New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-29
WASHINGTON W4TER FORKS.
GENERAL BUFFERS EFFORT TO DELAY THEIR COM
PLETI0N.

GENERAL BUFFERS EFFORT TO DELAY THEIR CON-
PLETION
BALTIMORE, May % (Specidh.-Few corpora
tons or even individuals have been - actively engaged
in litigation the known as the Great Falls
Manufacturing Company Of Virginia, of which General
b. Butler present. has the honor OF being president
For more than thirty years this company has been moro
or less actively engaged in fighting the GOyernmens
and to-day chambers Of the United states Circuit
Court was occupied by distinguished array OF legal
talent hotly engaged IN warfare OF words. judges
Bond and Morris presided and the suit was to obtain an
Injunction restraining the Attorney-General, the secre-
tary OF War aud the engineers in charge from
the further prosecution OF the work TO secure
an increased wat9r supply in Washington ON the
ground that the prosecution OF the work seriously
injured the cOmplanants' property.
About 1853, the company was incorporated 70 start
large manufacturing enterprise the Virginia shore OK
the Potomac the site OF the falls where great water
power was easily obtained. Land was purchased, but
no factories were erected. The company, having gos
hold OF valuable piece OF ground evidently expected
command their own price for IT, some years ago Con-
gress passed bill authorizing new water
works to be established for furnishing
Washington with a better supply Of water. To
do this the Secretary of War authorized TO build
dam Is feet high across the Potomac at the f@s aud
to condemn by n commission all the necessary adjacent
ground OF the lands OF the company we're con.
demned their real value, and not AT tue price uesea
by the stockholders and ever since that time tue COM
many has been the Court OF Claims trying 10 get
higher award . -. -. ,,. ..
Inc present suit is brought TO put stop to the work
until the Court OF Claims gives definite decision as thc
company that the work Is finished they VIII not
be able TO obtain any higher award. Ine
couuse 1for the complanaDts were General Butter
ex secretary Robinson and D. d. Barrett while Solicitor.
General John Goode and Assistant Attorney y-Generh
John ). Blair represented the Governments LsIse
humber of the legal fraternity were present. General
Buffers address the feature OF the day ana he VA IT,
aged to worry the young Assistant Attorney GenesA
greatly Mr. Blair To prove that the engineers
could not be enoined from doing work authorize1 ny
Congress. General Butler here assefed tnae tne ens
nces had exceeded their duty in building tbs dam some
fifteen inches higher than was called for THIS wou.d
MAKE the M amenable To law and the injunction would
thus be most easily obtained. Mr. Blair said that Con-
gress IN passing the statute lad said tho dam must DO
IDS feet above tide but neglected TO mention whether
was 10 be high low tide The engineers selected
hi gh tide. but General Butler Thought that mean uGo
WAS meant and weghty hight over the word tide Vas
INDUCED General Butler also stated that the han
will render 1t impossible tor the company 70 OBTAIN w..
Biair ntinated that General Butler mover intended 70
have any mills erected.