc benefits descend TO thousands ytl 70 COME
This undertaking ic saic) had tcea criticised IN no sau
K manner as aE attempt intended by lis Ehgnl'nd anu ~
pense emulate the regal spiendof oi me WOES u. VI. VI
wort; but 10 his opinion, no pubic WORK ceuia oe oo M
or too Grand 10 be undertaken by free people,, espcca
when il was 10 benefit city bearing the name OF Washing
ION fchccrs work destined 10 cause res!rcshins stream
N flow through metropolis honored by That name whc
would ever remain fresh and green in the memory and The
feclions Of every Amecari name consecraea a
10 the patriots and The soldiers lame whose senlus coho
led both the armies and the councils OF his country
The honorable secretary paid n.erted tribute 70 'he "a
lent and learning OF the engineer tcr whose nanagsnen
this gIca, design had been properly placed expressing VI
atfcctionae good will TO the city and all iis Intel
este and sgan insisting that great aad masnhcer
as that design was it did not exceed The destiny reserve
for such a CITY, into which il would eventually po'
dc CT prosperity and greatness that would ill The mil
far above al. consideration Of The amount appropriated
SO great pa5c benefit. He concluded by observing hi
that related 10 this undertaking. and TO him he would rel
neuirers for the details connected with its accompshueI
The secretary then followed his chief snd turned over
1 second sod.
The honorable Senator Douglas, OF Illinois, said ha!
musnude Of the contemplated WORK go aE from Presen