Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-02-28

PUBLIC MEETING I'm pursuance Of call of
the Mayor, q meeting was held in the Alder
mems room Of the City Hall last night, to take
into consideration the continuance of the Long
Bridge at its present site, and to take measures
| to Cooperate with the citizens of virginia in
the continuance Of the bridge at its present
location.
On motion Of John L. Smith, ESQ, Mayor
Magruder was appointed chairman of the meet
ing, and John G. Brent, Esq was appointed
| Secretary.
The Mayor, on taking the chair mad.
purpose of the meeting which had been au-
thorized By joint resolution of the City Coun-
ellis. Ii was of great, indeed, almost over
whelning Importance to the city that the
bridge should be retained in its present posi-.
ton, both as convenience to travel and as
means OF sfording an inlet for country pro-
ouce 10 our markets. Every body was now
aeshng inconvenience occasioned by the pres
| ent break in the communication.
The enemies of the bridge were active and
influential, and 1T was incumbent on its friends
TO exert themselves to the utmost A copcIu.
slVe argument In favor Of retaining the bridge
In Its present site was, that Government, BY
taxing possession Of the bridge, bound itself
to keep it in passable condition for all time to
come.
On motion of Mr.. S Y. Alice, a committee
OF i've was appointed to draught resolutions,
and the Chair designated Messrs Alice, DR..
| Il. Morgan, John l.. Smith, John T. Tow
| ers, and Richard Wallach.
A short recess was taken while the Com
plttee was out, and on its return the following
resolutions were reported by Mr.. Alice,
| chairman OF the committee, and were unani-
mously adopted by the meeting:
| kssalrsd, That the citizens Of Washington
heartily sympathize with the inhabitants Of al.
e4dnorla In the desire for the continuance Of the
| connection between the Northern and souths IN
Bridge. e
| hssoIred, That we consider the present site of
that structure The best adapted for the interest and
| Convenience OF the greatest number, and that to
/ cnaDge this long-existing route would not only
interfere with the general good but would wort
serious detrlment to the vested rights Of large md
| enterprising communities.
| 4. hssolred, That every engineer who has inves
/ uSd1ea Inc cause OF The bats In the Potomac has
| attributed their existence TO the causeway con-
| meeting mason's lsiaEd to the Virginia shore as
| also 70 natural caIses, and not to the causeway
c'nstEuct to facilitate the erection Of the Long
| bEdgc. Mr. Al red l.. Rives, who has latelV
DY order OF the Secretary o. the Interior SURVEYED
tte whole channel Of the Potomac, remarks as
Lollows IN his report: alt will be seen from this
| description that there are fis separating the
| washing on and 6eorgeto wn channels, and e1-
| tending as far as the Eastern Branch II has
oeeh very common to assume that these fl ats owe
tnef origin to the causeway constructed 10 facili-
| itate the erection OF the Long Bridge. This.
| however, seems to me a singular confusion OF
Cause and effect The causeway resulted from
| the mats, and not the fats from the auseway
| There existed originally channel tbrough ibe; ?
| midst, which, with, or without the Lonv Bird ge
| ciuse"ay must eventually have disappeared as a
sVnSs ~ enoe oi .ne permanent connexion Of MA
| sSh,s OF Anaiostan Island with the Virginia
| shore Examination of old charts as well as r.
necu0n upon the necessary operation, Of nature
| convince me that these fats date from a period
| lung dEt7cedenI 10 the erection Of a causewny.n
hsso!usd, rhet no other locality possesses in
anv respect the same advantages and in the vord
| OF MI hives, "for the general accommodation Of
,a ns o.y oI ashlngIon and the facilities II in
.sicouIse with the country on the opposite shore
| propriate - Ao''e p
Rssolrsd, That committee of twentyci,i,ens
| % appointed whose duty Ii shall be TO Law the
ABOVE resolutions before the District Committees
| In congress and urge their favorable considera-
| ZION Thereon, OF which committee the ayor shah
Rescued, Thst the proceedings OF this meet.
'ig De published In the papers Of this city.
MI. Lenox urged in forcible terms the ne
cesslty Tor prompt and earnest action on the
part OF the committee to be a. pointed 1t was
not to be disguised that the Long Bridge was
In great danger. The Senate Committee upon
t.e District OF Columbia expressed very strong
dissemination to repairing the structure in IT'S
original character, and there was great doubt
II anything moro than ferry could be OBJ.
tanned as a compromise. The So 900 voted
Tor repairs would be wholly insufficient, and
indeed OF that amount only about 81 600
would be applicable to the purpose designated.
inns Congress was the turning point of the
conuhuahce OF the bridge. Its salvation hi:h-
erto had depended on the temporary apnro-
preparations voted it from time to time, putting
Oh the evil day Of locating the bridge else.
where, and an adjournment of Congress with
out an appropriation sufficient for its recon
struction would be fatal to its continuance
The spirit and activity shown by the Alexan
drians in this matter was held M bv the
speaker as worthy of praise and example. If
Wsshingtonians were animated by the same
spirit they might succeed in saving the struc
ture. We are entitled to the site Of the bridge
by the plighted faith of Congress, and should
urge our claim before that body respectfully
but firmly.
Mr.. L, Smith expressed the hope that no
one would be appointed on the committee who
would not promptly discharge his dutv The
citizens Of Washington have not been suci-
ciontly alive to the importance of this uestion,
and We are now feeling the disadvantages re-
sulting from disconnection with the Virginia
shore.
Ex-Mayor Towers expressed his qualification
at the ground taken by Mr.. Lenox as to the
POSITION to be assumed by the citizens of
w ashIngton In approaching Congress i. e.
not as supplicants, but as asking what we
have right to demand. The Long Bridge
question was the most important one to as
| That has been before Congress since the loca-
ton OF the seat Of government here The Pc
tOmac navigation was not the sole object aimed
at by the enemies Of the bridge in its destruc-
ton; the design was to make Georgetown the
thoroughfare to get into Washington and get
out of 1t. Whom the United States took the
bridge they bought perpetual charter from
the company and assumed the responsibility
of maintaining the bridge immovsble for ali
time to come. He alluded to the exertions of
henry Addison and Judson Mitchell of George
town, in opposition to the bridge, and thought
Mr.. Addison deserved we'll of his constituents.
DR.. j Z. Morgan expressed the opinion
that, taking into consideration the ice-bound
condition of the river in winter, the idea of a
ferry was the greatest humbug ever started
lie thought the merchants Of Washington
strangely unmindful Of their interests, tina
they were not moving in this matter; as, if
the bridge is removed, their customers will