Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-01-21
Auueduct Of the Alexandria Canal

resentatives held meeting yesterday TO csnSlu-
er the proposed bills for the improvement OF
the harbor of the District of Columbia.
Among those present were Gen. Wells, former
ly Military Governor Of Virginia, who, when
the Committee had been called to ORDER took
the floor as a representative of the Aqueduct
Bridge Company in opposition to the bills. In
its accounts of the proceedings, the Washing
ton Star says He gave history of the legis-
ation by rginia and Maryland, and the Con-
gress of the United States, IN reference to the
Chesapeake and Ohio canal and the aqueduet
across the Potomac, and claimed that under
the authority given by Congress the vested
rights of the aqueduct company would be Vlo-
lated if the plan OF Improvement recommended t
by the board of survey is carried out. While
he was speaking, Capt. Patterson, chairman of
the board of survey, rose to say that the plan
of improvements does net contemplate the i'm
provclucnt Of the river above the aqueduct
bridge, but only making that part of the Poto-
mac available, as the channel is already deep
enough. ,
Mr. Eldridge. Do you deny, Gov. Wells,
the right Of Congress to put draw in the
adueduct brdgey'
Ex-Gov Wells. 81 do.
Governor Wells then went on to speak OF the
Aqueduct bridge as a great highway OF travel,
and said his company has bound themselves to
keep it in perpetual repair. ln reply to a
question from General Chapman, he said his
company derive nothing from the canal except
tolls and rent of bridge; about one,third of the
earnings of the company and perhaps $4,000
derived from the sale Of ice and the rent of the
bernie bank of the Alexandria canal.
Mr.. weather-"Guv Wells, 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 anything in either of the two bills
before us interfere with what you claim as your
vested rights?'
Elk Governor Wclls-"Ycs, sir. The bills
require the improvement TO be carried on IN
substantial conformity to the plan presented
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 Il
draw through the bridge would improve the
health of city already noted for its healthful-
ness.
Mr.. Edbridse -"What effect would the fill
ing Of the flats have upon the health Of Wash
ington p
Ex.Gov. VIZ believe that that plan would
utterly destroy the harhor Of Georgetown and
improve the health of the city OF Washing
ton. lie then went on to argue that there is
vastly more hurbor front below the bridge than
is required.
Mr. Eldridgc desired to know if he was op-
posed to the Improvement of the river and har-
Dor, and he replied no, except in so far as the
contemplated improvement interfered with the
rights of the bridge company. Of the two
bills before the committee, he preferred the
one giving the work to the government, be-
cause it would proceed carefully, and would be
more likely to respect the rights of individuals
and corporations. His argument in brief was,
that in 1924 Virginia chartered the Chesa-
peake and Ohio canal, and IN their charter re-
uuired that the act should be ratified first by
the States Of Maryland and Virginia, and then
by the United States. The 2lst section Of the
act secured perpetually to Virginia the right
to construct canal across the Potomac river
into Virginia.
BY the act Of 1925, Maryland ratified the
should provide practical way by which the
right should be secured, and should reserve to
itself the right to construct such canal
through the District Of Columbia In the
same year Congress did SO reserve the right,
and did provide for determining the point OF
iuncturc between the two canals and that
when the point was established it should be
deemed forever conclusive. La 1928 Congress,
aud the States of Maryland and Virginia hav-
ing before subscribed largely to the stock OF
the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal a meeting was
held, at which the United States and Wash
ington and Georgetown were represented. 1t
was then agreed to locate the Aqueduct bridge
where it now is, and subsequently the supreme
court affirmed the legality Of this structure,
and the company now claim that their vested
rights cannot be taken from them,
The committee then adjourned until 1920
o'clock Wednesday morning. President Cor
man, on behalf of the Chesapeake and Ohio
canal company said he would like to be heard
at some future day aud Mr.. Starkweather To-
formed them that they will be heard at fu-
ture meeting Of the committee.
CONGRESS In the Senate, yesterday ma
iority and minority reports were submitted by
I the judiciary committee in relation to the con-.
stitutionality of the Boston relief bill. The
same committee reported adversely upon various
House bills amending the bankrupt law. A bill
was introduced instructing the Committee on
postofices to enquire into the cost of the con-
struction of existing telegraph lines and the
market value thereof, and report the same to
the Senate. The House bill authorizing the
construction Of six steam vessels Of war Was
debated until adjournment.
In the House of Representatives, a
resolution was passed providing for the
payment of expenses in contested cleo
ton cases in the present Congress, and also
bill for the payment Of census officers in the
South who took the census Of 1860. A resolu-
ton was adopted ordering a report from the