Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-18

A Hearing Before the Senate District Com
mfttee This Morning.

A Hearing Before the Senate District Com
mittee This Morning.
A subcommittee Of the Senate committee on
commerce. consisting OF Messrs Vest. SAWYER
and Washburn, gave a hearing this morning
on the bill to allow the Washington, Alexandria
and Mount Vernon Electric Railroad
Company to construct bridge over the
Potomac at Observatory Hill Representative
Of both sides Of the project were present and
an agreement was reached by which those ia
voring and those opposing the proposition were
to divide the hour.
Maj. Anderson explained to the committee
the original plan to cross the river at the Three
Sisters and also the substitute bill, favor
ably reported BY the House committee,
which includes the plan recommended
by the War Department for the construction Of
q bridge at Observatory Hill. He stated that
the citizens Of this city wished for the adop-
ton Of bridge bill at this point,
the only objection coming from the residents
Of Georgetown, who desired that the bridge
should be constructed by the government
and in such a way that the navigation Of the
river should not be INSTRUCTED, and this latter
objection he said the company intend to meet
The bridge, he claimed, would not in any way
be . menace to the best interests Of George
town.
Mr.. King asked whether it was not true that
the officers of this company were not also
largely interested in the Alexandria Investment
Company, but the committee interrupted with
the remark that that was something with which
they had nothing to do
Mr.. Boteler. representing certain citizens OF
Georgetown. opposed the construction of any
bridge across the mouth Of the harbor Of
Georgetown unless it was built by thesgovern-
ment and In such a way that all vessels could
pass under it. He stated that the present bill
did not compel the road to build such bridge
Mr.. Vest explained that no bill could pass the
committee which did not provide for the ap-
proya OF the plans by the Secretary of War,
and MI. Anderson interrupted to show that
this bill contained that provision
Mr.. Boteler then turned his argument TO
show that the bridge would be Q serious OBJ
struction to the harbor of Georgetown, and
stated that the result Of the bridge
would be to increase the value OF wharf prop
erty below it and decrease that above it.
He submitted bills Of !ading to show that in
Boston vessels were compelled TO pay a toll of
cents on the ton for every draw they went
through. He asked the adoption Of an amend
ment which would compel the bridge
to be built above the Aqueduct bridge,
where 1t would not interfere with navigation,
and to pass the upper gate Of Arlington. SO that
the passengers would not be Obliged to climb
the hill, as he said the present route would
compel them to do.
Mr.. f. A. Reed, president of the Alexandria
board OF trade, argued in favor of the bridge
ne stateu tnat' ne nae been engaged In ship
ping on the Potomac since 1854 and that be
never was obliged to pay any more for hav-
ing vessel towed to Georgetown than to
Alexandria. The draw in the Long bridge was
the worst that he ever knew of and was an out
rage Its draw was very narrow and placed
obllquely to the current. He claimed that
Col Haines had decided that the bridge
that they intended to construct was not
an obstruction to navigation. He also ex-
planned the peculiar conditions OF affairs on the
Charles river at Boston and why II was that
tolls we're charged there
Mr.. Boteler again argued that he thought it
was but just that the company should go above
the Aqueduct bridge, which he claimed would
increase the length of the route but little and
would remove all objections.
Mr.. Agnew Of Georgetown, largely interested
in the coal shipping, gave his experience as a
shipper and stated that at one time his COM
pany had removed their wharves to Alexan-
dria because they thought it would be cheaper
and increase their business, but the wharves
there we finally abandoned and the George
town vharves returned to because there was no
difference in the charge.
The hearing was then brought to a close on
account of the meeting of the Senate.