The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-05-27

derman s. s. Baker made the following rc-
marks:
Mr.. President; Having moved a tousidera.
tlon OF the bill just read by the secretary,
which provides for constructing a sea wall ex.
tending along the river front, from the west
ern terminus Of the sea wall built by the Gov
etnment in front Of the arsenal grounds to the
Long Bridge, at Fourteenth street, I ask the |
attention OF this Board to few OF the reasons
which induce me to favor the passage OF the
bill, notwithstanding the adverse report Of
the committee,
First. We have not, At this time, any such
facilities or accommodations on our river
front tor tho transaction OF business or the
encouragement IL trade and commerce as our
increased population and the rapidly increas-
ing business and trade OF this city actually |
demands. We have but a few wharves, most |
OF which are In a dilapidated condition, ocou.
pied by persons who pay no rent to the cotpo. |
ration, and some OF whom hold, In defiance OF |
the authority Of the corporationi but most, II |
not all OF whom, firmly believe, would cheer. |
fully pay \ reasonable sum for their privileges |
to the city authorities II the river front were |
to be properly Improved, thus Contributing |
would &c annually Increasing, tand il a few
years fully replenish the treasury to the full
amount OF this proposed Improvement, and |
t mere yle,u AZ annual revenue 70 the
crease In proportion TO the growth Of the city, |
the increased facilities for business operations
and commerce Of this District. Therefore l
hold that instead Of being a drain upon our
finances 1t would soon pay for ITSELF and
s snfn &c perm,aent source OF revenue TO ne
river front ts not only unoceupied, but 10 Ae- |
tuAlly a bed Of mud, debris and hlthy deposits
OF me most offensive nature, polluting the ait
with malaria and pestilence, and gendering
disease often resulting fatally to those who
are brought within the range Of its influence. /
In nus respect q may be considered mla..
part Of our city equal to that other scourge,
'f the S SSn IS hSToP0,Sd P,SPst sa
the nuisance complained OF, aud reclaim for
business purposes four hundred thousand
square ieet Of ground which At present price.
the ground now used for wharfage purposes,
Besides 1t would add three times as much ex.
used. ltwould give US an additional extent
Of river front OF about four thousa nd feet In
length, which at the lowest estimate would
rent for two dollars and Atty cents per front
foot annually, thus yieldinga yearly revenue
OF $4,000 to tho corporation, and all this to be
derived over an above the rents that would
use. Now, Mi Pfcsideni, the QUESTION nstu'
rally arises, what Is to DO the cost OF this i'm.
provementl Is It TO be so great as to deter US
from entering upon this important enterpriset
or Is II within the range OF our ability TO meet
it We arc told by the minority OF the CON-
mittee on whatvas, 10 their report, "thst 1t
Will cost for the sea wall about t62, 900; the
piling about flG,OJJi the grading and niling
about t62 900; the extension OF the street drops
aud ccsspools about a., 900 to tl0,OO0-mAking
In all about $50 900, which they say 10 a sum
so far beyond the means OF the CORPORATION as
to render the Improvement, II desirable, i'm
practicable at the present time which they
state does not include the Inconyeniences and
| damages likely TO he incurred by obstruetions
| TO the wharyes already erected on the present
line OF the river front, which would al suffer
| more OF less, and the measure OF damages most
/ probably determined by u Judicial tribunaln
Now, Mr.. President, will state that 1 have
taken much pains TO ascertain what would be
ERnl
and complete this much desired Improvement,
aud am prepared to state that the whole ex.
| pense would not exceed the sum OF sos 900, and
| there are now good, reliable and responsible
men 10 this city ready aud anxious To under.
dertake to do the whole work OF piling and
building the seA-wall for go per llneal foot or
| 100000 To which Adj 5000 for extension OF
streets, gatherings, drops and ccsspools, max
| ing 100000 In all, and you still have margin
Of 5000 70 make up my estimate OF S65,OoO
But 1t will be observed that have not in-
cluded anything for the grading aud nlllng
which the majority report to which | have
referred, estimate 1T about $4,000.
Now, sir, notwithstanding the statement OF
the majority of the committee, 10 regard to
that item, claim that the grading and flling
VIII not cost the city single dollar. for the
reason that there 10 A high embank ment ex-
tending the whole length OF the proposed wall
ranging from ten to twenty-five feet in height,
and proceeding almost to the edge OF the river.
| through this embankment streets have al.
ready been authorized to DO graded, which
| will require very extensive excavations. In
order to grade those streets, as well rs Others
IN mat vicinity which should he opened, IL
| VIII be necessary to cart the earth long dis.
tances, aud then deposit the same where 1t
WIZ not beneht the corporation, unless some
cality. BY filling In behind the sea.waIl, as
| contemplated by this bill, place OF deposit
for the earth from the excavations made In
! grading the streets will be provided close at
hand, requiring little osrting, and thus very
much lessen the expense OF grading the
| streets.
