Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-01-22

The House committee ON the District Of Co
hmbia met again at half-past ten O'Clock this
morning. to resume the consideration Of the bills
before the committee which contemplate the
Improvement of the river and harbor at WASH
ington and TO listen to the arguments pro and
con by the friends and opponents of the meas
sures referred to. As already stated In The
STAR, one OF the bills proposes that the inn
provement shall be done by government; the
proceeds of the sales of lands reclaimed to 90
iirst to reimburse the United States and after
wards for the benefit Oft the District of Columbia.
The second bill provides that the work shall be
done by aprivate,company. The general plan
Of improvements is the same I'm both bills, being
substantially in accordance with the plans pro-
posed by the board of survey created by the act
main feature Of this plan is the closing of the
present channel of the Potomac river between
Essby's Point and the line of the Anacostia
main channel and the north shore of the river;
and the excavation, to the depth of twenty-three
feet at mean low water Of said main channel be-
tween the above points.
THERE WERE PRESENT
this morning besides the members Of the COM
mittee: Capt. Carlisle Patterson, of the U. s.
Berret, Mr.. Alex. X. Shepherd, Gov. Swami,
Mr.. VIM. T.. Chandler, Gen. X. ID. MISSY, Dr.
j. L. Kidwell, President A. P. German, of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal; Mr.. John wilso n,
Mr.. T. A. Lambert. Mr.. Fendall, Brooke
Mach all, ST., and junior, Mr.. T. j. Miller, Mr..
A Watson, Mr.. ID. L. Shoemaker, Mr.. Ed
ward Lynch, Mr.. s. p. Brown, MI. Richard
Harrington, and others.
THE "kIpwELL MEADOWS AGAIN.
Mr.. John Wilson. in behalf Of the ''owners of
in opposition to the Improvement, and first cor
rected the statement that the Mr.. Wells of
whom he spoke the other day was a clerk in the
of the government. and the information which
he got for him (Wilson) was i'm reference to the
old records of Maryland and of a Jesuit college
state that his character and that of his brother
Joseph had been assailed in newspaper in this
city. He said that his brother Joseph held Of
fee for forty years, and he himself had held
Office under the government for some years
Both mightkhave left their Offices rich men, but
they did not, and he defied any man to lay his
of them was connected, directly or indirectly
He felt called upon to make this statement on
account of the assault which had been made
newspaper. He then went on to repeat his ar
guments of Monday, and
DENIED THE RIGHT OF THE GOVERNMENT
private corporation. In reply to questions by
Mr.. Eldridge, he stated that he did not deny the
right Of the government to condemn private
Mr.. W. F. Morris also appeared in behalf of
the owners of the "Kidwell Meadows and read
amendments to the bills now before the COM
tect the interests of the owners of the ''kidwell
Meadows" i'm case it is hereafter ascertained and
admitted that the said owners have valid title
to the lands which they now claim.
PROTEST PROM MARYLAND.
Judge VIM. nj. Merrick, of Maryland, next
appeared before the committee in behalf OF the
Maryland delegation in Congress, and said he
desired to enter an earnest protest against the
18th section of House bill No. 3,41S, which gives
the harbor Improvement company the old canal
extending from 18th street to Georgetown, with
all lands pertaining thereto, the same to be filled
and improved under the direction of the COM
mission; and also giving the same company the
same rights Of condemnation and remedies for
obtaining damages to owners of private rights
i'll such canal property, If any such there be,
SC. Maryland, Judge Merrick said, was deep
ly interested in the Chesapeake and Ohio canal
company, and had invested millions in the en-
terprise. The property which the bill referred
to proposes to take is exceedingly valuable, and
is esse initial to the development of the coal trade
of Maryland. Besides, there are certain rights
vested in the canal company, given by the state
of Maryland and confirmed by the United
States. He read the act of the Virginia gen
eral assembly i'm 1879. in reference to the canal
company and its jurisdiction, and which act
was approved by Congress in 1881. 1t is of vital
Importance to the canal company that these
rights should not be interfered with in carrying
out the plan for the improvement Of the harbor
Of Washington
Mr.. A. p. German, president Of the Chesa-
peake & Ohio canal company, then made an
argument against the 18th section of House bill
3,fs. Although the company would be more
proposed Improvement. the 1 company SaS uot
thought it best to send men of eminent legal
ability to deliver long and labOred arguments
Sumc1rnt
to make concise statement of the facts in the
case. Mr.. German then gave a legislative his
tory Of the canal, and contended that the rights
vested in the company by the states of Virginia
States, cannot be interfered with in the manner
as is proposed by the bill referred to.
ANOTHER GRAB AT THE wILsON-KIDwELL
GRAB.
In the course of his argument, Mr.. German
said his company claims the "Kidwell mead
Ows;" or. in other words, all the land formed
H..
and from the line Of the old canal to the river
channel.
Mr.. Eidridge.-" Do you mean to say you own
all the land from the canal to the channel?"
Mr.. Gorman.-''W We do, undoubtedly, and can
consequently sell it, lease it, or do anything We
please with it,
on the north side of the canal?"
Mr.. Gcrman.-"Our rights are defined and the
plat of the canal will show it. 1t is doubtless
worth over 500 900. There are about six acres of
valuable land from Rock Greek TO 18th
street west, and we hold deeds for the property
from the original owners. We acquired 1t by
purchase; the fee is in us and under the act OF
Virginia in 1928, and Congress in 1881, and
MARYLAND in 1888, we have the right to construct
moles, wharves, piers, and basins, on any por-
ton of the river front west of 18th street,
Mr.. Eldridge inquired whether the canal COM
pany had riparian rights, and Mr.. German re-
piled that the most eminent lawyers in the
state Of Maryland, including Hon. Reverdy
johnson, hold the opinion that the canal COM
to Rock Creek in fee, and as such he presumed
the company have riparian rights which gives
them all lands formed by accretvns, ~ far a.
the channel, between the points named.
He was not opposed to the Improvement Of the
harbor Of Washington or Of the city itself. His
predecessor had offered to cooperate with the
District authorities in the work Of progress, and
he (dr. g. had called on the man who had be-
come so prominently identified with improve
ments here-Mr. Alexander r. Shepherd-and
also on the Governor and offered to cooperate
in any of the proposed improvements. His
company is ready to 60 ahead and improve their
own property within the District limits in ac-
cordance with a general plan of Congress, but
is not willing to have it transferred to private
corporation. We must, said he, get our coal
boats from the canal into the Potomac, and we
would be glad to see the harbOr facilities 50 in
creased that vessels drawing twenty-four feet
OF water can navigate in the river. We now de-
liver coal 20 cents less per ton In Georgetown
than ii can be delivered to tiiewater by
any other route. Our business is continually in
creasing and in few years we hope to bring
to Georgetown 2, 600 900 tons of coal per annum.
i am here simply to protest against the bill
which proposes to deprive us Of property nearly
as valuable the canal from Georgetown to
Cumberland, and without which our trade
would be ruined. The dam at Rock creek can
not be taken away without ample compensation;
but believe that a fair and liberal arrangement
can be made by which the impro vement of the
river and harbor can be carried on to the salts
faction of all parties.