New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-01-17
The NeMnArf Rris;oe

We copy the following Washington specia
| from the Cincinnati Ga-ettf Of Friday
y delegation Of citizens. merchants, steam
bcat!nen, coal dealers ana others from Tin
cinnati and PITT -bUrc, had a hearing hcior,
the House Committee on Commerce this
morning in regard to the general subject o
bridging Western rivers. and particularly
the present condition of these etluc
lures over the Ohio. On the com,nittec
being called 10 order. the chairman stated
that The representatives Of the railroad in
tcrest could not be here till Tueeday next
and asking postponemcut. To this Mr.
Richard Smith rcDl:ed that the delegation
present represented the people, and the rail
road COMPANIES had had ample time to pre-
pare, and besides their purpose was to So
cure delay. r'hcr, there were Il number
81 practical stramboatmrn here ready to
answer the questions Of the committee, and
who could not remain till next week. Ii
was then agreed to give u partial hearing
10 the delegation. and inform the railroad
men that Il final hearing would be postponed
til Tuesday Eext. but no longer.
Ex-.tttorney General Speed was present
this morning AZ attorney for the railroad.
and Stanley Matthews and General Cox. "i
Cincinnati, are expected i'll the same interest
next week.
The delegation named at the meeting last
night appointed Richard Smith, of Ohio.
AID Colonel Kerr. OF Pittsburg. t" present
the case before the committee. Mr.. Steven
son, OF Ohio laid before the committee his
own bill on tie subject of bridges, the late
report OF the Roars! of Engineers on the
matter a petition OF six hundred merchants
and manufacturers Of Cincinnati against
the low bridge, and then introduced the
Cincinnati delegation to hi1 committee.
General Ncglev introduced the Pittsbury
delegation. Neither OF these gentlemen. on
presenting theI" constituents. committed
himself on the lnerit~ vi the question they
were to urge.
Richard Smith opened the question 10
the committee, and referred to the fact that
delegation had just had hearing that was
asking for II large government Subsidy to
promote the interests of commerce with :.
foreign nation. while the delegation now
before them only asked to be protected by
simply Il law against railroad companies
that were srclsin., to destroy the great com
meTciai interests Of the interior. lie went
OF to say that the Newport Bridge. i'll the
modification OF, which Cincinnati was ,pc-
ciaily Interested, was conceived in and car
red on by fraud. and called Tho attention
OF the coinmittc. 10 the report OF the Board
of Engineers. The evidence accompanying
which showed that the Bridge Company
had violated its promises and had
obtained the passage Of :hc law
by Misrepresentation. and had deceived
the river men in their compromise.
IT had been asserted that the river interests
were opposed 10 bridges. This was not
true, as was shown by the fact that the peo-
pie OF Cincinnati were now applicants be-
fore Congress for another bridge for road
to connect them with the South. They,
however, expected 10 build one Of five hun
ircd feet span. and one hundred and three
feet above low water. Mr.. smith pointed
ont the difficulty t" navigation created by
the Newport bridge; the impossibility of
navigating Mt II high stage of water. He also
presented statistics of tho commerce of the
river. and the increased cost of coal and
other products transported. on account of
the obstruction Of bridges. The whole
question was really narrowed down to
whether Congress would suffer q personal
tax on half the people of the United States,
in order that single wealthy railroad cor
poration might be saved $i00, 900 i'll the con
stluction OF Il bridge over the Ohio. The
committee at this point adjourned until to-
morrow, when Mr. Smith will conclude. and
DO followed by Mr.. Kerr. MIR. Stevenson
HAS given his whole attention to the matter.
The delegation seems inclined to tho opinion
that his colleague, General Strader, must
have been out observing the wind and
weather. az he has not appeared on the
scene.