The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-07-06

subject deem II proper that the facts in this taken
from the public records should be made known in this pub
lie manner Il may be proper TO state that the facts set
forth collected and presented by my predecessor in
Office, Mr. Manry to the District Committee some weeks
since.
JOHN r. TOWERS Mayor.
FACTS RELATIVE TO THE POTOMAC LONG BRIDGE.
This bridge was built in 1905 Prior to that time these
facts to be found in the public records
HousE REPRESENTATIVES,, November 22, 1904
Mr.. NJ Clay presented petition from sundy citizens of
Georgetown stating that the channel of the Potomac
Gently ormed uhch did NOT 'o~ than thirteen
fer gears back re.'s eighteen drahyM
for leave to erect dam between Mason island and the T
gnia shore at Georgetown with hope Of improving their
navigation, &C. The original petition Is to be had at the
On this petition debate took place the House of Rep
resentatives, from which these extracts taken
NoyEmskn ~, 1904.
Mr. Nath Macon 1.-THE gentlemen in favor OF this dam
will do no HARM but where the demon
.rstion On the o.. .a .,;e.. sps.As..9a are enter,
dc Easra Bra.eA and its causing distractions in the
harbor of Alexandria
DECEMBER II, 1904
Mr. Nelson at appears the petition Of the inhabi
Georgetown that the channel Of the river which
the salvation q that town depends i' filing P daily Msi
70 rs;s ass sas;cas;o" TO hat port"
Mr. lewis 'Bsfors the year 1854 the channel on the
burden could pass, while the Maryland eide. ree Of
great drasgAs Of eossa easily pass up Georyefocn
spring BY the greatest torrents known in the Potomac
The bodies Of ice Of Immense magnitude, and many Of
pressing With beyond ali credbity the rocks
sunder pressed them into the channel
sonng rise Of thirty forty feet the Georgetown shore
con the Virginia side the also forced itself and
deepened that channel while it left vast quantity of mud
rocks and sand in the eastern channel which has been
sasy ascxssas;ay af period The situation of the
g,s.s. bar I 3: q s.a;ag q s to ars q he RIVER oog
s e"d and does not permit the passage over it Of vessels
drawing more than twelve feet water. .r
Tho consequence Of this alteration bed Of the river
below the island has been the mouth of the Eastern
braseA, but it had effect the harhor Of Alexandria
This what be the effect Of opening the
old channel In the proposed it operate to widen
the mouth Of the Eastern branch harbor but cannot nur
lie felt solietous for the erection of this dam
regards the Interests Of the citizens in the western parts
Of the States Of Virginia, Maryland, for NO
eps ok to improve the maryaeR beow GeorgetoEn the
aaryasios wM become sholo9 permit
81. 70 Georgcwa to of the produce by the Pc
Mr.. Macon. ''Tho gentleman from Virginia (SIr Lewis)
had narrated The hy Of @ vs ] informed aa. ~ ". there
Of the statements but he should have gone further
nd =. what was the population on the waters Of tho
hereafter be because such mud bank raised - the
s whi = ss a s @ q 10 F what s, was
every additional calsation looencd the earth ahteh ca.
s a sask st. the nssa
Such hss been TIE case with the RapPshannosk and i It
this trouble would be thrown away"
This speech though delivered in 1904 exactly depicts
the present condition Of the river Same debate con-
tinued 3ss
DECEMBER Is, 1901.
Mr.. Dawson. !" " One thing, however, appears prob
able that il by the erection OF this dam the rapty Of
the water opposite to Georgetown increased and thereby
the sand and mud carried point and there deposit
cd that point be at OF the Eastern brasch which
ws have established hayward to which heavy
tircy excluded should the effect apprehend take place
five admit ke right a DAM have the same
daton of one part Of the people Of the District know not
how We can refuse the other to the inhabitants of the other
part
This debate is rsry important because it took place Sstore
me bridge built and shows that Georgetown
planning much then she is Of ne distractions in
the channel Of the river
january 49, 1906 an act was passed authorizing the cor
poraton Of Georgetown to make dam causeway from
Masons island TO the western shore of the Potomac river
Several years after this citizens of Alexandria and Wash
ngton pettioned for leave erect bridge over the Po
tomac; and the 9Th of February, 1905 pas
scd authorizing them to construct toll-bridge which
year or two after was built the present site Of the Long
bridge.
Here all the conyenences and nconvenienccs to result
from this bridge were fully discussed November H. 1907
10th Cong, LIST Session:
afford to the trade Of Georgetown No squarerigged
m @ sere to ys @
few went mp empty took part Of their cargoe there then
ass E S ss s1 a c sss
only Vessel belonging to Georgetown as he
not BE- denied that she did pretend to load there It was
well known the members OF that House that the last
session this weasel loaded tie Eastern branch and that the
tobacco and whcat nth hih she loaded passed Jy The
cap'tcf in drays for Georgstown.
This the condition Of the commerce Of Georgetown,
stated by An eyewitness before any bridge built
When the company chartered to build the bridge
turnpike companies also chartered roads
TO it. A turnpike road ut once built and very
pensye one from Alexandria To the bridge and the Column
bin turnpike likewise leads to the bridge The bridge
pany had limit to their charter but the bridge
garded public highway and these turnpike roads
proved burdensome the citizens of the District and they
pettoned Congress to purchase it, and make it a free
bridge. July IA, 1892 IT, S. Statute page asa, Congress
passed An act providing for the purchase by the United
States Of the rights of the Washington Bridge Company
the District of Columbia and for the erection Of public
bridge the site thereof
This purchased at $4,000 some of the stockholders
protesting that it only account of its being made
free that they would consent to sell their interests Under
the above referred TO- and subsequent the bridge
purchased by the United States rebuilt and opened for
travel October 80 1885, But the bridge company did not
make deed the United States for this bridge until De-
oemer q 1885, which fortywo days aer It's dedca-
bridge ut Its present site matter OF contract between
the United States aud the bridge company.
Since the 1905 up to the present time Congress has
constantly recognised this bridge public highway,
cognised it by incorporating company to construct it, by
purchasing and rcconsructng free bridge ITSELF and
and also by Incorporating turnpike companies in
ion With II Whenever any repairs to the bridge the
building OF II has become NECESSARY in every instance able
engineers have been called upon report its
andinc0nvencnccs site for bridge and under all the
information thus elected Congress has kept the bridge
its present location has acted upon official reports
OF scientific men, In way interested who have been un
from