Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-01-25
OUR PET NUISANCE.
REMARES OF ALDERMAN BMBRY,


In the Board Of Aldermen last evening
Mr.. Emery, from the special committee
appointed to consider the subject Of lmproy-
Ing the Washington cana, submitted the
following bill, which was ordered to be
printed and made the subject OF special
order February8 0.
It enacts that the Commissioner OF Public
Buildings, the Surgeon. General OF the
United States Army, an officer Of the En-
gineers Of the United States Army, an officer
OF the Coast Survey TO be detailed by the
superintendent, the Mayor OF Washington,
a member Of the Board Of Aldermen, and a
member OF the Board Of the Common Coun-
ell, TO be elected by their respective Boards,
be and are hereby constituted Board which
shall take charge OF, direct, and superlntend
the excavation Of the Washington Canal,
from Seventeenth street west eastward, and
also the necessary repairs to the walls, the
said excavation TO DO q depth OF not less
than four feet below mean low water, but TO
be carried 10 a depth as much greater as the
sofilt OF the walls may permit and the Board
may deem advisable, That the Board be
and are hereby authorized and directed TO
have constructed the unfinished portion Of
the canal lying between South Capitol and
street south and T street south and Sec
ond street west 10 depth and width con
iVAAhAhk W hhN NehoA RNNhA0u VI huu NhUhls
That the sum OF $3.50, 900, or so much there
OF a. may be necessary, be aud ls hereby ap-
proprlatSd, payable out Of the general fund
for the purposes OF this act. That the
Mayor be and Is hereby requested
and directed, Immediately upon tho
passage Of this act, TO request the services
Of the officers OF this Government
referred 10, and to take all other necessary
action TO carry this act into effect; that the
Board shall organize and take action In the
premises and urge the work 10 completion
as rapidly as will permit that all expend-
lures for the purposes OF this act shall be
made under the sole direction Of the said
Board, provided that oil bills before being
paid shall be approved BY the auditing com
mittee Of the Board and the presldent Of the
Board, that tho Board DO authorized TO en-
ploy clerk, whose compensation ahAll not
exceed the sum Of " per day for each day
Of actual employment; and that tho said
Board be, and are hereby, authorised TO con.
fer with the officers OF the Chesapeake aud
Ohio Canal Company In reference 10 the
improvement Of that portion Of the canal
lying between Seventeenth street west and
Georgetown, In order 10 have the proper and
necessary connection with the Chesapeake
and Ohio canal, and report the result there
Of to this Board for future action, and II fur
ther enActs that no person serving In the
Board hereby authorized shall receive com.
pensatlun for his service. r.....H
In support OF the bill Mr.. Emery offered
the following remaTksi ~
MA. PRusrDENT: In sompliAnes with the
resolutions pass two week. since mAking II
to report for the action Of this Board bill fof
rhe bill just read Ia, the unanimous sanction
OF the committee, Mr.. President desire 20
submit n few fNmATka nNNtinR forth In thu
iewest words pouaible some Of the advantages
70 the corporation And to the eitiIeus should
! .a... PHI S'iS%S Il. lad e carried HO
hHye IN the canal ptopsyty Of great value
nnAneiAlly-A property that they cannot
income and control to any private spss1iStion.
Mr.. PrsSldsnt, all that 10 wanted 20 make the
canal = permanent paying Institution l. TO
with a properly eonstrleted drsdginG na.
chine, the oanai oan Be exsavAted 70 Iis full
depth, at . cost not 20 exceed 30 eents per
cubic yard. ~ We take the estimate Of some
the removal Of some 10000 cubic yards, thIG
At the price have atAtnd, would cost fSl, OOo
TO this you may add for tepAirs OF walls and
Of the amount this bill AppropriAtes 90, 900, 10
be applied TO the uhnnlahod portion Of the
canal, between South Capitol and Z street
sun Il deemed ample for this portion Of the
work. When the canal IL once cleaned to its
proper depth, II can DO kept so ut . cost o.
