Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-01-20
THE RIVER AND HARBOR IN.
PROvEMENTD.
Proceedings Before the n louise District
GDnnunifnA4 Tr-innH


The House District committee held q special
meeting this morning to consider the two bills
introduced on the 18th ultimo by Gen. Chapman
for the Improvement of the river and harbor al
Washington and the report of the board Of sur
vey recently made to Congress. The two bills
referred to SEX to accomplish the same object;
States under the direction of the Secretary of
War, and makes a preliminary appropriation OF
$1,000 600 TO carry on the work. The other bill
Harbor Improvement Company" and estab-
fishes the hoard Of survey as a "harb0r commits
sion, under whose supervision the work shall
be done. This bill directs the commission "a
carry on the work according to the plan recon-
mended by the board Of survey, and grants to
the company the land reclaimed by the inn
provement Of the river channel. 1t also grants
the company the wharfage fees, which arc to be
fixed by the commission, and sold or leased on
their approval, but private owners of wharfage
rights TO be compensated therefor. A reser-
walton is made to the effect that the board OF
public works shall have the authority to open
streets and avenues through and across the re-
claimed lands; and the bin contemplates, with
the approval of the Secretaries Of War and the
Navy, the exchange of the arsenal for the navy
yard grounds, and the enlargement Of the latter
when removed, TO about 800 acres. Ii also pro-
vides that all property necessary to the work
may be condemned upon compensation being
naval observatory.
THERE WERE PRESENT
Gov. Cooke, Gen. Humphreys, ex-Governors
Wells and Hunt, of Virginia, and Messrs A X.
Shepherd, John Wilson, VIM. Z. Chandler, DIR.
j. l.. Kidwell, X. ID. Mussey, w. w. DUNCAN, d.
l.. Shoemaker, Edward Lynch, j, G. Berret,
and others.
IN BEHALF OF THE oBsTRucrIoNIsTs.
Ex-Gov. Wells, Of Virginia, first appeared be-
fore the committee, and made an argument in
behalf of the Aqueduct bridge company in OPP
position to the bills for the Improvement of the
river and harbor. He gave history of the leg
lslation by Virginia and Maryland, and the
Congress of the United States, in reference to
the Chesapeake and Ohio canal and the aque-
der the authority given by Congress the vested
rights Of the aqueduct company would be eiO-
lated If the plan of improvement recommended
by the board Of survey Is carried out. While
ex-Goy. Wells las speaking,
CAPT. PATTERSON, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
OF SURVEY,
rose to say that the plan of improvements does
not contemplate the Improvement of the river
above the aqueduct bridge, but only making
that part Of the Potomac available, as the chan
mel is already deep enough.
the right of Congress to put draw in the aque-
duct bridge?'
Ex-Gov. Wells.-'I do.''
DisINTEREsTED PUBLIC BRNEFACToRs.
Governor Wells then went on to speak of the
Aqueduct bridge as great highway of travel,
and said his company has bound themselves to
keep it in perpetual repair, In reply to ques-
pany derive nothing from the canal except tolls
and rent of bridge; about One-third of the
earnings OF the company and perhaps IS, 900 de-
bernie bank of the Alexandria canal.
Mr.. Starkweather-"Gov.W Wells, 1 don't see
that the board of survey went beyond the scope
OF the resolution of Congress directing the board
TO make the investigation referred to. Does any
thing in either of the two bills before Us inter
fere with what you claim as your vested rights?"
Ex-Governor Wells.-'sYes, sir. The bills re-
quire the improvements to be carried on i'm sub
conformity q ted hv Tho
board of survey. If these words could be
stricken out of the bills our company would
have no objection to them" He then went on
to say that he could not see how cutting draw
through the bridge would improve the health
Of a city already noted for its healthfulness.
Mr.. Eldridge.-"What effect would the filling
ington?''
Ex-Gov. WI believe that that plan would
utterly destroy the harbor of Georgetown and
improve the health Of the city OF Washington"
He then went on to argue that there is vastly
more harbor front below the bridge than is re-
quired.
Mr.. Eldridge desired to knew if he was
OPPOSED TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE RIVER
and harbor, and he replied no, except in so far
as the contemplated Improvement interfered
with the rights of the bridge company. or the
one giving the work to the government, because
il would proceed carefully, and would be more
likely to respect the rights of individuals and
70, His argument in brief was, that
Ohio canal, and in their charter required that
the act should be ratified first by the states of
Maryland and Virginia, and then by the United
States. The z1st section of the act secured per-
petually to Virginia the right to construct
canal across the Potomac river into Virginia
BY the act of 1875, Maryland ratified the act
and required, rs preliminary, that Congress
should provide practical way by which the
right should be secured, and should reserve to
itself the right to construct such a canal through
the DISTRICT of Columbia. In the same year
Congress did SO reserve the right, and did pro-
tween the two canals; and that when the point
was established it should be deemed forever
conclusive. In 1923 Congress, and the states of
Lar sely to the stock Of the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal, meeting was held, at which the
United States and Washington and Georgetown
were represented: 1t was then agreed to locate
the Aqueduct bridge where it now il, and sub
the supreme court affirmed the legal
Try of this structure, and the company now
claim that their vested rights cannot be taken
from them.
THE "KIDwKLL MEADOWS
Mr.. John Wilson appeared ON behalf of the
''Owners Of the Kidwell Meadows" He read
" hat he styled a carefully collated statement
Of the history of our early settlements, and
extending as far back as the times Of Queen
Elizabeth, Sir Walter Raleigh, and others, in
1913. He claimed, in brief, that Maryland for
water mark on the Virginia shore; that Mary
Tan,,, coded all that portion Of the river living
siih;n tbe .ormer limits of the District of Col
nmbia to the rn,r.... States; and that in 1889
Congress by joint resolution made provision
for the patenting of the lands now claimed by
DIR. Kidwell The first patent taken out by DIR.
X. was i'm 1863, and was for Al, ~ acres OF .ne
fats lying of the foot Of nth street. He then
applied for q patent for such landas is
above water adjoining this and below the
Long bridge. DIR. kidwell's general claim then
Is 10 all land which may be formed by natural
aecertion adjoining the land which he has al
ready patented.
Mr.. WILSON EXPLAINS.
Mr.. Wilson said DIR. kidwell wanted him to
take up this matter when he (W.) was Third
Auditor, but he refused TO to do so. When he
left the position named he did take the matter
in hand and had patent issued.
Mr.. Vim. T.. Chandler" Who was Commits
sioner of the General Land Office when this
patent was granted?'' -.
MIR. wilson.-"My brother, Joseph s. Will
son"
on being asked by Mr.. Starkweather how
much he received in consideration of his efforts
in behalf of DIR. Kidwell. Mr.. Wilson said three
eighths of all the land patented, and that of this
amount he gave a Mr.. Wells, a clerk in the
land ofice. one-half for furnishing him with
rtain information, which he could not get very
well himself. In 1sl, DIR. Kidwell paid caution
money on patents for nearly GOO acres of land
above and below the Long bridge, but has never
received patents therefor. These patents were
intended TO
COVER THE WHOLE SHORE LINE
from EaSby's Point to the arsenal. Mr.. Wilson