The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-03
A FIASCO.
The Bridge Bill Passes in Bad Shape
True, It Goes Through the Senate,
But How Does It Coz
Crippled BY An Amendment Re-
quiring a Wagon and Footway.
President Nettleton Says This Is Not
Acceptable to His Road.
He Asserts Positively That the Con-
ditions Are Too Onerous.
Senators Berry and Bate Unite to
Bring This About.
FSenator Harris Moves the Senate
Insist ON the Amendments.
Either the Railroad Company Must
Change It's Mind Or No Bridge.
Senators Berry and Bate Unite to
Bring This About.
ISenator Harris Moves the Senate
Insist on the Amendments.
Either the Railroad Company Must
Change It's Mind Or No Bridge.
The Local Sentiment--Copy Of the Orig
inai Biil--Fun Report OF the Discus
sion In the Senate-An Amend
ment Repeating the Old
Charter.

Special Dispatch 10 The Appeal.
WAsHiNGToN, April AFTER many days
Of weary waiting the Senate has at last
passed the bill to bridge the Mississippi
river at Memphis Several amendments
were, however, added, and the bill has
yet to 20 back 10 the House before il be-
comes law. A committee OF conference
was asked for and granted, and will expe-
dite the final disposition OF the bill.
Senator Harris called up the bill first
thing after the morning hour. The Senate
wss in committee Of the whole, and
amendments Of the commerce committee
were adopted. These provide thatthe main
channel span shall be not less than 700
feet in length, others not less than GOO
feet and hight not less than seventy-hye
feet Senator sherman proposed to in
crease this hight to 100 feet, but II was
shown that there was no bridge over the
Mississippi so high as seveniy.fye feet
above extreme high water mark, and the
senator withdrew the amendment. Mr..
Berry then offered an amendment as fol-
lows
Said bridge shall be constructed to provide for
the passage Of hallway trains, aud wagons aud We
hicles of all kinds.
Senators Harris and Bate opposed this,
saying that the Memphis Cotton and Mcr-
chants exchanges had thought II unneces-
sary.
Mr. Berry contended that the people OF
Arkansas were also interested in the bridge
bill, and that they and many Memphians
wanted the wagonway. After considerable
discussion the addition was agreed TO.
Some unimportant verbal amendments
were then made by Senator Edmunds. one
Of which caused the owners Of the bridge
20 support the cost OF an addition 10 the
bridge, instead Of, as the bill says, United
States"
Senator Coke then moved TO amend by
making the main channel span 1000 feet
IN length. lie referred 70 the minority
report, signed by Gibson, Ransom, Cor
man, Kenno and himself, in which they
recommend this change, and said II was
prcdicated on the opinion OF the Missis-
sippi river commission. lie also had the
minority report read in full.
SENATOR HARRIS SPEECH.
Senator Harris objected 10 the amend
mont, which would greatly increase the
cost Of the bridge. lie said:
''The commerce Of the country needs
and demands a railroad bridge across the
Mississippi at Memphis. OF course NJ
siding as do on the bank OF the Missis.
sippi, am about m much interested In
protecting the navigation Of the river NJ
any other senator on the floor can be; but
there II a larger commerce. very much
larger commerce, crossing the river by rail
than floats up and down II. II Is the duty
Of Congress In regulating these matters "a
protect the interests Of the river aud rail
commerce, and where there II conflict q
fair and lust compromise between them
must be worked out Under the provisions
OF the bill asst comes from the committee, nc
one conclusion Is more certain than that
the rights Of navigation will be protected
r. without the amendment Of the Senator
from Texas The bill fixes 200 feet M the
minimum length OF the channel span; bui
Il alsorequircs the Secretary Of War 10 send
three army engineers 10 tho ground to In
spect II, 20 determine where the bridge shal
be built, and determine how long and
how high the spans shall be, and 10 rcp0r
20 him exactly how high and how Ions
each span shall be, and when hs
receives the report he requires that n,
bridge be built until he approves th,
plan as 20 the length OF span and hight o
The bridge. What better guard, wha
better protection can the rights Of nayiga
ton demand than Ia already incorporated
In the bill In tho amendments that th'
committee ON commerce has reported ans
that the Senate has agreed tog
do not see any reason whatever Why th'
amendment now proposed fixing the mini
mum OF thousand feet should b
put into the bill. II the committee o
engineers report that 900 feet is ncccs
rary, that 200 feet, or that l,5O
feet II necessary, u will be the dut!
Of the Secretary Of War 10 require the plat
20 conform 10 the recommendation ans
give 10 navigation all the protection tina
navigation i entitled 10. Rights of nayi
CATION could no, be better protected b,
any possibility than they are protected b
The bin as II stands amended. The mini
mum fixed by the amendment Of the sen
ator from Texas IA not only unnecessary
but. frauRht with this great evil, II ma,
involve such cost for building the bfidg
"a 10 defeat the construction Of the bridg
10 altogether.
year, nccording 70 lnc pPVI. W w n'nv'
liy, hoaied mp and down the Mississippi
river four hundred and some odd thour
sands tons Of freight. while the single raj
rad, the Kansas CITY A Memphis, carrie
across the river NJ Memphis over VOO,OO
tons Of freight Within tho same period
Tho commcrcc crossing the river is vasii
moro important than that passing up an
down the river, bot all that ask 10 Va