National Republican., 1873-02-01
DISTRICT IN CONGRESS-.
MttIno or TINE DISTRICT oomMrTtts.
Tho uarbor Improvement Talked Over
General LEGISLATION Agreed Upon.

The unrbor Improvement Talked Over
General Legislation Agreed Upon.
The Senate Committee on the District Of Co.
lumbia yesterday held q session, and considered
the bill for the improvement OF the river trout,
and heard the statements Of the friends and op-
nents Of the BILL
There were present Captain Carlisle Patterson,
General II. d. Mussey, J. @. Berret, ". A. Cook,
Ex-Governor Wells, Of Virginia; A. P. German,
president Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company
Columbus Alexander DR.. J. L. Kidwell, John
Wilson, 7. A. Lambert and others.
Mr.. T. A. Lambert was the nrst to speak, and
appeared In behalf Of certain wharf owners In
this city and Georgetown. His argument against
the Improvement Of the river harbOr was sub
stantially the same as that delivered before the
House District Committee about week since.
In concluding, he satd that II either bill should
be considered favorably by the committee, he
hoped II would be the one which gives the Gov
ernInent charge Of the work,
Mr.. T. j. Miller represented other wharf
owners along the river front, and made brief
argument, In which he claimed that these wharf
owners, by an old act OF the Maryland Legsla-
ture, have the right Of extending their wharves
out to the channel He therefore believed that
his clients should have the privilege Of making
any Improvement In front Of their property
which Congress may see Ut to order, and that
they should also be entitled to any profits which
may accrue from such Improvement.
Mr.. Horatlo n. Easily read q paper embodying
MS views concerning tue Improvement OF
river and harbor, which are opposed to the plans
OF the board OF survey. He urged that some
provision should be Incorporated In the bill
finally adopted by Congress to compensate the
owners Of property along the river front, and
gave at length his peculiar IDEAS In regard to the
Improvement Of the channel. He believes the
plan Of the board OF survey impractcablc, and
that should II be executed the Potomac would
al high water overflow the "Valley Of the Tlber,
aud cause great destruction Of property. He re-
ferred to the report Of Lieut.. Ives, Of the en-
nnecrs bureau, made In 1851, relative to the
Improvement Of tho river and thought the plan
Of Lieut.. Ives far preferable to that OF the
board Of survey.
Mr. X. Fendall appeared for the children Of
the late Dr.. Bradley, who were Interested In
certain wharf property, and made remarks SINH
lar to the two gentlemen that preceded him.
now w a resilient Of warrington, sad II the
amendments recently proposed by General Mus
,ey to the Government bill are adopted, he, as a
representative Of the Aqueduct Bridge company,
templated by one Of the bills, draw Is to be
made in his bridge, he was present to protest.
lie then went on to repeat his vested rights
speech, made before the House District Commit
tee about a week since.
Colonel William A. Cook, corporation attor.
ney, was next heard 10 favor OF the plan OF
the board Of survey. Reviewing the different
| interests conflicting with the plan, he read the
acts Of the Maryland Legislature relative to va.
can't lands, and the ect Of Congress Of 1889 re.
ferrnR to the same class Of land. lie denied that
At the date Of the passage Of this act the Kidwcl
| Meadows existed, and read from the records Of
| the general land once relative to the action Of
that once in regard TO the lands In the Potomac
claimed by Or. Kidwell. He also read the lettel
| u Commissioner Drummond to Mr.. A. II. Shep
| herd on the same subject The question which
now arises Is, was this land claimed by Kidwel
| IN existence at the date OF the passage Of the
act (ls99l under which II Is now clalmed7 tn,
| second conflicting interest Is that Of the Chesa
peake and Ohio Canal. Mr.. Cook then rccItet
the claims Of this company, which they make BY
| virtue OF certain acts passed long ago by Wiz
ginla and Maryland, and held that when the pls
| trict was ceded to the Government the rights o.
! that company passed into the hands Of the Dis
| trtct and the General Government. That tina
portion Of the canal within the District Of COlum
MA Is subject to the Jurisdiction Of either Mary
| land or virginia IA an absur,lity which no man
| having common sense eau believe. At the houI
| VI twelve O'Clock Colonel Cook suspended his ar
| yument, and the committee adjourned until ten
o'clock Monday morning.
The committee then went into executive ses
sion, and after adJOurnlng II was found that they
had agreed TO report fayorably House hill +s2
prohibiting GIN enterprises IN the District Q
authorize trustees Of the Presbyterian congrega
ton OF Georgetown 10 dispose Of certain rea
estate; also, House bill s,02a, with amendments
| referring TO the auditing Of the accounts,) pro
ylding fornine trustees OF public schools, insteaI
| OF three; also, Senate bill l,46l, amending tht
charter OF the Grutli Verein Association Of Wash
| lngton. They also considered Senate bill o3i
providing for the extension Of the metropolitan
street railway TO Georgetown and UniOntown
! and agreed to report favOrably with amendment
revoking all former rights where substitut,
rights are granted; and striking out Of the bill al
sections granting the right to cross Pennsylva
MIA avenue; also. the section OF the hill allow
ing the road to crOss the Aqueluct bridge owe
Rock creek and the Anacostia bridge over thI
Eastern branch.
TIIE uousE COMMITTEE
at their meeting on Thursday agreed TO repor
favOrAbly bill 1919, TO extend the works OF tn
Georgetown GasllRht Company. House bill 1901
supplementary to an act entitled IAN act TO au
thOriZe the Washington city and Point LOOkOu
Railroad Company to extend q railroad into an,
within the District Of Columbia, was referred TO
subcommittee, scUnsisting Of Messrs. Williams
Cotton and Crebs, TO report. House bill s,4TI
relating to assessments In the District OF Colum
ha, was discussed at some length but no con
clusion reached.