Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-04-10
LOCAL NEWS.
CORPORATION Affairs.

toF affa1rs.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN, Monday. April 9Th,
lSG6.-The Board met at the usual hour Pres
ent- hessrs. Brown, Gulick, Garfield A.
Lloyd, &. - Noyes, McCathran, Barr, L. wis,
and Cross. In the absence of the President
L. T.. Lloyd, from sickness, Mr.. Brown was
Communications were received from the
Mayor stating that he had approved acts TO
grade and pave the alley in square 9J7: for the
relief of Henry D-nond; zppropriating SIPS
10 repair the culyerI l. street south, De-
tween 5th and 9TH streets west; and to make
contracts for laying water mains during the
current calendar year.
Also, communications nominating Rufus
Choate resident student OF the Washington
Asylum IN the place Of &. J. White; Winfield
Wilkinson, superintendent of sweeps for tbp
Sixth and Seventh Wards: Seth j. Todd M
ID, as member of the Board of Health, Fourth
Ward, in place of DIR. Began, resigned; and
VIM: Thompson, Esq, as police magistrate of
The Chan read the following communication
from the Mayor:
MAYoR's OFFICE, April ., l5sG.-To the Board
~ AfdernteR and Board If Common CORaciL-(Jen-
lemen transmit herewith COPY of the re-
part OF the Engineers detailed by the War De-
par Ttment, under resolution of the Senate of
the United States, of the immediate means
which, in their judgment should be adopted for
the improvement of the Washington city Canal,
10 secure the health of this city during the
coming summer. with an estimate of the ex-
pense OF carrying the project into effect. This
EsDQrt has been ppbli shed ip IA. Re
for temporary relief recommended embraces
much OF the plans heretofore suggested by
Messrs Seyerson, Wise, and Ellis, for the per
manent Improvement OF the Canal. and though
the cost is far greater than was then estimated,
the plan for temporary relief combines much
that is material and absolutely necessary for
the purpose Of sewerage and commerce.
The abatement of this nuisance well as the
Improvement in more permanent manner of
the Canal, has been TO all Of us q matter OF
anxiety ana interest, and has, you are
aware, been delayed so long, only for the want
of plan definite in character and certain TO
effect the object intended as well as the want of
means TO meet the expense.
The means suggested in this report, for 'sten-
porary relief" will command the confidence OF
all, and will soon be followed by a more elab-
orate report from the same source, OF plan
tor the more permanent Improvement of the
canal far the purposes Of commerce and sew
erage.
1t bebeoyes us, therefore, now to provide the
necessary means TO meet the expense of this
work.
Approaching the urgent necessity for its
immediate commencement, and to meet the ex-
igency i have already memOralized Congress,
setting fort, the claim i thought we had on
the General Government for their aid in the
premises, and asking if they did not deem it
obligatory on the General Government to af-
ford the assistance sought, at least to enable
this Corporation TO make the improvements,
by passing an act TO enable it to raise the ne
ceSsary means. A copy OF which memorial
also transmit herewith.
Very respectfully,
Signed: RICHARD WALLACE, Mayor.
The following is the memorial:
"MANoR's OFFICE, CITY HALL, WASHING
TON, ID. c., April Z, lS66.-TO the Honorable, the
Senate and House IF Representatives. of the United
States: deem it my daty TO lay before your
honorable bodies the following statement of the
claim ot the city of Washington to what is
known as the Washington City Canal, In order
that you may act advisedly in the matter of
oepriyIng this city of its right to that property,
a bill for which is now before the Senate The
Washington City Canal, as laid down in the
original plan of the city of Washington, was
projected by General Washington, and was
among other things, intended as part of a
scheme TO connect the Western waters with the
Chesapeake Bay. Upon this work the States
of Maryland and Virginia spent previous to
the year lctO, upwards OF five hundred thou
sand dollars, and it finally eliminated into
what is now the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.
A joint stock company was formed to open and
cut the canal as laid down on the plan of the
city, and on the lst of May, 1902, was chartered
by Congress, the stock being made personal
property. (Stdtates at Large, Vol 2, page III
The Canal was cut and opened by this COM
pany, who fully complied with the require
ments OF their charter, and enjoyed by them
TOR about thirty years, when, with the consent
OF Congress, 1t was purchased at great cost by
the Corporation OF Washington. (Stdtutes Gt
Large, Vol !, page 522) The act Of Con-
s1uess authorizing the purchase, entailed a
heavy additional burden on the Corpora
ch sage the course of and enlarging the
car "a building three large and expensive
bash y. and to drain certain property Of the
Gene. a Government, the low grounds imne
diaiely west o. the Capitol and east of 9Th
street vest To accomplish this object. and
particuIa f,y to improve its own properly, the
drainage these low gxoupdsl, the General
Goyernmel " BY tie same act, donated cer:ain
lots, being a portion Of those given to il by the
original prop uetors OF the sod on which the
seat Of the Gen Sral Government stands Suh--
sequently, how ever, in consideration OF the
REIMBURSEMENT, by this Corporation, of all
claim and title to these lots SIS well rs 10 certain
benefits and privii yes conferred on il by The
9th, 10th, lIth, 18th nd 18th sections OF the act
Of May 81, 1S2, and Nore particularly in con-
sideration OF the work 70 be done by the Cor
poration in improving I'D draining the pro-
perty OF the General G,Nvernnent tthe low
grounds,) Congress gave Z te City OF Washing
assist in making this canal a. has been asserted.
The Corporation of Washipgt Nn paid q large