Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1870-02-16
SPEECH OF HON. g. W. sOOFIELD,
OF PENNSYLVANIA.


In the House of Representatives, on JAN
uary 2lst. 1870, the bill for the transfer Of
the navy yard from Philadelphia to League
Island being under consideration, Mr. SEQ
field said:
Mr. SPEAKER: The extraordinary efforts
made to defeat this bill, regardless, as it
seems to me, of its merits or demerits, indu-
ces me to trespass once again upon the pa
tience of the House. Almost everything
has been discussed by its opponents except
the provisions of the bill itself Proposed
or apprehended expendituresessewhere have
been sharply criticised-perhapsj justly the
administration of the President in every de-
partment has been arranged, as If to con-
vert the opponents of the Administration
into opponents of this bill Let each mat
ter stand by itself If improper measures
are proposed there will be an opportunity to
discuss and expose them. Ii the Admins
tration has been or proposes to be extrava-
CANT or wastetul, it will be a fit time for ami
madversIon when Instances are before the
House. For the present, 1t Is enough to
consider the pending bill.
Now, let US see what this bill proposes to
do For long time the Government has
felt the want of a navy yard in which iron
aUu lTOu hesSeiS Uc
During the early part of the late war this
want was SO pressing that steps were taken
to supply it. 1t was urged upon Congress
by the Navy Department. Commissioners
were several times appointed to select i site.
Congressional committees were appointed to
report upon it. These commissioners and
committees, after roaming up and down the
coast and examining all proposed localities,
made their reports Congress acted upon
them. Such yard, it was agreed upon by
all hands, should possess certain advantages.
1t should lie upon fresh water. 1t should
be inland, both II secure fresh water and to
be safe from sudden attack of an enemy.
1t should be near iron and coal. Ii should
be near to a large city, where artisans, me
chanics and lab0rers OF all kinds, and where
machinery of every description, could be
found. 1t should be where there was plen
York, and Philadelphia were all too small.
League Island had all these advantages, and
after long debate and controversy in Con
gres>, running through several years, It was
hnally selected. The city OF Philadelphia
gave US six hundred acres OF land. 1t was
staked off and appropriated by the Govern
ment. The gentleman from Massachusetts
says it is liked fact" l SO regard it.
Fixed by law, and more firmly fixed by It's
pc uliar advantages. The owners Of adjoin-
ing land know what they are to have for
neightors. inexpensive residences, or 9th
er buildings unfit for such locality, will be
erected ;here, except such buildings as may
be appropriate. The city will grow in an
other direction.
Now, what does this bill propose to do ?
Make an appropriation to begin the con-
struction of the yard now? ? No, sir no mon
l. ~
arence of this bill But it proposes that
when League Island shall be improved, how
ever near or distant that time may be, a
certain other thing shall be done also. What
Is that? The Government has now a navy
yard at Philadelp phia for the construction oil
wooden vessels. 1t lies several miles further
up the Delaware c, in the middle OF the city.
| 1t contains twenty three acres of land, worth
about three million dollars. 1t does not
contain half space enough for the use o the
Government, but 1t Is great otfense tofthat
| portion of the city and an obstacle to its
| growth. Shall We maintain two navy yards
at Philadelphia, one for iron clads and one
| for wooden vessels? This bill says no. Ii
undertakes to provide that when the new
navy yard shall be begun, the machinery and
materials Of the old shall be moved down tO
| it, and as portions OF the ground shall thus
become racant they shall be sold. 1t un-
| dertakes to authorize the Secretary of the
Navy to improve the new yard in this way
whenever Congress shall authorize him tC
| improve it at all.
Why not wait, it is asked, until an appro.
| priation shall be made for this purpose. and
put this direction in that bill? Because the
| rules of the House forbid any legislation ir
| an appropriation bill. Besides, it could no.
thus be done, it is better to do it now. Ii
may be years before an appropriation will be
made but il is better for the cltr OF Phil del
| phia that it should be determined now that
| this obstacle to its growth Is at some future
| time to be removed; but it Is said also that
| it is not safe to leave the terms of sale to be
settled BY the President, and that the pro-
| ceeds of it should be paid into the Treasury
| instead of being expended upon League Is
land Very well; the friends of the bill
have already sccepted amendments to re-
move both of these objections.
When the gentleman from Massachusetts
| Mr.. Dawes is forced to admit that 1t au
| thorizes no expenditure of money until ar
| appropriation shall be made by Congress, he
drops down into an assertion that 1t Is al
! least a '.torerunner' OF an appropriation
| [ cannot see much force iii his irleveren'
wit. If be means simply to say that 1t i:
PROPOSED 10 pass this bill now, and thai
some other bill may he proposed at some fu
ture time. it is true enough. ln that sens,
| it is a iorerunner Of all subsequent legisla
| tion But If he means to say the passage o
| this bill necessitates or even facilitates al
appropriation, he has entirely mlsappre
| hended its terms 1t does not require The
construction Of the navy yard at League Is
land to be undertaken now, but simply wher
| it .hall be undertaken the old material shall
be used instead of buying new, and that The
old ground shall be sold; in short, that ".
shall have but one navy-yard in Philadelphi;
| instead Of two, as is now provided by law
| Il is measure Of economy and retrench
ment, instead of extravagarce or waste.
Failing to tind anything to condemn il
the bill itself, the gentleman starts out on a
hunt through the Departments for topics o
| animadversion The Secretary of the Nav.
has recommended appropriations to the sew
eral navy yards of the country. 1t Is th'
usual course. All other Secretaries have
done the same thing Some years it is more
some years less If we are going to hav,
navy yards at all, we must keep them in re
pair. But the Secretary has been endeav
orinp to economize in COAL He has direct
ed the commanders of vessels to use sails in
stead of steam; and when the sails wer,
wanting he has supplied them. He hoped
he would thus save money and make hette