The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-14

them other damage. The Delaware river in
'front.' OF League Island has a depth of twenty
iour ieet at low water, and the back channel
some sixteen feet. In reply TO the gentleman
from Wisconsin will say further that know
something abozt this locality, for League Island
is in the Congressional District which | have
,o. ,ne nonor to represent II is not an unhealthy
neighborhood are among the healthlest of my
constituents. 1t is not the low, uncultiyated
land ne describes i to be; It is not mere re-
claimed marsh. If he will refer to the reports
on nile In the Navy Department he will find
Just the contrary to be the case, and he will
ascertain that the Thirty-ninth Congress
was fully informed of all the excellencies and
e0nVeniences OF the location of the island
when 1t was accepted. More than
four hundred acres Of the gronnd have been used
as farm lands. Nearly two hundred and fifty
acres have been so used for over one hundred
ana sixty years and are cultivated FARMS and
upon two hundred more for sixty years crops
have been grown, and everything that can be
raised by an agriculturist has been raised there
as successfully as upon the finest land in Wis
eonsin or any other State | know these facts
The location is healthy. The ground is fast
ground. 1t is good farming land. 1t is not a
mere mud-bank. There have been some accre-
tions, as must necessarily have been the case:
but the main portion of the island, some four
hundred and fifty of the six hundred acres, is as
good farming land as is cultivated in the most
fertile regions of our country. wish to state a
further fact, of which perhaps the chairman of
the Committee on Naval Affairs (Mr. Scodeld1
was not cognizant and that is this the land
upon which the present navy yard is now located
consists OF some twenty acres in the built-up
portion of the city of Philadelphia, and 1t was
valued by the board of tax revision of the CITY
one year ago at SO, 500, 900. That Is the amount
of money the Government will secure for the
construction of the new yard
Mr.. Davis-Is not that land growing more
valuable every day ?
Mr.. O'Neill-Well, sir, that may be- but the
Navy Department now proposes that we transfer
the Philadelphia Navy Yard to League Island:
and If we pass the bill before us we not only
authorize the transfer but provide for the sale
OF the old location. We believe 1t worth
S3,5OO,O0O, and by passing the bill we put the
Government in the way of selling this valuable
property, thus realizing for it an amount which
VIII go far in balancing such appropriations as
this Congress and its successors may make for |
League Island We are actually and in effect |
taking nothing from the Treasury. The bill
does not suggest an appropriation at this time,
but transfer The friends of League Island |
will of course urge the establishment upon it of
such naval station as will command the admit |
ration OF the world, and will, when completed, |
be unsurpassed in its construction as well as in
Its most wonderful location. This gift of the |
city of Philadelphia is priceless to the Govern
ment and when we have by just and liberal |
appropriations finished our great naval station |
for iron-cads, the country will be proud of its
work, and rejoice that the Thirty-ninth Con-
gress accepted the munifcent offer of these six
hundred and more acres.