Year, ago OaptAIn Wise ostImatsd the An.
nual deposits In the canal Al 1900 cubic
yards, ~ 10 less now,D which certainly can DO
dredged out for the sum namsd. This deposit
10 eompoaed OF sand, clay and gravel. There
eau DO no bettsr material for making new
ground thanthls. II IL said that the Govern
msnt requires 10000 cubic yards OF earth 10
% all up and grade the white Lot, Tor whisS
they pay ten cents per oArt'loAd, making
thirty cents per cubic yard. The disposal 81
Ssn repay me oUrpoI. ToSd to sois large
cleaning the canal. This work once com.
pleted, II would rid the city % n"I.--s.
tIon. =
The idea advanced BY some that the canal,
when dredged out, with the sewers leading
70 smell or sight,ls unfoundsd. In consulting
with one OF our most eminent medionl gentle
msn, Dr. y; o. Hal. he sad, with the oaual
four hours, frequently washed out By rlins ana
freshets, and It's waters daily diluted by NIL
lions Of gallons Of fresh water from Rock
creek and IN, the Potomac, all the night soil and
and rendered harmless and In6ffensiVe. Ita
pecuniAry returns ADD savings will be Ereat
and o9ns I tneseasipE The value Of prop:
the demand for labor Increased" A large poF-
tion OF the hOur and meal used In the city
comes from or through qeorEetown. GUN.
blocks, 10 short all the products Of the isids,
forests, and miues can be landed In the centre
q the city for one tsnth OF the eost now paid
Again, IRON the Potomac boats loaded with
wood, Lumber, hsh, oysters, aud the produce
Of gardens adJaeentt to the river may be bronFht
iories, and markets and, further, the canal il |
he natural And Indispensable drainage Of the Y
lity and must not b allsd up. To SonstTusl |
Iontia eneieS will coat miliIoas 40 entsii a.
nmea.s and endless sSpsn.s In kssping Y
othsrWiss should not be psrmIttsd' q Il would
nn up and destroy the channel Of both rivers.
To narrow the canal will not diminish the
It would give Il a di(shlIfke appearance,
rendering 1t more unBlKhtIy, while, III propSTIy
Improved, II would contribute 70 the bsauty
BY laying out a roadway along the south tide
Of the canal, from Maryland avenue % Monu.
ment Park, supported By retaining wan with
haadsomS PssAPst, narGined with trees, would
miles In length, binding on the public mali
and the beautiful Agricultural square. This,
IN connection With bsautiful bridges grace.
the haadsons bridge lslreAdI pro1issd BY Mr..
Mullett) connecting the Mall With the White
Lot, viewed from many points, especially the
Ospl,Sl would DO au Object Of beauty and Ad-
MI. President, what I batter than all for
the interest Of the eoFpoTAtioa and all Son-
cefned, II the bill now undoF oaaideratioo a
approved, every dollar OF expense that WiIl BE-
Incurred In eleanl1g out and ImproVine IN
sanAl, rendering II healthy and an oTnslnsnt
10 the city, would be returned In tbs feoaInia
for rents and wharfage 10 ave yeArs from Inc |
oonPletioa OF the work. r-T-,r7-
LEoTURE OF FRED. DoUdLAss. crowded.
attentive, and enthusiastic audience assem,
bled last evening, at Lincoln Hall, To listen
10 the lecture Of Fred. Douglass, under The |
auspices Of the Grand Army OF the Republic,
The sPaaA8r 5Was introduced by General !
Ekin, and received with hearty applause.
Mr.. Douglass said that q compoalts char |
leter Of people was always a broad ad.
rance from that Of barbarism, and that our
avn nation was particularly and proudly
distinguished In this respect. He considered |
our people and nation In three respects-- |
What We are, what We will be, and what We |
ought to be.
Other nations have had their dayi their
lestlny has eliminated, and Is on the wane. |
Not so ours. II Is yet to come; to grow,
nd reach greatness and power never be- /
ore known.
He made an eloquent appeal In behalf OF /
he Indians Of this continent, who had been
'eated with great injustice. Our course |
ava ri than had hear, = EarEoaok