Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-05-28
TIE WASHINGTON CANAL

The following. trom the Sunday Herald, in
regard to the statements OF MI Ingersoll. of
Illinois, In behalf OF the Canal and Sc werage
Company" IS very much 10 the point:
Mr. IngPrsoll, OF Illinois. on Friday last,
during the peEdency OF the Senate DILL to
incorporate the District OF Columbia Canal
ana Sewerage Company. essayed TO enlighten
TIE House OF Representatives or the origin,
progress, ard cost OF the canal. and the
Interes. of the Corporation of Washington
therein.
The honorable member must surely have
been grossly misiniormed on several points
suggested IN his speech. or else he relied too
much upon his imagination for his facts We
propose very briefly TO set him right. and in eli =
dentally 10 diffuse some useful Information
upon the subject for his benefit and that of his
colleagues, 80 that when the question again
comes before the House. they may speak intel /.
bgently and vote understandingly.
First. then we will remark thar the earliest
legislative mention o. the Washington canal
Is 10 be found in the act of the Legislature of
Maryland OF 17e5, chapter A., wherein the di-
reetors were authorized TO have two lotteries
for tie purpose OF completing it, In Is, = and
l@U9 Congress also chartered the same com.
pany 10 open the canal. as laid down by Gen
Washington on the plan of this CITY, and in
1oi2 affirmed the act of the Legislature author
ring the two lotteries Just mentioned. This
company complied with all the requirements
OF that charter, AID made the canal. which was
much used In ansD0rting materials for build
ing the Capitol and other public buildings
The company enjoyed Its privileges for about
thirty years, and until 1912, when each stock
holder sold his individual interest (stock) to
the Corporation Of Washington. The canal az
I ~, VINE ran within few feet of Pennsyiva-
70 ,ndnns - IN. ,..y f~e. "a .As % pitoi; and
70 Inuuce Ine corporation 10 Change its couIs Sc
ana recover and reclaim the low grounds be.
tween the Capitol and 9th street west whereon
are now the botanical garden. the propagating
garden OF the Commissioner of Public Build-
lngs, and that Of the Agricultural Bureau.
Congress gave TO the city certain lots which
t tne Government received gratuitously from
the city stands 81 tHs so on which
10 the city OF Washington Sl5O,OOO il it would
rellnquisn all claims TO these lots These lots
Q: the monies in lieu Of them, were given by
congress 10 drain and secure these valuable
grounds, on which the gardens now stand
The act or Congress authorizing the CITY TO
purchase the canal compelled il to change the
course OF the canal at an enormous cost
simply TO do what was thought to be- and has
proved. great benefit to the General Govern
ment The canal cost the General Govern
ment only twenty thousand dollars, which
Was gwen by Congress 70 clean out and deepen
that portion which passed through the public
grounds, and expressly on condition that the
city appropriated an equal SUM to clean out
or Washington over e375,OOO over and above
every cent contributed by Congress
Now. will Mr.. Ingersoil be pleased to state
upon what authority he made the sweeping
assertion that this canal never cost the CITY a
dollar, We would also respectfully INQUIRE
py what authority he asserted that the cor.
porate authorities asked the committee to take
control o. the canall We would Iikew yery
deferentiaily ask whether he and the District
Com rnittee, with the honorable Secretary OF
the Interior, did not make personal inspec-
ton OF the canaR and, further, whether ne, as
CHAIRMAN OF the committee, did not iutrod nee
into the House bill House bill No 1891 for
the Improvement Of the canal, and to establish
system OF sewerage for this city-the work TO
0e done ST the joint expense Of the Government
and he Corporation Of Washington, And il
we be not deemed too inqusitIve, We would
Ike 10 inquire whether Mr.. Ingersoll has not
always maintained that part of the expense of
such improvements should be borne by the
Government! We should like to have these
questions answered fairly and squarely when
iae bill % again brought before the House.
In the meantime, let us say that the Corpor.
Anon Il now engaged In cleansing the canal,
and wall finish the work in two or three weeks
according 10 the plan suggested by the Board
OF ui;ed states Engineers, under 3 resolution
OF the senate Should this important sanitary
work be discontinued by the action of Congress-
who will BE- responsible for the fatal effects OF
sneh legislation upon the health Of the city
especially IL the cholera visit US!