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

part Of Georgetown and some Of her citizens applied to
the circuit court for injunction against the Secretary Of
War to prevent his completing the bridge designed
This question brought up judcially the whole subject
again of the bridge and its effects the of
Georgetown Among the persons examined were Col
Force " Bowers w. Wells, Capt Aulick, Lieut. Manry,
A. Hunter, Major Turnbull and many Others and after
full hearing the court dismissed the bill
To understand this matter fully 1t IS necessary 20
back little in order TO show that the complaints Of
Georgetown just great in reference 10 the condition
Of her channel before the construction OF the Long bridge
The bridge constructed by the company first in
corporae entirely OF wood part of it being solid
now aud offering very little obstruction to the passage
of the water.
On the both Of June 1884 vol 4th of Statutes p 646
an act was passed directing after mature examination the
bridge to be rebuilt and that space spaces,
ceeding in all 1860 feet of the hoa shoals ~ieh The
present bride passes may be filed up by solid embankment
&c and approprating 100000 for the purpose The solid
elnbanknent now complained ofby Georgetown did not
the shoa shoals but erected them because
they otready sesed
But in the following year. March Sd, 1885 more full
examination of the subject being had Congress passed
act amend an act entitled "An act authorizing the
construction of bridge the Potomac &c This act
makes change in the plan provided for in the former
act and to the $3.50 feet Of solid embankment before direc
ted to be made adds about 1000 feet more
All this done after thetnest examination TO improve
the channels ohe river by narrowing the passages through
which the water flowed il has had that effect and but for
the causeway there would be less depth Of water than at
present To il would doubt njure greatly
the channels leading to Georgetown, by destroying in
the current which exists while it would certainly
fill up the mouth OF the Eastern branch leading to the
Navy Yard
We have seen that this solid embankment not
authorized made until the years 1884 aud 1885, and
now by turning back to March 3D. 1885, find that
day Congress passed act at the instance of Geogctown
to improve the navigation of the Potomac below George
The first section provides that in order to aid the
citizens of Georgetown in removing the obstruction to
their navigation by causing the cut already made through
the bar below the town to be enlarged and deepcned and
for the further purpose of enabling them to make free
turnpike road to the District line the Virginia side Of
the river and to purchase and make orc free the bridge
the Little Falls of the Potomac river, the Of
xl50000 be and the same is hereby appropriated &c
SO that several before the complained OF
made Congress appropriated $4,000 to aid in inn
proving the navigation to Georgetown and to purchase the
Little Falls bridge and make it torerer free.
We have stated that the operating to fill up the
channels below Georgetown natural and not trace
able to the bridge The Potomac river when muddy and
swollen from heavy rains is for long distance above
Georgetown comparatively narrow stream. As soon as
passes below Georgetown greatly wdena and has but
flowing up, which these deposes to be made and
they will continue to he made long the tide flow
ing up meets the currents eshets coming down. hold
ing in solution great quantities Of mud and earth. And
this will increase with the increased quantity of land
brought into cultivation the banks of the Potomac If
confederation of this be wanting it is to be found in
paragraph of the report ON the Jackson BRIDGES
critical examination Of the bed Of the along
the line Of the site proposed for new there
to ac essmpaon so%c points
has been asceraned from behring's made along the whole
the aiuvial the
original gravel bed Of the from forty sey in
Depth
Here natural had, in process of time deposited
from forty to sixty feet Of earth mud the very site of
the bridge and the same Is still going
The measured distance from the city post Office in Wash
ingon Alexandria is five and threeuarter miles by the
Long bridge and ten and half between the points
crossing the Potomac at the Three Sisters and would be
still further by railroad See Col Kearney report the
District Committee of the Senate.
TO destroy the present Potomac bridge and compel oil
tho nj
will impose them, well the future travel be-
tween the North and South the Of about six miles adj
dtdna distance Under these circumstances until Con-
gres determines where permanent bridge shall be built
the Alexandria and Washington Railroad Company ask to
the present bridge If they could under their charter
construct road to Georgetown and build bridge
the Three Sisters and Congress should hereafter rebuild
the Long bridge suitable for railways the company would
be ruined because they could compete with the shorter
route If there existed only bridge and that
Georgetown, and the question greatly agitated
whether il should be removed and permanent bridge
built below Georgetown, the railroad company, if its
charter permitted would still AK its temporary use
willing incur the expense of bridge until site
should be selected by Congress for all railroads
Under these circumstances all the railroad company ask
is not to be made to incur the expense OF bridge until
Congress take definite action in reference where
the permanent site shall be-
Congress is disposed to construct bridge for railroad
travel the Alexandria and Washington Railroad Company
willing to aid in It's construction pay for its use
build bridge with its means all it desires is
tanty to its location. For these reasons, until this
ent bridge and, stated in the ords of the bill be-
fore the Senate with the understanding and agreement
THAT the permission here granted may be revoked by Con-
ess pleasure and not to he taken regarded any
expression of opinion by Congress that the present oc
tion of the Potomac bridge Is a proper one'
Private enterprise is ready to accomplish this work,
without aid from government and the actual subscription
of the stock only delayed awaiting the sanction of Con-
gess the recommendation Of the city councils that this
connexion between the North and the South he once
made
Report Of Col hearney 10 he Disret Committee Of he Sen
ate during The last session.
Memorandum on the selection of site for bridge across
the Potomac river in the District Of Columbia above the
site of the present Long bridge
There is no doubt that the piers of the Potomac aque
duet Georgetown capable of sustaining the addition
al weight of bridge but it is questionable whether the
causeway of earth its southern end Is equally capable
doing and it is also questionable whether the erection
of bridge that portion OF the aqueduct would not
interfere with the navigation Of the canal.
Another objection TO the erection Of bridge the
aqueduc is that it would prevent free to the
work Of the aqueduct for repairs &c and also that the
caused by the travel the bridge might be injurious
the trunk of the aquednct There is really good and
eligible site for bridge between the aqueduct and the
present Long bridge which is ON the shortest line be-
the city post Office and Alexandria, and is the main
ma-routc South neither Georgetown, nor Washington,
the mail service would be benefited by extension of
New York the river has been proposed
is there any eligible site for bridge above the aque
duct excepting the rocks known the Sisters and that is
doubtful until you the site of the bridge recently
swept away at the Little Falls At this point bridge can
be built perfectly against frcshets by extending it
the entire wiley Of the river and avoiding the in
clined planes Of the former bridge,
Tho distance from the Georgetown post Office to the
northern boundary of Alexandria crossing the river the
Sisters, oigM mules 53 yards whilst the distance be-