Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-09-08

canal, and if we could get the use of two
| dredges we could soon clean II.
Mr.. Plant said he had watched the opera
| ton OF Mr. Thomas plan, and he was satisfied
ne would clean out the canal much quicker
and at IS per cent. less cost than tse dredges
Mr. Pepper was glad to hear so favorable n
| report OF progress, but he believed the plan
| dredges and dig up the dirt, Mr.. Thomas ma
| chine would carry 1t off the quicker
Mr.. Turton stated that the best answer he
could give was the report of the joint commit
zee relative to the matter, which he presented.
The committee report the plan of Mr. Thomas
In complete and successful operation. The
| posluon selected for the lock WAS the west side
| OF Welfth sire ct, and at the commencement OF
the work 81 feet of soft mud was found at that
| point. The work was begun on the 18th Of
| June, straight line OF water-ught piles being
dredging was accomplished by leaving out
few piles, through which the tide flowed ra.
pidly, and the mud being raked to this opening
was carried away, and sufficient space for
the opening OF the gates was obtained. The
work of saving off the piles on a perfectly
straight and level line few inches above The
plished without either cofer dam or diving
bell, by an ingenious contrivanca of Mr..
Thomas invention, an opening of 20 feet on
each side Of the canal being sawed out to re-
ceiye the round sill, which, after receiving the
plVots Tor the gates was securely boted down
to the piles The gates are four in number
each fifteen feet in width and twelve inches in
thickness, an d are of the most substantial and
durable description. The oak timber for the
work was procured from the forest with much
difficulty. The gates are considered by those
well informed on the subject the best of the
kind i'll the country: the rabbited joints being
entirely new feature in lock gates. The ma
chinery TOR holding these gates under so great
pressure without the least appearance of
strain or giving away, is not only ef great
strength and simple, but entirely new in engi-
neerlng-the entire canal being thrown omen at
the same instant With the 81 q ,,ro ytnao
facility as the firing of q gun. The operation
OF The plan exactly fulfils Mr.. Thomas pre-
dic,ion, as stated in his letter to the Councils,
OF February 49, 1854, that the tide every twelve
hours would fill the canal with clean water,
TO be discharged in muddy condition, carry.
ing OF the mud in solution, which. il repeated,
must not only remove all filth and sewerage,
but decrease the deposit of mud-a res u 1t that
Is apparent to all who have observed it's oper-
alton.
The committee also report that a draw has
been constructed west Of Third street, having
two-fold purpose of holding up the water to
high water mark and The turning Off of Tiber
Creek (the great source of heavy deposits),
and by turning this creek through the eastern
and narrow portion OF the canal, every rain
tends TO cleanse 1t. The operations Of the
work are very satisfactory. The marks at
Tenth street indicate a reduction Of the mud
GH inches, and at Fourteenth street, seven
inches. The bars formed at the mouths of
sewers have been reduced from II to is inches
The report is signed by Alderman Turton
and Councilman Barr.
1t was ordered TO be printed with the pro-
ceedings, and filed.
Mr.. Sargent said that report was satisfac-
tory to him, and he could not now vote for Mr..
Peppers resolution, because he belle we'd in
letting Mr.. Thomas have full trial of his
plan, as 1t appears 10 answer the desired pur-
pose
Mr.. Pepper agreed with the gentleman that
the report was eminently SATISFACTORY but he
thought it a little too slow. If we pass the
resolution we will get a dredging machine
from the Government, and we can use it to
advantage. Besides to borrow thing from
the Government confers sort of second own.
ership. [LaughteT.l
The resolution was referred to canals com.
mittee.
Mr.. Gulick, from claims committee, asked to
the petition Of John Il. Zile, praying the rems-
sion OF a fine.
The following bills were received from the
Board OF Common Council and referred, viz:
Bill tor the relief of VIM. Boyd and bill to or
ganiZe paid fire department.
On motion of Mr.. Utsrmehle, the act flaid
over from last council) to provide for the bet
ter security OF persons and property against
violence and crime by more general lighting
OF the streets of the city, was taken from the
files and referred to police ommit:ee.
Adjourned.
Common Counctl.-A communication WAS r..
ceIVed from John II. Semmes, Acting Mayor,
announcing his approval of the following acts:
To repair alley in square 37S; repair alley in
square 425; TO relay gutter and widen pave.
ment on the south fronts OF squares Asa and SIG:
10 set curb and lay pavement on south front of
square sOulu Ol square O62, 10 take and
relay gutter on east side Of Sc eventh street west
between l. and NJ streets north; to take up and
relay gutter on east and west sides Of Eighth
sire ct west, between and streets north: for
improvement of Sixth street west, from NJ to
boundary to grade and gravel Massachusetts
avenue, between Thirteenth and Fourteenth
streets; repair gutter west side of Fourth street
east, at l. street south; to lay nag footway
across Twenty second street, at north side of
street north, supplementary to an act to grade
and gravel Fourteenth street; to relay gutter
froA cnrrfh al H.,
east to cause footway to be paved and curb.
stenes set on south front Of square 497; amend
ing an act TO lay water main in Twelfth
street west, from l street to Massachusetts
avenue.
Also, a communication from Andrew P.
Mchenna, Secretary of the Columbia Fire
Company, inclOslng resolutions adopted by that
company, indorsing the action Of the Board in
passing the bill organizing paid fire depart.
menti and rendering the use Of their engine
house for the housing Of one of the engines
Referred to the committee on the fire depart.
ment
The special order-the report of the commit.
tee on contingent expenses, on the fitting up OF
the Council Chamber, which is accompanied
by resolution authorizing the Mayor to de-
mand of MT John Alexander the sum OF fS90n2
The amount overcharged by him tor the carpet
ing-Was taken up, and
Mr. Shepherd offered substitute, requesting
the Mayor to demand of Mr.. Alexander the re-
turn OF such overcharge as he may be satisfied
exists, and in case such demand is not com piled
with, he is requested to institute suit against
Mr. A. for such amount
Mr. M. Larner said the substitute would
leave it TO the Mayor to determine the amount,
and if the amount was inserted he would vote
for it Mr.. Alexander admits that he had
overcharged in a bill sent the committee, in
which he gives credit for % yards overcharged,
while the committee claim that 40 yards mas
been overcharged. After the carpeting had
been measured by Messrs. Cluss and Towles,
who certified that 40 yards had been over
charged Mr.. A. finds that he had charged for
% yards not put down!
Mr.. Ferguson said that Mr.. A. had sent him
a corrected bill, in which he gives credit of 23
yards overcharged. He had been informed
that the former messenger Of the Board had re-
ceived eight or ten yards of the carpeting.
Mr.. M. Larner remarked that he mad spoken
to the late messenger (Mr Hutton) about the
carpeting which Mr.. Alexander had charged
him with taking, and he Mr. II. said Mr. A.
had given it te him. The messenger was not
the only one who received some of this carpet
ing. 1t was not enough for them to traduce his
character in the board, but a person whose
name had not teen given him had been circn-