The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-12-13
MR.. PLUMB'S RESOLUTION,
AFTER AMENDMENT. AGREED TO
eY UNITED STATES SENATE.


Daily Sessions srcm 10 A. N. TO q y. M
Interesting Incidenta During the Force
Bn Debase--virgfnis War Claim Die.
missed Capital News and Noses.
WASHINGTON, Dec. l2.-Ispecizl.l Tho
Democratic Senators forced the Republicans
to abandon that portion Of the PIu nb reso.
luton providing for night sessions, and
with that modification IL was permitted to
20 through. As adopted ii requires the Sen-
ate to meet at 10 A. M, and sit until 6P. n.
La that shape the Democrats felt that they
could not well afford to further oppose II, as
the regulation OF the hours OF sitting 10 .
matter probably within the Jurisdiction and
control of the majority. The Republicans
discovered that the Den.ocrats were deter
mined to talk down the resolution ~ II
stood, and they offered compromise.
INCIDENTS or Yesterdays DEBATES.
The most interesting incidents Of 'o-day's
| lebate were ne retort Of Senate: Butler 10
| a false charge made by Hoar, and the re-
| marks Of Senator W Walteali conyicting Will
,on, Of Iowa, OF deliberately garbl!ng q
.peech delivered BY the Mississippi sena-
| tor.
Dolph OF Oregon undertook 10 speak on
southern politics, and he manifested ~
much ignorance on the subject as hs shows
| ON many others. While he was nownder-
ing along n a stupid and absurd manner,
| Huar took "A seat beside pOlph, and essayed
to prompt him. lie inspired Dolph TO char-e
| hat Southern planters systematicall, In
| timidate their negro employees, defed any
| senator to deny Il. Senator'S Butler, Gibson,
| Pasco, and others in turn, entered
| Emphatic demands. lI0ar in the excitement
| If the movement prompted Dvlph IN
| 4 tone so loud that IL could be heard over
the entire Chamber. saying that senator
| Butler was on record as declaring that II
my negro ON MS plantation voted the Re
| publican ticket he would discharge him.
| senator Butler was on his feet IN AN 1u-
,tant. and he denounced that statement as
| rtfully aud mallciously false.
Iioar replied that he would not be driven
to reract anything that h. might say, aud
ne at once proceeded to retract by syng
| nat unless he was mistaken, he mad recent
| read somewhere that Senator Butter had
made sucn "A declaration. The south Caro-
Ina Senator quietly responded tLata yer
IN who made the statement, be h. senator
| ur citizen, uttered malicious FALSE hood,
and he added that his remarks applied par
ticuarly 10 Hoar. The latter wriggled
somewhat, aud mumbled that he thought he
| n ID read somewhere that Butler had made
such "A threat, but that perhaps be was mis-
taken.
| senator Walthall showed that Wilson, OF
| Iowa. In his speech yesterday for ia" Force
oil. had mutilated hls (Waithalpsl sps, ca
as IL was printed IN the Record that he had
lone this To put Walthall aud the Demo-
rats OF the Senate in ialse light. Mr..
| Walthall then read the extracts from his
.peech as quoted by Wilson, ana then read
hem as uttered and as printed, showing
| that W ilson had not only selected sentences
and detached them from their proper con-
aection, but that be had interpolated words
u rye his purpose.
Beginning tomorrow the Senate will
meet AT 10 A. NJ, and the power Of the
| Democrats to keep the debate going Will un.
iergo harder test.
NoTTowAY RIVER, VIRGINIA.
| The Secretary Of War to-day transmitted
| % Congress the reports Of Lieutenant Fie-
beger giving results OF preliminary ex'lni-
nation OF NOttoway river, Virginia, from its
mouth to Courtlsnd, aud also OF prelimi-
nary examination OF the western branch ot
Elizabeth river.
With regard 10 Nottoway river. Lieuten-
| ant Fiebeger reports that following an ex.
animation in 1873 appropriations were
made in 1880 and 1881. Operations were
suspended in 1882, and in 1881 II was re-
ported that the proposed improvement
should not be completed. He further re-
ports that 10 IL not probable that there would
be any traffic o. this river even II improved.
| and therefore does not consider IL worthy OF
Improvement. Colonel traighill. In charge
If the Southeast division, and General
Casey, chief Of engineers, concur IN tbs
| view.
Ii 1870 5000 was appropriated. and In
1891 $1,000, the lestimated cost OF the im-
proyemeni, which contemplated the re-
nDyal Of distractions without dredging a
| channel OF from seven 10 eight feet deep Tor
a distance Of fifteen miles from its mouth,
,nd above that point channel from two to
three feet deep at its lowest stage for dis
tance Of nifty miles from the rivers mouth
| rhe river was cleared OF Instructions for
| about thrty.three and a half miles, but the
work was stopped by frsshets. In lss3 the
engineers reported that owing TO the loose
manner in which logs and timber were rait-
ed the river above the Seaboard and Roam
lOXe railroad bridge was scarcely 10 any
better nayigahle condition than at the CON-
ment Of operations. The navigation was
confined TO fat-bOats, hatteaux. and rafts.
In 1881 balance remaining Of
S2l6.lG was turned into the United States
Treasury aud the work stopped. The
present condition OF the river IL
I
my improvement was undertaken. The
report states that the inhabitants whom no
met agreed tDat the proposed Improvement
y Ould not benefit transportation or in
trease commerce. but that T. would serve 10
protect farms along Ibe river from over
dow. Hence il 10 hot deemed worthy of
improvements,
wEsTERN BRANCH OF ELIZABETH RIVER.
With regard TO the western branch OF
: Elizabeth river, Lieutenant fiebeger does
J not consider that The present or prospective
{ needs Of commerce demand any imm, d ate
: improvement, and therefore he reports the
stream not worthy. The western branch ~
/, | tidal stream about nine miles long. and
: mpties into Norfolk hirDor. The dep h
I ranges from thirteen feet at the
! mouth 10 one foot nine miles up at
J / low tide The river IN crossed by iron PIE
: bridges. The country through which il
e lOws is very fertile and the bed on either
? ,ide OF the channel is planted with oysters.
!. The products OF truck ,rdpns and the oys-
; GERS are taken to Norfolk IN small
, i, ops and schooners, drawing when
. .Oaded from four e. six feet.
1 There are also three railroads ara TWO
she'll roads trayersing the county b. rder-
ing on this streaA. In addition H. The
small trading boats. schocDsrs drawing
rom -e,en TO ten feet, carry empty barrels
md lertillsers 10 the farms. There Is ~
: other commerce above the lowest bridge
| rhe Norfolk aud Carolina rai!rbad
Ihas wharf near its crossing, but
y all shipments are made from ,stl
pier at Pinner's Point, few
70 miles below where the channel has depth
e Uf over twenty .nss ieet. 10 ascertain VIA
navigation was desired letters were writer
: TO the general managers Of the rsilroscl
crossing the stream. General-Menss,r Sci
pail, OF the Norfolk and Carolina railroad
l. reported that at their wharf, ave mikes u.
e the ri,er, there is depth Of eight en feel o
water. but vessels drawing more than eigb
. or nine feet cannot get up there becaus'
j. Of bar a. the mouth and anoihe
at the draw OF the county road bridge. III
e says there are several points along tne rive
that would make valuable manufacturn. y.
q sites were the bar removed 20 vessels soul'
H. g.t up. The masters OF trucking vessel, ga,
that there Is sufficient depth IN the river
but the channel is rather narrow In sailinl
h vessels. should commerce demand II
L freight steame Of 800 10 400 tonnage q ul'