Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1854-12-14
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.
Inc sioon-of'var Albany.-At II o'cloc 4
.. m, to-day, We received private dispatch
from New York communicating the intelligence
that information had been received there Of
the presence Of the United States sloop -of wal
Albany at Carthagens, on the 10th of October
last. All we'll This, however, does not afford
much additional hope of the safety of the YES.
sci, as Carthagena was on the proposed route
home.
Tho "Joint Resolution for tho Continuance
Of the Work for the Warrington Aqueduct' -
The nrst business on the calender to be taken
up in the House on the arrival of the time set
for disposing of District Of Columbia business,
is tho measure named above, which was re.
ported by Mr.. Hamilton, it will be remembered,
from the District committee. It is the hope
OF all interested in the well-being of Wash
ington and Georgetown that it NAV pass.
Though the members of both Houses are aware
OF all that was said on this subject at the last
session, it may not be amiss for us to state that
the drought of the past fall, clearly demon.
strated the folly of relying on a supply of
water from Rock Creek, as Congress was urged
to do by parties outside bent on twisting the
legislation upon the subject to their own i'm
mediate emolument. Ere that drought was
ever, the flow from Rock Crock would not have
supplied as much as one fifth the quantity of
water absolutely necessary for the supply of
city of the size of Washington. This fact
was universally admitted here at the time,
as its dribbling stream was before tho eyes of
all who took tho trouble to examine it then.
Had the City expressed a willingness to
have the works constructed, relying on
Rock Greek for the supply, it is not to be
questioned for an instant, that Congress would
have passed. bill to that end The third
plan-that of Professor Salamon-being wholly
a paper scheme and clearly for the benefit of
himself and those in the speculation with him
only.-had no strength before House, really
deserving to have none.
1t was not questioned that the plan adopted
by the War Department would have answered
we'll, the main argument being that unpro-
fessisnal men, Outsiders for the most part
avowedly bent on making money for them
selves in connection with the adoption Of other
schemes:) thought that the engineers estimates
of the cost of the work were too low Every
allegation brought against those estimates
were disproved; clearly disproved. Though
in tho hurry of legislation, we fear that few
members took time to read and comprehend
the figures of the refutatlons in question,
though they all had listened attentively to tho
oral accusations.
Independent of the great advantage which
a copious supply of pure water will be to all
in the District of Columbia, of which we are
by no means disposed to make light, it is not
for an instant to be denied that the most
economical insurance which the Government
can effect Oh its many millions worth of per-
ishable property here, is such a supply of
water as the plan adopted proposes to obtain.
A single nights fire, as ill prepared for such a
catastrophe as Washington city now is, might
cost the National treasury expenditures from
first to last, much greater than the whole ex-
State Department some years since did that
thing From that day to this, Congress has
been annually appropriating money which
would not have been required to be taken from
tho Treasury, but through losses of vouchers
and other papers burnt UP in that disastrous
conflagration.
So, too, when the Post Office Department
was burned down. It will be- perhaps, fifty
years yet ere they have done paying indirect
~ for the loss Of vouchers and other papers
then destroyed. Tho real expense of the pro-
posed work to the Ire asury will be, practical
ly, but the interest on its cost, which will
hardly be more than would be the cost of in
surfing such perishable property to it's value in
any city of the Union These are facts worthy
Of the considers alton Of enlightened and fair
minded gentlemen, clothed, as Congress is,
with, as we believe, the duty of legislating
for the District of Columbia, with the fact al
ways in view that everything going to i'm
prove it is material benefit to the General
Government, which has go many millions of
actual property here.
Mr.. Buchan an.-We apprehend that OK"
Of the Baltimore San, is in error in writing
that Mr.. Buchanan will return from England
in the spring. From his departure upon his
mission, it has been known that his purpose
was to return homo next summer, resigning
his position abroad at that time We are
very sure that his most intimate friends in this
city, who are in regular correspondence with
him, and to whom he writes frequently con-
corning his plans for the future, have no idea
that he will leave London before August next
Governor for Utah Appointed.-We I'm.
derstand that the President has appointed
Col. Steptoe, U. S. A., Governor of Utah Ter
ritory, vice Brigham Young, whose term of
Office has expired. This is in accordance with
our intimation given few days ago. Colonel
Steptoe is man of character, system, and