The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-11-30
THE IMPROVEMENT SCHEME OF
DIR. THOMAS IL. BUCKLER.
FILLING UP OF THE BASIN, LEvELLING FEDERAL HILL,


FILLING UP OF THE BASIN, LEvELLISG FEDERAL HILL,
ETC.
DR.. Thomas IL. Buckler again addressed, last
evening" the members of both branches of the City
Council, in relation to his great scheme of improve
ment, that of filling up the Basin and levelling
Federal Hill.
The Doctor commenced by saying, that he had
been accused of being a large land holder, in the
neighborhood of MILESTONE Point, and that the
advocacy of his scheme had been attributed to
did motives on his part. Some persons have said
that it was a scheme of John Garrett's, and
that | advocated it to advance his railroad
interests He said he had gone to the Office of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and conversCd with
Messrs Brooks and Garrett he went there merely
to learn statistical facts, which he did get
through the pOliteness of Mr.. smith and other oi-
GERS of the road, but he believed these gentlemen
had not the remoest idea of his motives for procu
ring this information. To show that he did not
pect to derive any benefit from the proposed i'm
provement, he had taken the trouble at the Land
Office in Annapolis to enter all the lands at the
bottom of the basin and the river in his name, and
had written a letter to his Honor Mayor Swami
proposing to give them to the City in the event this
scheme carried out. The warrant for these
lands stands in my name and have given them TO
the City.
The Doctor then went on to present his views in
relation to filling up the basin, making line from
West Falls avenue to MILESTONE Point the basis of
commercial operations for the city. He said it
would enhance the value of the property of Federal
Hill, FelPs Point, Canton, and other properties
which are now comparatively valueless. He then
spoke OF the plan proposed rs Il sanitary measure.
He said the gases which arise from the dirty waters
of the basin are blown the city, producing
rious diseases. There is of seventy-tive
acres, evolving poisonous gases and producing
gnant diseases; it is doing it every day. but taking
lives singly and surely What would be the result
with that pool in our midst if an epidemic should
break out among us? People are slow to heed the
cause Of sickness, when one by one friends are
taken from us: but when death comes an cpl
demic-as huge reaping machine-laying low
every one in its track, then eyes opened. That
our city now enjoys good health is no reason why
we should not be visited by an epidemic; He au-
ded to the city Of Norfolk, which always con-
sdered healthy place, and to the ravages Of yell
low fever there.
This measure will greatly benefit that part of the
city called Old Town; the centre Of the city will
not be much atected the interest on the present
wharves is to be hereafter considered
Doctor Buckler here read letter from Dr. Eli
Giddings, formerly of Baltimore but now fCharles-
ton, s. c., in reply to some inquiries made by DR..
Bucklcr into the and other characteristics of
yellow fever, and of its origin, &c, in which, Dr.
Giddings says, among other things, that he is of
opinion that the Basin and Jones Falls, below
Whites distillery should be filled up, that they
would no doubt operate sadly against Baltimore, in
case the yellow fever as an epidemic should visit
Baltimore.
great man, said DR.. Buckler, has sad that
great cities are like great ulcers upon the body of
sOcletv;-there was great deal OF truth in that.
lie referred to it in n common sense view. We have
great sore in our midst. and we want to rem
edy it.
Gated the bringing of the waters of the Gunpowder
to the city, for the purpose of supplying the nhab
itants with pure water. He then thought that
stream of pure water could be turned into the Ba-
thn of iubf binb IVA aSh
the Basin out As to filling Jones Falls, he did not
intend to dwell on that; he would attend to the
Basin first.
The Doctor then proceeded to show that this
scheme would greatly enlarge the basis of taxation
by bringing property within its scope which was
ont of its reach, and appreciating other prop
critics which are now comparatively valueess.
