Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-06-25

While IN other countries the artificial means
Of in 'orcommuuicati1n are works undertake.
compile tel, owned, and managed by the govern
mout. our policy has been 90 leave ,hese matters
to private enterprise, or 10 the management Of
coruoatou chartered for the purpose although
yyl ere the $50 Tx was matter of national uecos-
sitv. alvluI aye, appropriations IN ala have
been maie from the public treasury, aud pryi-
lege- have been ranteI t1 the stockholders who
raised the principal means and carried forward
the work. In many cases this assistance is judi
ciou.. aud whatever may De The .pluiln as o.
the extent SO which eor9orltions may he thus
aideI, IL is certain thdt such WORK as Is nccessa-
ry to keep open and in order our natural high
ways, as nayigablc rivers, belongs properly TO
the national government.
The rivers and lakes that form our splendid
system Of natural intercommunicatou are, and
should be. free 10 all, anl 10 company or cor
ioraton, should be allowed 20 obstruct them for
their own benefit The ri-htof locomorion, even
ii not laid down ia any lin Of rights. declars-
tons OF independence, or constitutions, is one rs
inalenable and unquestionabe rs that Of breath
ing Especially is this right necessary in a
country Ike ours, OF such vast territorial ex-
tent, Of such diversified topography, varied
climate, and difference Of products. By cheap
and unobstructed communications the sectional
interests become national and the parts become
4 whole, exemplifying our national motto. Z
Pluribus Unum
We. therefore. regard the obstruction Of q
navigable stream as a national rather than
sectional calamity, but a calamity nevertheless,
whether viewed in O general or local sense. II
the resources Of engineering talent were ex-
hausted, in carrying railways or common roads
across navigable estuaries and rivers, only by
means Of short span bridges supported by fire.
ouent piers, OF bridges Of toe low an elevation
10 admit the passage Of vessels without raising
or swinging a draw, there might be reason in
thus obstructing natural highways Tor the bene-
fit Of artificial ways deemol to he more valuable.
But where a single span Of trestle work or arch
Is not feasible, the suspension system is praeti-
cable, in most cases or If neither Of these Is
advisable, or possible, tunnel may be subst-
tutei. There are few localities where the tunnel
may not be used. 1t may be built on shore, in
sections, if required, and sunk to the bed Of the
river, on piers laid for its support, Of sutii-
cient hight to level the inequalities Of the river
bottom.
The superior cheapness Of water carriage. es-
pecaly for heavy and bulky freight, should be
sufficient induoement 10 preserve intact our nav
igable rivers, and to improve them tby the re-
moyal Of obstructions that accumulate by natu-
raj agencies, rather than TO add to these OBJ
structions by building piers in the water way to
act as nuclei for the accumulation Of silt and
the formation Of sand bars. That this Is the
effect Of such structures no observing person car
! doubt. Above the pier the current deposits 1t
load Of sand, gravel, ETC., making an elongated.
shaped shoal ; and below, the cross currents, by
their eddies do the same thing. SO that on eithel
side, in time, there is ,deposited an island of IL