Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-12-02
THE EVENING STAR.


COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS, Dec. lizard of Al.
derHss.-Apprvpriaie references were made OF
The following petitions, &c: Petition Of TAYLOR
Il Tfuschinson; petition Of John Rover and
Others for he construction Of u pavement on X
etrsst north, between FIrststreet west and Ne W
Jsrrey avenue; and n Communication In rela.
ton 10 the merits Of Lowry's patent stop cock
nre-piues.
Sommi,te~e were discharged from the farther
r Rawlinfsi petition OF Jamas 81. Eslin for
the remission Of q fine; an act authorizing the
Register TO iesue n license TO George Stabler to
er.st livery stable; PETITION OF =. c. ROBBINS
OF cleaping tho streets and cutters b.: contract
Tie act making appropriation To defray the
expenses of the several police stations for the
n maindsr ofthe current fscal year, was passed
The amount appropriated Is e3,62sA And in
this connection a Letter was read from DIR.
Mckim in relation to the defective conditions
OF the lock up and station houses in the eighth
end ninth precincts, which he pronounced ut
trriy unfit for their purpose, on account. OF the
wsnt OF ventilation, their dilapdated eondi-
ton, the risks from fire, and the ease with which
rtscues could bf ma dr. Crprisoners could escape
on account Of the insecure condition OF the
locks.
The act relative to the erection Of station
houses fer the police, rs required by n r. cent
act OF CoBgr IS, was ordered TO he printed and
made the special order for next Monday week.
Mr. Richards, from the committee on canals,
irtraduced an act preparatory to improv wing
tie Washington canal.
The bill appropriatee 1870 to defray the rx-
p~Eres Of making an instrumental examination
ard an estimate Of the cost of repairing the
canal in accordance with the plan suggested
b, Siias s. ymour, consulting engineer, u synop-
sic of which Was published In the Star few
Days ago.
MI Semmes said the $500 would be thrown
away. The canal could not be repaired &c
cordinE to Mr.. Srymour's plan for less than
si.St,cio, an amount which the city could not
pay.
Mr. Richards urged the imperative necessity
OF dong something in this matter. The canal
was nuisance, and IL would spread disease
and death all around. The idea OF the COM
rnitteP was 70 prepare n paper which would
Ehow that the Corporation intended doing
something in the matter, and then probably
Congress would come TO their aid with an
appropriation. This was the first and only
Han suggested, ano the appropriation is small,
arG hs now desired 10 find out what the Corpo-
ration intended doing.
Hr SFInmGs said he had q con vrrsetion with
Mr.. Sc! mour a day or two ago in relation TO
this matter, and the latter had told hira il would
Cost 1t least ESQ for plans and specifications
u here was at least six thousand feet OF wall 10
Be- built, which would cost S5OOus; and the
proposed thirty foot arch would cost at least
ssCe,GG, thus making nearly g SOC DGO air adv
This wss not exactly q new plan. The Register
bad spoken 10 him about il a year ago. BESIDES
(ongT, SIS could not furnish aid, for il had as
much as it could do to pay its own debts now.
Mr.. Pepper would vote for the bill In q
matter Ct so much moment TO the we'll being Of
the city, il was wrong TO sickle about thpse
matters. The canal must he attended 10, and
he would vote for the bill because he belle we'd
NJ would lead 70 something being done, any
how.
Mr Wendell said this subject had been asi
taied for years, and he hoped this bill would
prove iaeis for some action. He could not
consider the s3tO money thrown AWAY for il
viii give ia valuable in formation, which, if OF
TO other utility, will give us ideas how to
attend 10 thi. filthy gutter. The city would be
amply repaid for the outlay.
Dir. Semmes argued that il could not be done,
unless the Corporation could get the apparatus
In the Treasury and turn ont green -bac ks Mr.
e Seymours plan had been submitted, and now
any practical man could tell what il would
eoet His friend from the Second Ward fMr
PANT could do II by Monday next. and not
charge a dollar for the Information.
Mr.. Richards had all respect for the engineer
tns skill OF the members of the Board, but he
did not believe there was one who could make
peTft city accurate estimate. 1t seemed to him
the amount OF appropriation wac small when
con par. with the amount of good which will
be accomplished. II gentlemen had other plans
TO Suggest he would like 10 hear them.
Mr.. SemInes said he would dredge the canal
Annually, and The cost Of SO doing would not
amount 10 more than one-fourth the interest Of
the suIa II would cost to carry out Mr. Sew
Hour's plan.
Mr.. Richards replied that they had had dredg-
ing machines before, and they were now living
idle and rOttiDg. lfthey depended on tina mode
nothing would be done. When we tsake per-
nanent Improvements we make money for the
people.
Mr.. Plant offered a resolution instructine the
eommittTe On canals TO inquire into the condi-
tion OF the dredging machines, and what it
Mr.. Lloyd raid the question with him was
whether they could possibly make this appro.
priaticn. They could not do SO out OF the
revenue of the city, and they must therefore
either 60 TO Congress or violate the charter
keither CCnfd they borrow. What use, there
fore, were these drawings when there was no
possibility OF accomplishing their designs He
referred 10 the TACT that 50 SO had been expend-
ed on plans Tor the erection of a ne w market
house, ana II was not probable any of the plans
would ever he acted on. No doubt Mr.. Sey-
would fill mp the canal half way and use The
ether hall for sewer. That would be cheap
and eooI omical; but where was the money TO
come tIOm 10 do even that The revenue of
the Corporation was all absorbed, and all this
would do would be 10 pat four or five hundred
dollars An Mr. Seymours pocket, Tor which he
could then thank the Councils.
Mr.. Pepper was OF opinion that the money
could be raised. We not only can, but must
and rhall do something in this matter. The
canal itself produced considerable revenue.
MIR. SeInnes said no one was more aEnoyed
with the canal than he WAS. But this looked
TO him ju.t like putting so much money in Mr..
ssymour's pocket This plan was an admira-
bic one, hut not feasible.
Nr. Pepper-Wh hat does the gentleman pro-
pose doing Go on doing nothingl
Mr.. Semmes-No, sir; shall vote for Mr..
Plants resolution.
Mr.. Pepper held that IL this were put out to
individual enterprise IL would be done In q
month Corporations are too lrbberly where
any enterprise is concerned In relation TO the
maIket-house, il was sectional jealousy de-
Isated those plans.
The Chair (Mr. BROWN would vote for the
bill upon the conviction that Congress would
90 something. The Secretary OF the Interior
had Tsc omme nded that something be done, and
in connection with Mr.. Seymours plan. Many
- nators, too, were Of the opinion that an APP
preparation must BE- made this winter.
Mr.. Lloyd was opposed 10 Mr.. Seymour's
plan in part. He would therefore move to
amend, bnt would bet two 10 one that Congress
would make no appropriation.
6lr. fepper.-Oni you not going 70 gamble
on The subj'ct are youl
MIR. " eEdel suggested they had better ad-
joUIn b. fore the betting commenced.
Mr.. Lloyd moved TO amend by striking out
the words 1Mr. Seymour plan,' and leaving
the Eatter open for any one who saw lit 10 pre-
sent plans.
The bill ihsn passed as amended; and Mr.
Plants resolution Was also adopted.
Mr.. Semmes introduced Joint resolution in
strEcting the Board Of Metropolis Police TO
enforce the Corporation laws in relation 70 the
OBSTRUCTION of the stIeets and public reserYa-