He then made statement of the comparative
value of lands, almost idle, and to what extent
this Improvement would advance them, showing
that the value would be enhanced from three to five
times. By filling the basin the vessels oflight draft
which accustomed to come to those wharves,
would be driven to the Spring Gardens, where there
twenty five hundred acres of land which egould
be benefited The Spring Gardens too would be more
accessible to the business of the city, the grade is
easier for hauling, and all the heavy lumber busi-
ness now transacted about the mouth of the Falls
would centre there. This scheme would meet OBJ
jectiOns from owners of wharfproperty, but the in
creased value of ground coming to the city could
easily pay all damages to the owners. He referred
johnson of Baltimore in 1907, when ordi-
introduced to open Pratt street; at
that time wharf ran up as far as Water
street, and the measure met with fearful Op-
positions it was at first rejected, but in the year
1909, it was passed; the work was not commenced,
however, until the year 1916, during Mayor Stiles
administration, and when the carts and wOrkmen
went there to commence the job, they were op-
posed and riot was the result which was quelled
by Mayor Stiles police. Afterwards the work went
on and when completed, the parties who had OBJ
jected to the Improvement, were pleased, prices
went up and property advanced at least hun
dred per cent.
The Doctor thought there would be many oppo-
nents to this scheme on the wharves; if such
parties injured, he thought it should be car
ried out Twenty-eight millions of dollars would
be made out of the improvements parties the
Spring Gardens and Milestone Point could pay all
indemnity Fell's Point could pay the indemnity;
not speaking of Canton; the scheme is financially an
easy one; all property would be benefited instead
of injured.
The Doctor then referred to another point in which
he thought the Improvement would be beneficial. |
He said that for the last four years the industrial
arm of our city has been parayzed. The produc !
tive labor of our city is its great wealth. This i'm
provement would employ labor, would call back |
its mechanics who had left to seek employment
capital should be soliciting labor al
ways; labor should always be employed in paying |
for this labor the city will not be a cent out |
of pocket-the labor is all done in the city.
The Doctor then referred to the advantage which |
well to her internal and local trade of all descrip
tons. He said he had gone to the Railroad Compa |
ny and to business men, to get some facts and he |
finds that the average cost Of streetage on barrel
of Hour is cents, the average Of drayage from the
warehouse to the Point is cents, making aver
age charge on each barrel of flour, from the rail !
road to the ship, 10 cents. The average cost for
Transporting barrel of -four from Wheeling to |
Baltimore is 20 cents; thus the cost of carriage from
the railroad depot to the ship is equal to the cost of
carriage on Sc miles of railroad. By the rea
sOning he made the cost of streetage on hogshead
of tobacco equal to the cost of orty-eight miles of
railroad transportation.
Again, said the Doctor, the drawing of cars |
through the streets by horses great delay:
suppose we have a warehouse on deep water and
have railroad to the ship by this means the Rail
time and therefore double their rolling power.
The Doctor then referred to the different manner
of transacting business by Merchants of various
section of the Country and to the facilities fO r
doing business in different Commercial cities: he |
the mode of transactng business in this
City, of primitive village style, now almost OBJ
solete.
He then went on to show, that if the terminus of
the Railroad was in deep water, twenty dollars
streetage and so dollars dravage could be saved to
the shipper, in one thousand barrels of flour.
He spoke of Federal Hill and its old timed, old |
telegraph now used by the merchants of
and advocated the construction of an
electric telegraph to Thomas Point.
He spoke of the trade of the city of Baltimore |
as it was forty years ago, of the many vessels arr
wing here, loaded with the most valuable cargOes |
and said that trade left and did not see it 60;
he very sure, however, that better time was |
coming; New York had the advantage over other |
ports; it will now be lost
He referred to olden times, when goods arrived !
at our port and were conveyed over the mountains |
in white-topped wagons; and to the mode of car
ragc at the present day, when we have railroads |
instead OF whte-topped wagons, and steam slides
or propeers instead of sailing vessels.
The Doctor advocated the establishing of steam |