Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-11-21
The Canal Ouestiau.

10Th instant noticed an article written BY b.
Ssver:Sn, s.aang that the plan proposed by
would not cost 3i5O,OOO. / can prove by Hon.
Marun Welker, one of the Committee Of the
Disulct OF Columbia, in answer BY Severson
his PLAN and his reply was to him s'about
Si5OtO0 he thought would complete IL, and the
Judge derisively smiled, and replied the
would probably get that small amount appro-
priafed."
Now let us quote some Of the gentleman's
figures IN his petition accompanying his bill
now before the committee, which are In the
words and figures following:
" Washington, May 20, 1s6e.-Estimated cost
Length Of canal between Nary avenue aud
7Ih street, 2,2l2 feet; within Maryland avenue.
100 feet-2,iG2; all So feet wide and 10 feet deep
on an average; lilo cubic yards, at 40 cents,
SIS, Hos eOi feet Of wall including abutments,
$50 per foot, S96,CsO: fridge across 9th street
and one at ~ street. Sls,0O0 each, S36,OO1; a
bridge over Maryland avenue, S32OOO; pump.
ing engine and other implements, $1,000; pIy
for engineer, clerk, superinte ndent and confin
gent expenses, Sl5,C0O."
Making in The aggregate TO complete the
canal about four blocks, or hardly that, the
enormous sum of S2l7, 54s; and if ii should cost
that amount 20 get a little over a third of a
mile, what would the entire job cost under the
snperintendence of this :" Nee hani cal and Civil
Engineer ~
Mr.. Editor, / would like to inquire of Won. as
Know that you are well posted in municipal
laws, having been a member of the Board of
Aldermen, and that you answer il through
your widely circulated paper, what power the
Mayor and Common Council have 10 appoint
TINS man Severson (who claims to be .'me-
chanlcal and civil engineer'') to the Office of
"Canal Engineer" at salary of two thousand
dollars per year! find, in reading your laws
OF the corporation, that scanal commissioner,
is to be appointed, whose duty it Is to take the
entire charge of the canal, at a salary, think,
now, OF about thousand dollars per annum.
That Office is now flied by a very efficient
and industrious One-armed soldier, who attends
strictly TO his duties, soldier-like; but there is
not TO he found In all the laws a word to
authorize the appointment of a canal eng ineer,
for the very reason that the law requires the
commissioner TO take the entire charge of the
canal.
To prove that the whole career of this sen.
gineer" concerning this canal has been a detri-
ment, you have but to call upon those persons
who occupied wharves along the canal two
years ago, and the captains of boats who used
10 sail into The canal then, and cannot now get
In at all except at the highest tide, and that by
man force with ''sitting pole" the basin at the
west end having been filled up in consequences
OF the Dam thrown across the west end of the
canal, under his advise, is absolute extortion
Ii the Corporation are determined TO recognize
Mr. Seyerson's plan, and expend the half mil
lion OF dollars or more, As will be required bv
his own showing, let them do that at once, but
don't continue TO pay him his salary because
ne insists upon being paid. Now differ very
much with the learned engineer about the
ownership of this canal
The General Government originally owned
the ground upon which the canal is located as
We'll as the ground from Virginia avenue to the
Arsenal along James Creek, and the blocks of
ground along the whole line of ii is laid out in
reference 10 II. In the year lsO9 n company
was organized to construct a canal along this
reservation, 10 complete the same In seven
years, so boats drawing three feet of water
could pass at all times; that company failed,
and In 1882 Congress passed an act allowing the
Corporation TO buy out the stock of that COM
pany, and bound them 10 complete the canal SD
that boats drawing four feet of water could
pass and repass through the same; and in the
same section the following conditions are in
serted: "All OF which work hereby required
10 be Done to compete the said ca al aud basins,
shall be done and finished in the mannsr' afore.
SAID by the first day Of March, in the year one
thousand eight hundred and thirty-thr-e or
IN default thereof this act, and all the rights
and privileges thereby granted, shall Cease
and determine" And IN section eth, OF the
same act, II is declared that tolls or wharf.
age shall ba collected until the whole work is
comp leted, and the right to collect tolls aud
wharfage shall cease whenever the canal is so
out Of repair that vessels drawing four feet of
water cannot pass and repass, aud under that
act II has been decided by one OF the ablest iu-
rlsts IN this city that the corporation has no
night TO collect " marriage in an &C ten brought
oy The corporation; aud yet this learned engI-
netr cOLtends the city owns the land upon
which the canal is located. Congress MEYER
parted with its title at all; it barely consented
10 the city purchasing the stock of the COM
pany, and consented that II might occupy the
ground in case they built a canal, as the law
requires; but II not its rights should cease
Now, then, let Congress take this nuisance out
out, so at least il may form a sewer, if nothing
else. L he city have no nights whatever in il,
they nave for years forfeited all rights to its
works, and the land they new Of had any fee in
As congress refused to permit company 20
u 1t and clean IL out, and make II a CONNER
cial as well as sanitary benefit TO the citizens,
I'll US comp ell Congress to abate the nuisance
somehow, aud not compel the ax-payers to
do IT.
For the miserable amount that is received
yearly from the canal rents. &c, il will not paw
the salary of the Canal Commissioner and Ca
nal Engineer, and the interest on the amount
spent by Severson since be commenced atin-
kering the canal. II was only on Monday
last our Common Council passed an act appro-
prIatiDg S2-UUO TO build a bridge over the canal
at IrgInIa avenue, work belonging syn!a-
s!Ntly 10 congress, as 1t has the entire charge
OF me avenues, ana the city might As well do
the grading OF that avenue as TO build the
bTldge. Now, sir, let Congress take this work |
IN name, and give the whole thing TO the charge /,
OF General MIchler, who no doubt will so0n
nd the citizens of the annoyance of paying the
Engineer, or for dams, or dredging machines,
OF bridges. G.. l.. WALKER
HE POTOMAC FRONT.-WIthin the past fey
days matters along the front have been soIna-
" hat stagnant because of the dreadful condition
OF the thOrougnfare bordering thereon. Never
was there such collection of mud and mire.
which seems TO be accommodating each hour. I'LL
now II is scarcely possible for man beast t.
make Roadway without being buried several
inches each step that is taken. Bslow there are
reported large number of vessels bound
thtner, but at present there are but few vessels
IN port. The steam ferryboat City OF Alex.
ancIls, which left for Baltimore last SUNDAY
night 10 obtain a new suit of iron armor. has
arrived here and resumed her place on the
Iouie between Alexandra and Washington
Yesterday afternoon slight accident Occurred
10 the steamer Arrow, Capt Stackpole As she
was on her return trip the steamer was nut
INTO 5th-street wharf TO discharge some Gov
eminent stores, when the wind and tide carried
her with much force against the end OF the
wharf, damaging her wheelhouse somewhat
and breaking one or two of her paddles The
injury has bee n repaired, and this morning the
sIry little craft steamed OFF as usual for Mount
NeLnOn. thongh tnare Yern hut t. rnaZssnr.r-