Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-04-22
CONGRESSIONAL.
The River and HARDER Appropriation
Bill Taken up by the House
Yesterday.
The Motion TO strike out the Paragraph
for tho Improvement OF Galveston
Harbor Lost.
XIX Congress,
LIE RrNAIE.

On motion Of Mr. Plumb the senate
passed the bill granting right-of-way
through the military reservation at Fort
Leayenworin 20 the Leavenwortb, North
ern Southern Railroad company.
An the private pension bills on the
calendar with the exception of half a
dozen were passed 4 number Of other
bills were also passed, among them the
bin authorizing the acknowledgement
10 credit Miss Rosa Wallace, postmistress
az Washington, Ark, for 1881, being the
amount lost by robbery OF mail at or near
Hope, Ark.
After The executive session the senate
adjourned
ruE HOUSE.
WAsuNGrON, April 2l- Mi. Towns
bend Of Illinois, nom the committee on
patents, reported a bin 70 limit the jurls-
dicticn OF the United States courts In
patent cases. aud to protect persons who,
without office, are bona fide nanuf5ctur-
ets, purchasers, vendors or users al arti-
Giles Tor their exclusive use, for the sale
OF which a patent has been granted.
Placed on The house calendar.
In The morning hour the house resumed
consideration OF the bill for the relief of
Alabama food sufferers, and It was sup
ported by Mr.. Cannon Of Illinois. The
morning hour expired without action be-
ing taken on the bill, which resumes its
place ON the calender.
The house went into committee of the
whole on the river and harbor appropria-
ton bill
Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa moved to strike
out the paragraph appropriatiDg $780, 900
for the improvement OF Galveston harbor
He could see no material difference be-
tween the proposed plan Of improvement
and that which had been denounced by
the Galveston representative (0chlltree)
during the last congress.
The points Of difference between the
two plans were detailed by Stewart, Rea-
gan and Grain, who also pointed out the
great Importance Of Galveston harbor TO
the commerce OF the country.
Mr.. Grain inquired whether there was
any appropriation In the bill for the dis
trict represented by the gentleman from
Iowa.
Mr.. Hepburn replied in the negative, |
stating that there was no nayigable river |
In Iowa.
Mr. Grain regarded that fact as the |
milk In the cocoanut." II the gentle
man had share OF the pork he would |
not have made any complaint.
MT. Hepburn suggested that the gentle
mans remark seemed TO imply that no
one had right TO talk about the bill ex-
ccpt those who had some "pork In the
barrelh The motion to strike out was
lost, ~ TO 81, but II was agreed that q
vote should be taken upon it in the house
MIR. Negley OF Pennsylvania raised q
point OF order against the clause OF the
BILL which directs the secretary OF war
to negotiate for the purchase OF the works
of the Mononga hela Navigation company,
the value Of the works to be ascer-
tanned by commission OF three engineers
Oh the engineer corps. II the company
refuses to sell its works, or demands
price deemed by the secretary to be ex-
cesrlve, the secretary is directed to ac-
quire the works by condemnation, or, in
the exercise OF his discretion, to take pos
session of the works
Mr.. Negley regarded the clause as ex.
traordinary, unconstitutional and with
out precedent. 1t proposed to con.
Ter on an executive officer OF
the government power to seize private
franchises and private rights without the
process Of law.
The chair (Mr. Wellborn) declared that
the point was not well taken as the rea-
sons given in the support went entirely to
the question OF expediency OF the legisla-
ton.
Mr.. Reagan of Texas moved to strike
out the clause declaring that It was a
plain proposition to conflscate the proper
" OF the company and to ignore its char
ter rights.
Mr.. Bayne OF Pennsylvania said the Mon.
ongahela river was national highway and
In support OF that proposition he declared
that the tonnage OF that river was greater
than that OF any other river IN the coun-
try, or OF the harbor OF New York An
this tonnage would have TO pay tribute to
the corporation II this clause were striker
irom the bill, a coal landing adjacent
to the river was worth not
less than $40 100000, and the tax paid by
every acre Of that land to the private
corporation amounted to an average of
$3.50. Here was Il nuisance that ought
not to be, and could be abated. 1t
claimed 1t had made the Monougahela
river navigable IL had been a navgable ,
river before the company located there,
because the tonnage ot.the river has gone
out at nigh frcshets at the time that ,
tue tonnage OF the Ohio river went out and :
that the commerce would have gone out
II tho navigation company had never
placed lock or dam ON the river.
MIR. Kelley OF Pennsylvania thought
the proposition embodied In the bill was ,
little short Of infamous. 1t was the
to dispose of the In. ,,
tiyldual rights of the citizens OF ,
Pennsy lyania, To adopt it would !
show that the doctrines OF socialism con.
trolled congn IS, and that the rights of
individuals were no longer to be held
sacred,
Mr. Hewctt Of New York conoured
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