Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-01-13

parlance is termed a dead beat, and had been
attached to a. military command that has lately
been ordered away from Washington. She
was sent out of the city this evening.
THE ALEXANDRIA AoUEDUCr BRIDGE QUEs-
TON -Messrs Philip Qugley, Henry H.
Wells, and VIM. w. DUNCAN, of the Alexan-
adria Canal Company, have filed an answer in.
the Supreme Court Of the District of Columbia
to the bill ofcomplaint Of d.. Joshua A. Ritchic,
Jerome G. Berry, DR.. John L, .Kidwell, and
Pierce Shoemaker, previously filed in said
court, protesting against the use Of the aque-
duct bridge for canal purposes The answer OF
the defendants is very elaborate, covering a
space of tweny-seven octave pages, aud alter
reviewing at length the act of incorporation
under which they act, proceeds 10 reference to
the present location Of the bridge, asserting
that it was the only place where the work could
De built without enormously increasing the eX
pense Of the aaueduct, and also of the canal
connecting it with Alexandria, aud says that
connecting with the Chesapeake and Ohio canal,
above Georgetown, at the polnt and IN the
manner suggested ty the companants bill,
would have almost destroyed the canal com
merce of Georgetown by dlvertlng lis trade
and business several miles above that city, IN
stead Of allowing it, as now, to come me to it.
Further on, the answer says: That the
level of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal at
GEORGETOWN, being fixed point upon which
the Alexandria canal must connect the Aque-
duet was built upon the highest level above
the waters Of the Potomac practicable, and SO
constructed by leaving nine openings, each one
hundred feet in the clear for the passage Of
boats, tugs. and flats, Of such character and
kind, as betore the loca ton of the Aqueduct
did navigate the waters of the Potomac above
that point. And these defendants are informed
and believe, and therefore charge the fact to
be, that those were the only classes OF vessels
and boats which at that time were accustomed
to navigate the river above that point, and
whatever benehcent purposes nature may have
had in view, as stated by the compliments bill,
these defendants are informed and believe,
that the channel Of the Potomac, above the
Auueduct, is SO crooked and circuitous, and, so
obstruced by rocks and bouldefs, and the cur
rent SO rapid, as to render it of no value for
navigation by vessels Of large size, carrying
mssts, ssaad they claim and insist that the work
was 10 all respects constructed in such manner
as to- offer the least obstruction to commerce
and Navigation upon the river and that the
new structure, now replacing the old one, is
being SO built as to offer even less obstruction,
by removing what are known as the spur
braces, which, to some extent, reduced the
open spaces between the piers, and they deny
that the said Aqueduct, as originally construc-
ted, or as now being rebuilt, was then, or is
now, a common nuisance, but it was then, and
is now, a legal and proper structure, IN strict
conformity with the provisions of law in rela-
ton to the same, authorized and empowered
by the highest legislative authority, and that
no act done by virtue of such legislative auth
critics u.s. or can be, a public nuisance. "
:Alhding to the channel from the Long
Bridge to Georgetown, the defendants say that
they 'Eare informed and believe no vessels draw
ing over eleven feet OF water can get to or from
the port Of Georgetown, while vessels Of that
draught frequently ground In the river above
the Long Bridge, causing, great expense: de-
murraage aud delay thereby, That those en-,
gagged in the coal trade greatly prefer the Port
Of Alexandria, and willing to carry coal
from at for rs cents per ton less than from
Georgetown, while the present rates of toll by
the Alexandra canal from Georgetown to al:
exandria are but eight cents per ton, and the
boattnen on the canal, as general rule, are
willing to carry coal over the Chesapeake and
OhioIcana 10 Alexandria at the same rates for
which they bring it to Georgetown"
The answer then goes on to- recite that the
aqucduct or the Alexandria canal, have neither.
crippled or retarded the commerce, growth, or
business of GeorgetoTn, The defendants also
denyithe right or authority of tho com plain
ants to inquire into or be Informed as to the
profits or advantages to the defendants as a, PEE
cuuiary investment, and say that 1t IS not true
that the Alexandria canal has proved failure;
but On the contrary they deem it OF great val
1u AZ WI .,,rh H1aa
a revenue 10 those OF The defendants known as
the essees, of many thousands of dollars.
The defendants further say that lit l. true
however, that. at the time they acquired said
lease, they did, and ever sine; have designed,
if the necessary legislative authority could be
obtained, to construct, use and operate . rail
road over the piers Of the said saqueduct, and
along the banks the said canal, In whole Or
in part, from Georgetown: to Alexandria, but
the paramount design in. procuring the said
lease was the operating Of til: canal as q canal
I, The defendants further say chat they are
Informed and believe, and therefore charge .he
fact to be, that it is not true, as chargei in the
kbilt of complaint, that by means OF 1nechanieal
Improvement, water gates can be placed IN SAID
auueduct 50 as to allow q section of 1t. to be
turned on a picot and thus admit the passage
of vessels carrying masts but they allege, that
to place draw in the SAID aqueduct, IS practl
ccaliy ito destroy the (aqueduct, and render it OF
no value for the purposes of canal. ,
In reference to the outlet lock, the d. tend,
|'ants deny that the interest Of commerce could
be secured and that coal could be advantage
|'ously TRANSPORTED to Alexandria by towing
boats from the outlet lock through The: Potomac
river to that point, and several reasons are
|. given therefor, among which is that no
boats can, at. present, PASS through the said
outlet lock into the Potomac river drawing
over 2 feet 10 inches water, while the boats on
the Chesaneake and Ohio Canal engaged in the
coal trade. when loaded, draw Irom 9; tteet 4
inches 10 feet 10 inches OF Water-alfo t which