80 At
| get this filling and grading free from expense
to the corporation, hut by providing a place
near at hand for thr extra dirt from the streets
TO be graded, We shall be able to procure those
to be graded at less cost than otherwise, and
| In that way actuHlly save large sum to the
corporation. Then, Is 1t not the part OF wis.
secure the dirt from the streets soon to be
| opened Besides, 1t would seem that nature
has provided the bank In question at that very
! spot IOf the purpose mentioned, and shall we
! pay contractors 10 haul OH the dirt to other
| places and deprive ourselves OF Its uses or
rather, would It not be the part of wisdom to
| place the dirt where It naturally belongs, In
| using II to abtte the nuisance and reclaim The
lang along our river front especially as II can
| DC dome without cost, and even with = saving
OF expense to the city. As to the statement OF
| the committee that damages might accrue to
those occupying the wharves, which might
iead 70 litigation, will say that no such
| trouble can arise. The building OF the sea-
wall VIII not damage them, but will naturally
| heneht them, and they so understand IL; for
they are AL anxious to have the thing accom-.
| plshed. 1t would enlarge the grounds for
business, give them better foundat lions for and
| means oil improving the wharyes they now oc.
eupyl anu rcnoyate the grounds around them
BesiueH, twOnld facilitate the means Of access
TO their places OF business; lead to the opening
OF the streets, afford them more ample accom-
molations In various ways, and purify the
| very air they breathe, by abating the intoier-
able nuisance which now surrounds their
places oil business understanding their own
iintSrests they hSye united 10 requesting this
| improvement. Nor can the building OF the
wall operate to drive away the channel from
our shore, AS the committ6e pretend to argue.
~ more deposits could 81 made by any posi-.
| ulhty than now, for the Government leaves
| already built, ses-wall as far out In the river
rs we pfcp0se TO build this and as that wall
| IL below this 1t would cause deposits at the
| yer! lO!mt we propose TO MI, II II had any ef.
| lect ~ all. As our wall would only be a con
! unuttiOH OF the line Of the Government wall
below IT, II would slyc uniformity to the line
| 81 the cuFrent Ala the stream and could not
| hy any disability work any injury to the cur.
| TeuI nsell As TO the argument OF the com.
Mllle", that 1t would not be well to go on with
| ms Improvement now, because Congress has
| got the question up before them for action
| It 7ppchis to me 10 be the idlest thing 10 the
"nf,I Tor us to wait for Congress to act In
| tmt'"r NJ this kind. IL we expect anything
| from Congress va must move ahead ourselves.
| We I'VE played the part OF Rip Van Wrinkle
| cong enough When we open and grade the
| sF'tiH iv'GiuS to the yer, build q sea-wall,
| cNns'rucf whtrvcsr encourage our river trade;
| iNai"r the huS'uCss interests Of our cityi
| h'''llS 'Heh inc h1hu5 0l our business men,
! nGlI ~ commerce that will render nAyigA.
no "a TIE river, and especially 40 open CHI an.
| M'' along our shpiu actually necessary then
| I"ngr"'s Will come TO our aid in this matter
| Bul 50 long IS We lie supineIy on our backs
| waiting tor gumctAing to turn up, and make no
| thoIt To hclp Ourselves, you may depend upon
| II l'ongrrsS VII only laugh Mt our folly. Then
| let US ihhr hIid Of this thing and set about II
! ~ un'", nut II we cannot do II all In one year
| 20 VIII It We eau TINS year, and more the next.
| tctn At least get out OF our shells and stir
| about, AMI when We chow some signs OF life
! we may reasonably hope that Congress will
| h'Ip us by making an appropriation to build a
| nfeHkwhtcr near Georgetown, In order to turn
| ihe channel to the Washington side OF the Po-
| tomnci TO dredgo and make such other Inn
| PfoVements AS the commercial interests OF this
large and growing city may require.
| Communicated. J
FESTIVAL At BRIGHTwOOD.-The Bright.
! wood -chn"l May festival was held In More.
! lrTs grove On Friday, the 2lst instant, which
! mel t..r must slnsuinc expectations of the
most hatidiOus. The officials of the school
| were present all day to aid Mr.. Andrew $,
| foolcr, the teacher, in arranging things gen.
| cIhlly Tor the comfort aud pleasure OF the
| chilii"n "ui gucH'E. The ceremony of crown.
! Ing til" queen tool: place NJ IL O'Clock, with
| nppro!riat" cofuurtioG addresses by those
! whn hnn been elected TO positions of honor for
! the occasion. The following are the names Of
AZ IIsH