Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-06-13
The washington City Canal 4, Congress.

| In the House OF Representatives yesterday.
the special order, namely, the bill 20 incorpor-
ate the Canal and Sewerage Company of the
District Of Columbia, being under considera-
ton, Mr. Thomas, OF Nd, addressed the House
| In opposition 70 the bill. He expressed his
surprise that, after full examination of the
subject, any committee Of this House should
| even have reported such a measure, and said:
| The proposition is equivalent to seizng a very
| large amount OF property invested under a
| solemn compact entered into between the
| Government OF the United States and the
States Of Maryland and Virginia And
| only that, butt proposes to leave on the hands
| OF the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company
4 another amount OF property. costing originally,
suppose. s5OO,0Oo, for which the corporators,
| TO whom IL is now proposed TO make this gram,
| are TO give not one dollar, although they are
| TO be benefited by all that enormous expend-
| iture.
| Mr.. Harding, ,ofIllinois-wiu of the gentleman
| from Maryland Mr.. +. Thomasl give way to
| allow me to make a motion to postpone this
| bill until December nextl
| Mr.: Thomas will do with pleasure
| But first let me make a remark or two to show
| the great propriety of such a motion.
Two months ago, or more, the Senate. bv a
| resolution, called upen the Secretary of War
| TO appoint engineers TO examine this Washing
| ION canal and report mode of Improvement
| 10 accomplish two purposes-one In reference
TO the sanitary condition, and the other in ref
| erence TO the commercial capabilities of the
| canal. hose engineers have reported TO Con-
| gress plan of improvement 10 relieve u s from
| all apprehension in regard TO the health of the
| city, such as was felt at the beginning of this
| session from the condition in which the canal
was then found The course so pointed ont
by the engineers has been pursued by the COR
poraie authorities OF Washington until the
| board OF health interposed and forbade any
| further work upon it ar this season OF the year
| This was not done, however, until the i'm
preyements on the canal removed all apprp-
hension OF its evil influence on the health of
the city.
| Those engineers also reserved to thenaseIyps
the right to make a more full and comprehen-
slye report as to the mode and manner in
which this Improvement shall further he com
| Quoted by Congress if Congress shall see
| proper TO take il in hand with a view 70 ITS
| commercial capabilities. Those engineers have
not yet completed their labors. and the Housa
Will therefore see at once that this Question Il
| not ripe for action AT this time. But thew will
nave time TO complete their Iabors long before
the period to which IL Is now proposed bv the
gentleman over the way this bill shall be post
poned. And then Congress can resume the
consideration of the subject with a fuII knowI.
edge OF all the bearings of the question upon
the commerce and convenience of the seat of
Government and the commerce and conveni-
ence of that glorious section OF country that
nave the honor to represent upon this floor
acquiesce cheerfully in the proposition 10
postpone this subject.
Mr.. Thomas, after reading from the laws
bearing on the question, showing that Con-
gress could not, properly, interfere with the
chesapeake Ohio Canal, said:-Now, what
Is proposed in this bill Ii proposes TO grant
10 company OF individuals, nine of the num-
Der, majority of them being non residents of
the District OF Columbia, and none of them
being residents OF Maryland, not only the pow
er to hold, occupy, possess, and enjoy, with
ont paying for il, the Washington canal hut
to hold, occupy, and possess all that part of
the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal that lies east
OF the western bank of Rock Greek. That parr
of the canal members are not so Eamiliar with
l therefore hope they will excuse me for dwell
ling upon paIticularities.
The canal company have built a dixie b.
tween the river and Rock creek. and formed a
basin. They have constructed four very e5S-
pensiye canal locks Immediately beyond Rock
| creek within the short distance of u quarter
OF a mile. They have built outside of the iu-
rIsdIction of the United States, and inside of
the Jurisdiction OF Maryland, a dam across the
Potomac river for q feeder for eli the canals
The water from the river, after suppt,tng Ger
tain factories, furnishes the means of rpaca-
ing this basin at the mouth of Rock creek and
then passes INTO the Washington canal
Mr.. Speaker, that part OF the Chesapeaie
and Ohio canal proposed 10 be seized, east of
the west bank OF Rock creek, cost only about
one hundred and six or one hundred and eipht
thousand dollars. and if the parties under this
most anomalous bill are called on 10 paw this
amount, what becomes OF the investments of
the chesapeake and Ohio canal amounting 20
S5it.CUO more, expended beyonn the west
boundary of Rack creek, expended in the con-
structlon OF canal locks, four in number, and
bridges over the canal, four In number: what
becomes OF that investment! These corpora
tors are not 10 pay for il. They are to seize as
| a mere locality that part ofthe property which
they need. They are 10 appropriate 10 rbeir
purposes that part of the canal which lies east
or the westeln n bank Of Reck creek. They are
pany from the opportunity of getting into the
basin at Rock creek, and of passing out into
the river Potomac or into the Washington Ca
nal. They are not TO pay the Chesapeake and
Ohlo Canal Company for their investment be-
yond that point No one will SUPPOSE that
this company is to be remunerated on an ex-
penditure of nearly half a million dollars M
collecting toll upon the articles transported
upon the canal for a quarter of mile
Again, this company now proposed are not
requlred, and Congress cannot authorize them.
TO go inside of the boundaries of the state of
maryland and take possession of and paw for
the dam across the river Potomac beyond
Georgetown. within the jurisdiction of the
State Of Maryland, without which the WASH
ington canal will be Of no value; without
which this grant will not be worth the paper
upon which IL is written. Congress is TO in
terpose with high handed authority and
give this new company the right to condemn
all that part of the work which the Cnes-
apeake and Ohio Canal Company have made
up to certain point, giving this new COM
pany the advantages of all the structures mn
TO that point; while those beyond that point
cannot be Of any exclusive advantage TO the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company. And
the commerce Of the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal Company cannot pass that dam and
new company. =.
Mr.. T. continued at considerable length his
argument against the bill a gross violation
OF the chartered privileges of the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal Company, and as an act of m.
justice to Washington city. He declared that
ne spoke, not so much with reference 10 the
present us 10 the great future. Tue time might
and doubtless would come when this District
the seat OF the Government of a mighty natlon
could countits many hundreds of Thousands
nay, perhaps Its millions, of people, and rival
Parls and London in Importance; and il was
| in view OF this grand future, when interests
now comparatively trivial would assume vast
proportions, that he would urge upon the
He said
81 know much has been SAID outside of the
Honse. and il may be said inside of the House
about the aid the Government as furnished 10
the authorities of Washington. beg GENTLE
men to bear in mind this aid was not a dona-
ton, free offering, gift without cousidera-
uon by the United States. The original pro-
prietors gave the Government much of the
ground upon which Washington now stands.
~ remember thirty years ago, when this
subject was analysed and examined, but do
not intend to pause long on this point A debit
ana credit account was started charging the
government of the United States for every
dollar they had received from public lands,
the donation to the Government by the orl-
ginal proprietors, and creating the Govern-
ment with every dollar expended by II withln
the jurisdiction of this corporation, anu the
balance was largely In favor OF tne CITY Oh
WaSl1pCtOu.EFH EtEt go y faAf