Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-05-09
The District in ConSIess.
ELL FOR FREE BRIDGE AT THE TIRE
SISTERS.

SISTERS.
House bin No 400. upon the House calendar
in committee Of the whole, directs the Score
tary "t War 10 cause o be constructed across
the Potomac river. at or near the Three Sisters
Islands. near GEORGETOWN D. c. q SuhStanrieI
IL OF and masonry bridge and cauSeway or an
preach: and the sum of $I40GC0 is appro-
pr}ated for the construction of said bridge in
S,uG!ng SUBSTANTIAL bridge over the canal,
Shd any and al approaches to the said iron
bridge. The bridge shall be so constructed as
not 10 interfere with the usual navigation
above the point OF location as hereinbefGre set
The members of the free bridge committee.
appointed by citizens of this District and Viz
gina 10 submit for consideration of Congress
Ih'lr reasons for urging the passage Of the
above Dill, say IN their memorial: " The past
pOlcy OF Congress has been to relieve all Ou;-
lets and inletS for trade and travel to The Dis
met from tolls and eXactions of any nature
To this, however, we wish 20 note one
grave exception. At Georgetown, the leSSees
OF the Alexandria canal have erected a wagon
bridge upon the Aqueduct piers, which sup
port the canal as it crosses the Potomac at
this point. and charge thereon a system of
tolls which, for exorbitancy. are not exceeded
In the whole country. and which act as a bar
10 immigrant ION and the consequent improve
ment OF that large scope of Virginia adjacent
TO Georget0Wn- For years we have been
endeavorlng by use of all honOrabia means, to
OBTAIN relief from the ruinOus extortiOns of
his corporation, but have always been defeat
ed ny their ImpOSsib demands. The
can give no title. since they hold their
franchise for only a term Of years. i
olher means must be sought to secure a free
artery to the immense and constantly increaS-
ing visitation to the National Cemetery at
Arlington, and to Fort Whipple and to that
vast trade and travel from Virginia which has
sought Georgetown for more than one hun
dred years. through the roads concentrated at
this point by lis old ferries and which is now
forced into the circutOuS and inCOnvenient
routes given by The Long and Chain bridges.
nail o. from .tnI- to,
Chain Bridge. and the same distance to Long
Bridge, and the need of an intermediate bridge
is imperative; This is supplied by these les
sees, but under such OnerOus exactiOnS as
amount almost TO prohibition. These tolls are
levied upon the government precisely as upon
the pubic. Notwithstanding the act of July y,
1858, under which they erected their bridge
expressly declares that all U. S. troops and
munitions of war shall he passed free.
This AGueduct Bridge on March S, 1876 was
condemned by the Engineer department. u. 5.
A., Ill strongest terms, as unsafe, rotten, &c.
And few weeks subsequent thereto one of
its spans fell. Since then all repairs to this
bridge nave amounted TO mere tinkering and
Notwithstanding the substitution this winter
OF new timberS for some of those condemned
by the chief of engineers. We believe it as usi-
sale to-day As ever in the past.
In view of these facts there seems but one
way to avoid this grasping monopoly, which
c0mpeiS the United States and the people to
pay tolls TO reach Fort Whipp!e and Arlington,
brushes out most important material interests
OF Georgetown, and the District and one OF its
finest suburbs. by preventing travel, trade and
immigration, and that is to authorize the See
Rotary OF War to erect our desired free bridge
lie memorial is signed by A. ii. Herr w H.
Tenney. Benz. Miller +. l.. Moore, +. D. Hart
icy. Columbus Alexander, Arthur r. Cropley,
Jos. y. Rice, X. S. Lacey T. III. Svuherd Geo
o. Wunder, j. J. Moran, S. A. Coe, Henry
Febrey, H. A WhallOn, Geo. r. Adams.
THE DISTRICT GOVERNMENT BILL
came from the House to the Senate late yes
terday afternoon, and just before adjourn
ment the bill was referred to the Senate Dis
trict committee.
Another petition from the sovereigns of
Industry, COUNCIL No. 2, praying for legiSla-
tlon which will insure the delivery of full
weight of coal in the District, was presented
to the Senate by Mr.. Dorsey TODAY
Mr. RANDoLFH's NEW PLAN OF SEWERAGE FOR
WASHINGTON.
The bill introduced by MI Mayham in the
House yesterday for the improvement of the
sewerage OF Washington directs the District
commissioners to contract with Richard Ran
dnlph Tor this Improvement. according to the
plans submitted by him to the District Com
mlSSl0ner5, by the continual renovation of the
water IN the b street sewer and the sewers
connecting with it, which are now tide-lOcked
ana Stagnant, by their alternate filling with
pure water from the Potomac at the foot OF
18th street, and the diScharging of such water
with all the sewerage into Tiber Creek. such
to be made through a conduit to be
instructed and connecting the main sewer at
a point near 9th street with Tiber Creek nj RI
street, and To De propelled through such con
aunt with an artificial current in such quantity
anu ytI4clty as to insure its prompt discharge
along the James Creek canal into the deeD
waters OF the Potomac, nearthe Arsenal point
The work is TO be completed within six months
from the passage of the act, and the cost not
be paid to Mr.: Randolph until the work has
ueen completed and its successful operation
demonstrated. The United States
Is 10 pay an equal proportion OF the cost.