Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-12
THE RIVER IMPROVEMENT BILL,
SUGGESTIONS FOR AMENDMENT OF THE BILL.

The Debate i'm the House Monday.
SUGGESTIONS FOR AMENDMENT OF THE BILL.
The debate in the House of Representa-
tives on the bill to reclaim the Potomac fats,
which was under consideration on Monday,
Is OF special interest to the people OF Wash
ington, who are directly interested in the inn
provement, and to the people OF the whole
country who have an interest in the advance
ment and improvement of the nations capital
The first portion Of the debate had reference
solely to the best and quickest means of acauir-
ing private rights in any of the land sought to
be reclaimed. The first set speech against the
plan offered was by Mr. Bowman, of Massa-
chusetts. He said: Now, wish to know, (and
it seems to me very important. because IL we
are not correct In the plan we adopt the whole
city may be immensely damaged, If not abso-
lutely ruined), / desire to know this: When
the waters are extended over river bed of a
mile in width. and you contract that river he'd
to quar- ter of that width. will not the waters
rise just so much higher in the new channel?
L suppose 1t Is q self-evident mathematical
proposition or rather q hydraulic proposition
that II you have certain amount Of water and
put 1t into narrower space it must increase in
height; for example, If water of the depth of
four inches Is put in large tub and if you
pour that water into small pail, the depth
might increase to perhaps twelve inches II by
reason OF an ice gorge below the Long bridge
or by reason of floods coming down from the
upper part of the river, the water in this river
bed of q mile in width nevertheless flows I'D in
to the city; then If you contract the river bed
into narrow channel, must not the waters rise
just so much higher, and in that case will they
not back up still further into the ctyp
Residents of this city have told me that on the
occasion of several floods, although the water
did not back into the streets. as it did on that
memorable occasion which have already meu-
toned. yet it nevertheless did back through
their sewers into their cellars. and that too not
III the lowest parts of the city, such as were
inundated in the last overflow. but on the higher
lands. north of Pennsylvania avenue; not at the
top of the hill, but along up this stretch of the
hill on this side
This is a question which I think ought to be
answered. because if you make any mistake it
may be a fatal and permanent one. If YOU
should NIL up these flats, if you should narrow
the river bed. making one or two narrow chan
nes, and then if an ice gorge below the Long
bridge. should again block up the channel. and
! shouid De 1ound that the water backs up into
the city, it would be almost impossible to remedy
the mistake
I do not feel willing to accept plan of this
sort on the lpse dirH Of any engineer, know
l am not scientific; know am not an enri-
neer; L know that practical engineers under
i
NIT that if the engineers will tell us about this
matter Will show us how new channels will
carry on the water. we may by a great stretch of
our minds be able to comprehend their plan and
be able to vote for it.
Now ask whether this is not possibly a dam
gerous measure, whether it will do to narrow
TINS great river bed, which has already proved
insufficient. to two small channels which NAV
be blocked up just as thoroughly as one a mile
wide? 0
Mr. Blount Of Georgia, complained that the
bill had been hastily and crudely drawn. He
said: speaking of the District committee:
why, SIR, they had not plan at all at that
time. They had nothing whatever to submit to
TINS House. they remind US of what the news
papers say, and then they come in and demand
rotary Of War, who is empowered with author
ity under this bill to devise 'plan' for carry
ing it out
Mr.. Neal..-Will the gentleman permit me to
interrupt him for question?
Mr.. BlOunt.-Yes, sir.
Mr.. Neal.-I wish to ask the gentleman now
that he Is speaking Of the necessity for a plan.
whether III the river and harbor bills where five
or ten million are appropriated annually. there
Is single plan for carrying out any of the inn
Pa pr N tnefein provided for? Now if that
clsm Just as much as this one is? We have here
the report OF the Secretary of War upon the sub
ject- 'N '''
Mr. biount.-l submit to the gentleman from
:! tnat congress does not make appropria-
tions 10r improvements until there is a plan.
Mr. Neal:-And the gentleman, if he will look.
mas a plan this Improvement before him
Mi. Bi0unt.-l do not SO understand it. have
not a plan before me. Tie COMMITTEES expressly
dlsaVoW any plan and undertake to leave the
whole matter, as the bill Itself shows. to the Sec
Rotary of War,
MIR. Neal.-so it is with the river ard harbor
bill
Continuing, Mr.. Blount took execution 70 40
much Of the report Of the District committee IN
the subject as alluded to the sufferings from
malaria of the late President and of his ata COL
league, Mr.. Hartridge, Of Georgia He said:
Mr.. Hartrdge was colleague of mine. was
with him frequently through the whole conrse
OF his sickness, and SO were several other gem
tlemen now representing my state. aud never
nearu unth read t IN TINS report. the slightest
suggestion that that distinguished gentleman
had died from malarial fever am willing that
those gentlemen standing outside NAV ask for
legislation in decent way But in the name of
decency 90 protest that the dead and their
sunerings snail not De brought forward and per-
versely brought into this House to influence an
preparations, and in favor Of q bill that does not
even contain plan for the expenditure of the
millions of dollars asked for this District
we nave, therefore. not a single fact upon
Wnien TO oase our action. We>haye no plan to
set forth In the BILL and we have not even a
survey for any plan. The committee have re-
pndated every plan, and have RENTED the
whole matter to the Secretary of War. They try
to startle us with the dreful vengeance of the
newspapers. They give us the Experience Of
President Garfield and of Gen. Hartridge and
our own experience as to the health of this Dis
trict; and this is all upon which we are asked to
pass this great measure. / trust the House will
repudiate it.
After complaining ofthe extravaganza offormer
rulers of the District, Mr.. Blount closed Inv
saying: | trust that this House will unhesitaf.
ingly refuse to pass this bill. If anything is to
be done, let the committee on the District of
Columbia, after having considered a plan which
they deem right and proper, incorporate such a
plan IN the Dill and ask US to vote upon that.
will vote for no such wild scheme as This.
Mr.. Randall said: AS to the statements in re-
gard to the unhealthy condition of this CITY
think there is on that point wide difference Of
opinion; do not believe Washington to be an
unhealthy city at all, nor do believe the death
rate Of this city compares unfavorably with that
OF other cities But if this measure is urged as
q matter OF sanitary necessity then I remark
that, according to my observation. after MANY
years spent here, the sickness that Washington
experiences arises rather from defective sewer
age and from the deficient pator o,nrI,, +h,r