Daily national Republican., 1863-12-07
LOCAL. NEWS.

dutffon Of the Potomac Wdffr into me Cny-V6u y
The City Government 10 Cabin John Brtdoe--SpeeeAa BY
the Secretary Of hs Interior and Mayor Wsiidek-
Agreeabiy to the announcement nade, the members
Of both branches Of the City Govefnnent, the local
reporters Of the city papers, with invited guests
assembled at the City Hall on lsst Saturday morn
Ing where carriages were In waiting to convey the
party to = point some seven miles above George
town, where the two reservoir for the holding Of
the water which supplies the city are situated.
The occasion was that OF the final ast In the his
tory Of the water Works Of this city, viz: that OF
turning the water OF the Potomao river into the
reservoirs before mentioned. since the introduc.
ton OF water into this city many persons have hsd
the idea that this WAS the pure Potomac. Such
was not the case, 40 the water with which we have
been supplied came from small streaE known 40
Cabin John Run. .... ..
ou which the aqueduct crosses the run OF that
name.
Cabin John Brldgeis q stupendous arch OF gran
i'e, spanning ravine hy single leap OF 40 feet
The depth OF the ravine below the top OF the bridge
70 III feet. This s said to be this largest masonry
arch in the wofu. The width Of she bridge 10 only
20 feet Its thickness At top u feet inches, and its
extreme length %s2 feet. The conduit or water
channel throughout 10 feet In diameter, lined
with brick and asphaltum, AID the whole Of the
masonry 10 laid In hydraulic cement
The party after examining this immense struc.
ture took their carriages and proceeded TO tho re-
ceiying reservoir where the Aqueduct ends at the
mouth OF the reservoir. Arrived there Mr.. J J. r.
Goes, tho Assistant Engineer, gave the word to
hoist away at the yster gate which held back the
supply Of gushing Poio,aaI, the getp was hoisted
and the water flowed freely Into the receiving 70.
.eryoir. Here the work ended, Now the ceremo-
nies were 10 be held, in which the water was TO Be
presented to our city by the national government.
Mr. secretpry Usher, Of the Interior Department,
WAS to make the prssentstipn speech, which was
to be responded to by Richard Waiiash, Esq, ths
Mayor Of Washington. Mr.. Usher having taken
his stand, spoke as follows:
tS: M We % Ssve = juss had ne privilege q @itn.:.Ins I %
the introduction 10 the cities OF Washington and
o. xs. :pPDy Si
sight to those who have taken an interest In the
enterprise II 10 great and glorious affair, and
Ssye on unisiiins and unlimited supply, viii. 4
will bc greater than any city In this Union has
ever been able to obtain.
VIII ws,r ,Sss es % sSs
great and good man whose name the capital bears,
and unae, whose direction ,Isyey: were early
Congress appropriated s6oo to enable the Secretary
r 70 this his small sam The Gorporstion d wsshlnsion
sd.ed O, 600 With these means, Brevet Lieutenant
Seona hushs, q the the q Tqgcsr,sphis. I'm.
sisted bringing the water from Hook Creek at (
point about four miles distant from the city, at
wet with much favor. II seems to have been re-
gsrisd A. imperfect and uasatisfsctory.
In his snnSal report of 1850 And iss,, the then
Congress- and the aist Of august, 1881, the sum Of
S5C0O was appropriated to enable the President to
ierminn the best means Of snording the cities Of
Waphington and GEORGETOWN an linfailing and
sbundsIt s, aqrEiy Of good and waoie.e ne Hstsr.
Gen. Meigs, then a lieutenant Of engineers, who
presented his report In the month sf February,
pristed 100000 for the cor. meDoemsnt o2 2Pt the
work-the money to be expended under the dIrec-
tion OF the President, upon such plans and from
June, 1883, Gen MeiyS report was laid before the
President. u entrances these different plans:
Ei,st plan for drawing g.. the water from Rock
varying from about mine to t&eRty-six millions OF
second. From the Little Pail. Of the Potomac a,
Aeost Of about u 6s1 900, siording daily supply
OF from twelve 20 e ghtesn million gallons.
cost of about 81 92i 900, afording suppl, with
seven-eet conduit OF about thirty-six N, on gall
General Mcggs, however, gave the preference 70
the Great Falls project anu a conduit Of nine feet
diameter, thereby increasing the cost to about
sa,7Ti 900, and the supply from thirty-sx millions
The President approved And adopted the latter
plan and placed the work under the charge OF the
y War Department, Tor the reason, as 10 supposed
that the surveys and estimates had been made by
one of the many competent officers the army Al.
i1rled for works of this character. The work
%sn SH"s e wSes Fl M tim. %Ai
hsi been appropriated and expended, except a
balance Of about 81, 900. The necessity for the
war, caused cessation OF operations on this work.
Some time In the year 1851 or June, 1862, the su.
no% y shsfa. o saa win Which
then associated Ia another p6sitIopj the opera,
tons were resumed under the direction Of the 10.
seasons, ard the limited means under Its control,
would admit.
Much yet remsi,s to be done, ~ you will see by
shall have been published, which will be In few
days, for all which appropriations have been Ask
ed, and will no doubt be made by Congress.
Thus, You will percive, that / may claim for the
department which represent that, though 1t has
not always had ehsrse 81 the work, yet II exsrtsd
much inhuelce In causing It TO be commenced, and
that has fallen to it's happy lot to superiutend ts
completion and hand 1t over to you, whose consti-
tuonts are Increasing In numbers Intel igence, In.
nucnce and wealth as time rolls on. II IL proper
therefore, that should meet you here to-day. and
offer yoI ny ,lneere and hearty coHsr.tnlation.
cohgratulstions with yours to day.
To which Mayor Wsllsch responded ~ follows;
Mr. Secretary and Geniifmen: We have come here
% %u 4 interest to ali our si,nsns Tsev h"ve long
felt the necessity Of this supply Of water, which
we now inaugnrate 1t 10 great undertaking. To
this great affair was originated; to President
Pierce, under whom It prospered, to the distin-
guished engineer whose brain formed this plan
we tender our sincere thanks, to your predecessor
10 yourself and TO Col. Seymour the engineer in
charge for this inunieent GIT. TIE cities Of Wash
i1gton and Georgetown, AZ this time, make Crate
iuf scln0wls gmtnts. This water II glv0n free to
us and to all by the Federal Government. Yet ws
do not accept the boon as gratuitv; we feel thai
1t Is due to us. II is not more than we should ex
pect from the Government.
The days Of yore, our forelathers, with wisdom,
determined upon place for the seat Of govern,
ment for this great and glorious county. Could
A better place have been determined upon than 4
present city OF Washingioni I think not. Our
Ia hers had to adopt city within 4 circle Of ten
luiils sluHre as provided by law. The city wai
chosen near the ancient tow Of GEORGETOWN. The
territory was bounded BY Maryland and Virginia
and was ccdcd by them TO the Government for the
eXprcss purpose of establishing n national seat o
government. To-day Warrington 10 a great city
with large population. The plan Of the city wal
ALEC rightly conceived for the great nation which
we have now become. Upon this city beeoInipe
the seat of government the people were very gen
eyou. towards the Government. Every reserva
tion was glvea WITHOUT c6stt the Government, n,
wa. also all the ground upon WINCH the public
/ buildings now stand
We have always acted our part faithfully to-
wards the Government, In performing our duties
hoih To the Government and TO ourselves, we have
had innunerable ditfcultes to contend with, but
.l..lIa