The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-01-22
SoTTILE BRIDGE BILL.
SENATE GRANTS PERMISSION TO
span THE COOPER RIVER.
Mayor Grace, Astoundcd by Action
OF Senate, Declares that Bill Must
be Fought I'm the House-"Thank
God" Is Only Comment Made by
Promoter SOttile-Bill was Passed
by Senate Without Hearing.
News and Courier, Jan. 10.

passed the bill authorizing Mr.. James
Sottile. of Charleston. to construct a
| bridge across the Cooper River, ac-
cording to a dispatch received last
night by The Sunday News. The bill
was reported without the previously
announced committee hearing having
been held, and went through the up
per body of Congress without any op-
position. No committee hearing has
as yet been held by the House of Rep
resentatives. the committee of that
body having submitted the matter to
the war department and no reply hav-
ing as yet been received.
| The following is the dispatch receiv-
ed from Washington last night;
| Washington, ID. c. January IS
Special: Late this afternoon the SEN
ate passed the bill introduced some
weeks ago by Senator Tillman grant
ing permission TO James Sottile and
others to construct bridge across the
Cooper River at Charleston. No hear
ing was held on the bill before the
Senate committee on commerce.
| Although the war department en-
gineers reported 1t adversely because
OF the objection of the navy depart
ment. the measure was favorably re-
ported to the Senate day before yes
terday by Senator Martin. Of Virginia,
who Is chairman of the commerce
committees subcommittee on bridges,
and today 1t went through with
out objection.
| Inquiry at the Office Of the House
committee on Interstate and foreign
commerce resulted In the information
thet the bill for the Cooper River
bridge. introduced by Representative
Legare some little time after the in
PRODUCTION of the equivalent measure
in the Senate. has not yet been acted
upon on that side.
"The House committee referred the
matter to the war department, but has
not yet received a reply, and the clerk
of the committee says that there has
been no arrangement for q hearing"
When interviewed last night at the
Charleston Hotel by a reporter for
The Sunday News, Mr.. Sottile had
heard nothing of the Senate's action
When the dispatch was read to him
he could scarcely restrain his Joy. He
was asked for q statement and merely
calculated: Thank Cod" saying that
| he desired this TO be the expression Of
his great pleasure at the news Mr.
| Sottile declined to discuss his plans
further last night and said he did
not wish to be quoted as having said
anything more than the above.
| The Act as passed by the Senate
permits James Sottile, his heirs or as
signs, to construct a bridge across
Cooper River from a point within the
City of Charleston or within a radius
OF one mile and a half north of the
Il
bridge across Shem Creek
Col. Bixby, chief Of engineers, in a
letter To- Senator Tillman printed in
The News and Courier some days ago,
stated that the navy department did
not favor the project and that there
fore the engineers office could not
grant its approval. Whether or not
this action constituted the final re-
port of the chief of engineers regard
ing the matter has not been made
clear
night OF the action Of the Senate made
the following statement:
II am just informed at 1870 o'clock
saturday night. or rather, Sunday
morning of the action of the Senate i'm
passing the bridge bill. This is moth
ing short of astounding. The telegram
shows that the chairman Of the sub
committee on bridges Is senator Mar
t.u, "f Virginia. W, have known that
certain Virginia capitalists are inter
cstcd in thu project bat after an. it
is tho pcnpIc of Charleston who will
either suffer tho ul or enjoy the bless
INK ar.siur from .t. Hence. We rcol
that there should hc rch,ariug. and,
if possible, the hul SHOULD bc recon-
mittcd for that purpu.r.
"lf This i- impossible uc must at