Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-02-03

y.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SENATE ON THE sUBJKcr
TODAY. 90 8
The Senate committee on the District Of Co
lumbia held q special session this morning to
hear arguments in favor of and against the
plan OF the board Of survey, OF which Captain
Carlisle Patterson, United States coast sur vey,
is chairman. for the Improvement of the river
ard haIbor at Washington.
Col. w. A. Cook resumed his argument in
favor of the Improvement, and showed by legal
references and numerousdecisions of the United
States Supreme Court that the
CHEsAPEAKE AND OHIO CANAL COMPANY HAS
NO VALID CLAIM
to land formed by accretion in the Potomac.
He claimed that the original act authorizing
only the right to the land through which it was
to pass, and did not confer riparian rights. Be
sides, II any further reason WIN the company
Is not entitled to such rights is necessary, It is
found in the fact that private wharves have
been built between the canal and the channel,
and until now the company has never asserted it
claim to the accretions- He further claimed that
il was the duty of the canal company and not
of Washington city, to keep the canal between
18th street and Rock creek in nav gabie coIrdi-
ton, and that having failed to do this they have
forfeited their charter. Touching
THE CLAIMS OF PRIVATE wHARF-OwNERs,
he took similar grounds in regard to accretiOns
He also reviewed the claims of the Washington
and Alexandria canal company, and held that
the government has a clear right to carry out
the proposed improvement, notwithstanding the
claims Of this company. He closed by saying
stand in the way of the improvement Of the
capital.
Col. Cook subsequently said he was requested
to say by several claimants of ''vested rights
on the river that they are not opposed to the inn
Irovement of the river, but claim compensation
for any damage which may ensue to them i'm
carrying out the Improvement.
PROFESSOR EASTMAN, OF THE NAVAL OBsER-
testified as to the unhealthfuness of the observa-
tory, and said that several persons had died
hns~x.
malaria arising from the canal and river. He
himself had had malaKial fever, and no one on
duty at the Observ atOry is safe from it. The su-
perintendent cannot live there. Several persons
connected with the observatory are now sick
with the chills and fever, or malarial fever.
The unhealthfulnefs Of the location is well
one can live there either night or day aud retain
his health. We're it a healthy place, the officers
could do six hours work per day, whereas they
now canpotdo more than four. 1t is usually fog
gy every morning. The filling of the sO-callesl
Kidwelf Meadows might partially remedy this.
A railroad built along the canal below the Obser-
vatOry would interfere AUTHORIZATIONS.
MR.. CHURCH WANTS ANOTHER PROVISION IN
THE BILL.
Mr.. G. b. Church called attention to the fact
that the plan of Improvement cOntemplates the
closing of the eastern channel OF the river,
which could be done in ten days, and that mo
provision had been made for the commerce of
Washington, which would be entirely suspended
by the closing of this channel. Hebelieved th at
this matter had been overlooked, and urged an
additional provision in the bill to secure the
commerce Of Washington from interruption.
CAPTAIN PATTERSON EXPLAINS.
Captain Carlisle Patterson, chairman of the
board of survey, explained to the committee, by
means of maps, the various reasons which in
duced the board to recommend their plan for the
improvement, and answered number of Ques-
tons relative to the course of the river the tides
high water, accretions, &c. He stated, as he did
before the House District committee some time
since, that he prefers the government bill, and
thought it singular that individuals should in
terpOse objections when it is we'll known that
the government always sompensates the owners
of property taken for public uses.
MIR. HoratiO n. Easily asked Captain Patter-
son If he did not think Lieutenant Rives' plan
for the Improvement Of the channel (Which pro-
poses to close the western channel and bring the
main channel on the eastern side OF the river
could not be carried out with as little expense as
the plan of the board of survey. Capt. Patterson
replied that in his opinion the cost would proba-
bly, be about the same as that of carrying out the
plan of the board of survey, but that he is utterly
opposed to the Rives plan, because its execution
would involve the creation of a large marsh on
the west side Of the channel, whereas the plan
of the board Of survey, If carried out, would
reclaim all the low lands or marshes on the river
Mr.. Easily asked Capt. Patterson IL he did not
believe, in case Rives' plan Is carried out that
the intervening channel would absorb the ma
laria from the marsh on the west side of the
channel before reaching this city. Capt Pat
tersOn thought not, but said that is a medical
question fbr the doctors to determine.
The committee adjourned, subject to the call
of the chairman.