Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-11-12
THE WASHINGTON AoUEDUcT.

\
the waters of the Potomac The approval of the Pre-
sIDENT ofthe United States having given the reau-
site official sanction to largest of the plans report
ed by Capt. NJ G. MEIGs, the engineer entrusted with
this important and difficult undertaking, Tuesday was
set apart for its Inauguration by the personal at
tendance and participation of the President and
portion of his Cabinet, accompanied by the NUM-
cpal Authorities of Washington and Georgetown
Passage boats having been provided, the party en-
barked at the usual landing place near the market
house in Georgetown, and proceeded, one by steam
and the other by track-horses, up the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal to CRoMMELIN, near the Great
Falls OF the Potomac, in the vicinity of which the
Aqueduct takes its commencement The day, though at
first overloaded proved propous and the boats reach
ed their destination about l2I o'clock.
The spot having been designated by flag erected on
poe 1t was approached by the President and soon
rounded by concourse of citizens assembled to witness
the ceremony of the inauguration
The exercises introduced with solemn PRAYER by
the Rev. DR.. PYSE Rector Of st. Johns Episcopal
Church of Washington.
Captain Mics then addressed the company rs follows
Mr.. president and gentlemen we have invited you to
meet here to-day to naugurate the Washington Aaue-
duct II IS hmehonored custom, when any great work
Tor the beneht OF mankind is undertaken make
now proposed, formal commencement and where shall
we find work more worthy of such soemnity than this
which we begin this day OF all the works which civli-
cation and science enable man to construct perhaps an
aqueduct is the most USEFUL, the most enduring
The channels CONSTRUCTED by Pagan Emperors before
the CHRISTIAN era stu Continue to pour their heathful
waters into decaying Rom, What other structure Of
those early days continues to fulfil its original prr-
pose? The antquary with Painful labor decphers the
inscriptions which half reveal half conceal the name Of
the hero OF funeral pyramid triumphal arch; while
aynha lnip in tba-
the name Of its founder, still supplies health and life and
after the lapse eighteen hundred
years.
We think then Mr. President, that this is an occasion
worthy of your presence and ask you to whom Con-
gress entrusted the decision upon the PLAN to strike the
first spade into the ground and begin the Washington
Aqueduct, work which, if completed upon the scale
you have ordered, will be worthy monument to the
Father of his Country, whose it bears and which
Will cause your administration be long and gratefully
remembered by the citizens Of the metropolis which he
laid out on so great plaza plan which shows that he
looked far into futury and with faith the onward
and upward course Of people governed upon free prn-
cples and by rulers of their own choice.
The PRESIDENT being then presented with the necessa
ry implement for commencing the excavation, made
brief preliminary address, in which he observed that the
part he had been called upon take in relation to this
work had been confined decision on the best plan
conducting it and that upon the statement of facts sub
mted to him by the engineer the propriey of its adop
ton, considering the magnitude of the enterprise its
duration, and its great Importance all parts of the
District, did not admit Of doubt The duty assigned
to him the present occasion was to break the first
ground in prosecution of the plan this he should
with great satisfaction proceed do leaving the rest
others.
He then took the spade amidst the cheers of the spec
tators, and turned the first sod
The Hon. JEFFERSON DAVIS Secretary of War; follow
ed next in order He addressed the company in short
but impressive speech, in which he congratulated
assembled to witness the commencement of work in
highest degree useful and honorable to our own
ration and whose benefits were to descend to thousands
yet to
This undertaking Che said had been criticised in nc
friendly manner as attempt intended by its magnitude
and expense to emulate the regal spendor of the works
of the old world but in his opinion public work could
be too high too grand be undertaken by free peo
ple especially when it benefit city bearing the
name Of WAsHSGToS, CHEERS work destined to cause
refreshing streams to flow through metropolis hon.
ored by that which would ever remain fresh and
green in the memory and the affections of every
American consecrated alike the patriots and
the soldiers fame whose genius controlled both the
mics and the councils of his country.
The honorable Secretary paid merited tribute to the
talent and learning Of the engineer under whose manage
ment this great design had been properly placed
anectonne good 10 all
interests and again insisting that great and magnificent
that design was ii did not exceed the desinyreserved
for such city, into which would eventually pour tide
of prosperity and greatness that would lift the mind far
above all consideration Of the appropriated for so
great public benefit lie concluded by observing that
he had been in the habit of listening to the engineer for
all that related this undertaking. and to him he would
refer nqurcrs for the details connected with its accom-
pshment.
The SECRETARY then followed his chief and turned over
the second sod.
The honorable Senator DOUGLAS Of Illinois, said that
the magnitude of the contemplated work. far pre-
sentng his mind any objection TO its inception was
the contrary strong argument in its favor provided its
usefulness was proportion to its dimensions We in
America were accustomed to spend money works Of
utility, not in those Of ornament, pomp and show
None that contemplated the present design could doubt
moment its great utility and this was the only Dis
rict under the direct municipal protection Of the General
Government the Government owed to the citizens Of
Washington in which the Congress assembled present
with work worthy Of the nation and Of the man whose
it bore In token then Of the good will he bore to
all great works designed for the public good provided
their accomplishment sanctioned by the Constitution
it was with great pleasure that he should now lift spade
full OF earth toward the completion Of so noble an under
taking.
The next sod raised by the Hon. JOHN W. MAURY,
Mayor Washington who observed that he had not come
there to make speech but participate in ceremony
which the orerunner Of benefit so vast and nesti-
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