The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-21
THE FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS
The Senate Passes The Bill Authorizing
the Staten Island Railway Bridge.
The House Discusses and Rejects the Senate
Foreign Nail Service Amendment to the
Postoffice Appropriation Bill.


THE SENATE.
Passage of the Bill Authorizing Construction
of Bridge Over the Arthur Kill
WASHINGTON, May 20-Mr. Henderson re-
ported favorably from the committee on mil
hary affairs a bill to authorize the Cheyenne &
Northern Railway Company to build its road
Ecross the Fort Russell and Fort Laramie mill
tary reservation. On motion Of Mr.. Henderson
the bill was taken up
On motion of Mr. Edmunds it was so amended
rs to provide that if the rights SO conferred be
aot exercised and the road not built within three
years. the privilege granted by the bill shall
cease and terminate The bill was then passed
On motion of Mr.. Jones. Of Arkansas, the SEN
ate passed a bill detaching the counties of How
ard, Little River and Sewer from the Western
and adding them to the Eastern judicial district
Of Arkansas, the change not to affect suits al
ready entered
On motion of Mr. Walthal similar bill was
passed detaching the county of Atilla from the
Western and attaching it to the Eastern division
Of the Northern Judicial district of Mississippi.
The Staten Island bridge bill was then laid be
fore the Senate, and Mr.. Mcpherson resumed
bis speech against the bill as reported and in
support of his amendment providing for tun-
mel instead of bridge
Mr. Frye favored the bridge bill and said that, of
course any bridge at the point indicated would
somewhat interfere with the water route, but the
great advantage to the commerce of the whole
country especially Of the West, by the building
of the bridge would more than amply compen-
safe for the loss TO commerce on the water route
Sailing vessels, he sad rarely used the stream
which it was proposed to bridge.
Mr. Vest said the river men of the country
seemed not to appreciate the great change that
had taken place In the transportation business
of the country. The struggle in the present
case, was intensified by struggle between the
Pennsylvania and the Baltimore & Ohio rail-
road companies The Pennsylvania Company
was anxious to keep the Baltimore g. Ohio out
of New York city, 1t was the old story.
Mr. Mcpherson remarked that if other com
pAnies in the future wanted the same privilege
this would be taken to be a precedent.
Mr. Vest said that was an argument against
building any bridges at ALL Would Dir. Nc
Pherson have no bridges built at all? The
opposed the bridge at ST. Louis, and prophesied
the destruction of the commerce of that river;
even the engineers association had held con-
vention, and declared that the St Louis bridge
would be failure as engineering work. but
1t was still standing, and would stand apparent
ly, as long as the banks of the river Was no
bridge to be built because the Pennsylvania rail
road, and even the State of New Jersey, op-
posed it2 The commerce of the whole country
had to be considered
Mr. Frye read a communication just received
by him from Mr. King, second vice president of
the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company, say
Ing that the question of a tunnel had been care
fully considered by the company; that the ex-
animation showed that tunnel was impracti-
Fable, as it would cost So DOC, 000 would require
the sub grade to be sixty three feet below low
tide, which would involve approach 4, 800 feet
long on the Jersey Shore and seven thousand
feet long on the Staten Island shore, and would
involve a crossing at grade with the Peunsyl-
vania railroad at or near Elizabeth n j. The
tunnel and its approaches. Mr. King added,
would be four and eicht-tenths miles long.
At 2 o'clock the bankruptcy bill was placed
before the Senate and temporarily laid aside to
permit the continued consideration of the bridge
biIk
Mr. Dolph spoke In support of the bridge.
Every bushel of grain from the West was
enormously taxed for terminal charges, ferriage,
lighteraee. ETC., at New York. That tax was u
burden to the whole country. 1t was not. there
FORE case of the Pennsylvania and the Balti
more g. Ohio railroads alone. 1t was a case Of
New Jersey against the entire Union, or rather.
New Jersey against the world, for a tax or toll
on wheat affected the commerce of the world.
1t was especially injurious to the commerce of
the great West
Mr. Sewe and Mr. Edmunds opposed the
bill. The latter said he hoped and believed
some of US would live to see the establishment
of an internal waterway that would extend all
the way TO New Orleans, and he believed this
little stream-the Arthur Kil-was the key to
such a waterway.
Mr.. German and Mr.. Miller supported the
measure.
An amendment offered by Mr.. Vest was
agreed to, authorizing the Secretary of War, if
he should deem any alteration of the bridge
necessary or the entire removal of the bridge
necessary, to avoid obstruction to commerce, to
order its alteration or removal at the expense of
the owners, and il the bridge be not finished
within two years, the right to build shall cease
and determine.
Mr.. McPherson's amendment for tunnel
instead of bridge) was rejected-yeas 5. nays
10 The Senators voting in the Affirmative were
Messrs. Bowen, Hampton, Mcpherson, Plumb
and Sewell.
Mr.. Voorhees,, as a Western man, could not
vote 20 shut out railroad competition from the
West to the ocean. He thought the attempt of
q railroad company to get to New York city a
move which could only result in advantage to
the West and East alike.
After further debate and the voting down of
some amendments, the bill was passed. by a
viva voce vote: as reported from the committee
with the sole addition of Mr.. Vests amendment.
The roll call on one of the amendments dis
closed the fact that no quorum voted, but as
there was clearly quorum in the chamber (ssv-
era Senators who were paired having refrained
from voting) the call for the yeas and nays was,
by unanimous consent, Withdrawn.
The bankruptcy bill was then laid before the
Senate, and the Senate adjourned.