National Republican., 1883-08-27
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
To ne Editor.

In the history Of this country but few great
schemes involving public interest and official
honor have met the conditions necessary for
a successful development without strong op-
position, and the exceptional cases are those
which, screened from observation by political
or moneyed influence, are suddenly launched
upon an unsuspecting public legally fitted out
and equipped.
The present Aqueduct bridge Is one of the
most startling illustrations Of this principle
| on record, and for clearer comprehension of
the vivid satire upon truth and justice re-
| vealed in its origin we must revert to period
| of time when tho Alexandria Canal company
was compelled to solicit the aid of congress to
finish the erection of its bridge and stono
| piers.
June 1, 1882, discovered to the treasurer of
| this company that unless a large sum of
money was Immediately forthcoming serious
consequences alike detrimental to the under
taking and its promoters would inevitably
ensue, 80 o committee was appointed to inter
| view certain prominent members of the
twenty-second congress for the purpose of
securing an appropriation to meet the i'm
pending danger.
Many members in both houses favoring in
ternal commerce, and desirous of aiding an
enterprise apparently beneficial to the ma
tional capital, exerted their influence in the
passage Of bill loaning to the canal COM
pany one hundred Thousand dollars. This
bill passed June %, 1882, and March %, 1897
three hundred thousand dollars more were
added, making two-thirds the entire cost of
piers and BRIDGE for which the company
agreed to place at the governments disposal,
four hundred shares of its stock, of ono
thousand dollars per share, whenever de-
mand for the same should be made after the
completion of the canal, but, by singular
accident, this demand was never made, and
the stock remained uncalled for until after
shrewd minds had used it in the furtherance
of private schemes against the people, and
accident only had revealed its true owner
ship.
The Mexican war occurring soon after the
canal was finished seems to have obliterated
| all remembrance or tangible proof of this
debt until in 1881 a clerk, while examining
some old accounts on file in the Treasury
| department, unearthed the long hidden
secret, and careful investigation revealed the
fact that the government had not only heen
defrauded of its stock, but that each share,
| representing vote in the operations of the
canal company, had been used to force upon
the company and the people a lease of valu-
able privileges, from which neither has since
received an adequate return, and which has
ultimately proved burdensome and destruct-
i've to the interests of both.
| The close of the rebellion found tho canal
company broken, impoverished, and in pos
session of bridge which Il. p. Jackson in his
y
| neither wind nor water" so it became neces
sary to rebuild, either by enlisting public aid
and sympathy with the enterprise or by leas-
ing the bridge piers to private copartner-
ship which appeared very anxious to obtain
this lease, but upon conditions unfavOrable to
the company. At q company meeting held
in Alexandria about this time the latter
method, when introduced, provoked instant
objection among large majority of members,
but all objection was overcome by the mayor
Of Alexandria. Assuming to represent four
hundred shares of stock, owned by private
parties he voted the majority down, and
gave to the Aqueduct Bridge company
ninety years lease.
Here an act, wrought by cunning intrigue
and pretending to be the vote of a company
capable of knowing its best interests was car
ricd into congress and ratified by giving
charter to the lessees " to erect and maintain
toll bridge across the Potomac river at
Georgetown" Soon after this charter was
granted the people petitioned congress to re-
duce the excessive late of toll, but they
were defeated by Senator Lewis, of Vir-
ginia, at the instigation of the Bridge COM
pany, and no further efforts being made the
immoderate system of taxation went into
effect.
February 90, 1881, o new bridge appropria-
tion was made by congress- but the amount
(Sl40,000) was found to be insufficient for the
proposed erection, aud yet quite enough TO
legally purchase the present decayed pile for
quadruple its value.
April 4, 1889, the president in message to
congress recommended an additional appro-
priation of $S0,000 but bill for this pur-
pose was laid over and the people again de-
feated through influences as dark as they
were unfathomable.
Thus during fifteen years the travelling
public Of Washington and the adjacent coun-
ties have been subjected to unfair legislation
the'wiles of an INSCRIPTIONS foe, and an out
rageous tax and finally having paid over one
aud one-half times tho cost of the wretched
structure they cross, arc now compelled to
imperil their lives daily and hourly because
for the gain of few dollars in canal boat
fares the enterprises owners turn in upon
their rotten bridge 1000 tons of water.
Yet this is the present condition of affairs
A boasted public zeal leaves to Father
Time" the duty OF performing the patriotic
philanthropist, even though it be at the price
Of human lives.
The plan to obtain judicial condemnation
of the bridge on the grounds of fraudulent
lease and its unsafe condition. although rec
ommended by leading lawyer and many
prominent citizens, is deemed on the whole
ohimerical. Why? Because that want of
individual effort which has characterized
every past attempt again interferes, and
though success be assured, yet will no man
actively engage in battle which would not
only free the people from an onerous and dis
graceful burden, but gain for himself an en-
viable name. LOUIS Z. PHILLIPS,
AUGUST "a 1888.
LEw1svILLE, IND,-Rey. j, s. Cain says: