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About Augusta evening dispatch. (Augusta, Ga.) 1857-1861 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 20, 1858)
Stugustn Glutting JVtsptrl). VOLUME 2. (fcbfning ilispatd). PUBLISHED DAIJ.Y AND WEEKLY, BY S. A. ATKINSON. DAILY, per annum $1 OO WEEKLY, •• I 50 PROCEEDINGS OF CITY COUNC IL. Regular Meeting, ) August 6th, 3 o’clock, P. M. f Present—llis Honor the Mayor, Benjamin Con ’ lev. ,• Members—Messrs. Clarke, Smith, Sledge, Dye, Keener and Rigby. The Minutes were read and confirmed. Mr. Hall appeared and took his seat. The petition of the Augusta Mechanic (2d Di vision) Independent Fire Company, praying Coun cil to give them a set of suction hose, and five hun dred feet of leading hose, was read and granted. The petition of N.pthali P. Moore, Germain T. Dortic, aud other residents of the Second Ward, calling the attention of Council to the present con dition of Reynolds street, (opposite their resi dences,) and requesting the construction of a plank way on the North side of said street, was referred to the committee upon streets and drains, with power to act. Mr. Hearing appeared and took his seat. The petition of R. C. Dimick, praying Council to relieve him from the payment of city tax upon two of his servants, living separate and apart, (claiming exemption by the last clause of the S'*th section of the General Ordinances,) was not granted. The communication of Henry J. Sibley, Samuel A. Yerdery, Daniel B. Plumb, aud R. I\ Zimmer man, a committee appointed by the Baptist Church of Augusta, and] others concuring in it, requesting the City Council “to make an ajff.ro priation to purchase the lot bounded on the South by Greene street, on the East by Cumming street, seventy feet fronting on Greene street, running half-way through to Ellis street, costing one thou sand seven hundred and fifty dollars, for the pur pose of erecting a Church for the benefit of the poor,” was referred to the committee upon ac counts to report. Mr. Blodget, from the Finance Committee, sub mitted the following report, which was received and adopted: The committee on accounts, to whom was re ferred the matter of selling the lot belonging to the city situated on Washington street, between Broad and Reynolds streets, have had the same under consideration, and respectfully report ad verse to the sale of the same. Foster Blodget, Jr., Chairman. B. F. Hall, J. I). Smith, L. D. Ford. Mr. May appeared and took his seat. The Mayor stated, that in obedieuce to instruc tions from Council, he had purchased the property on Ellis street, for the continuance of Monument street. Whereupon Mr. Dye introduced the following ordinance, which, after the third reading, massed: AN ORDINANCE To authorise the issue and negotiation of bonds of the City Council of Augusta to the amount of five thousand dollars. Sec. 1. Be it ordained by the City Council g s Au • gustily and it is ordained by authority of the same, That his Honor the Mayor be, and he is hereby authorised and required to cause to be made, un der the seal and in the name of the City Council of Augusta, ten bonds of five hundred dollars each, making the sum of five thousand dollars.! Said bonds to by styled “ Monument street bonds,” aud numbered thirty-one to forty inclusive, to be dated the sixth day of Ausffcst, eighteen hundred and fifty-eight, ana payable to James M. Dve or bearer on the first day of August, eighteen* hun dred and seventy-eight, bearing interest from the » first day of August, eighteen hundred and fifty eight, at the fate of seven per cent, per annum i payable semi-annually on the first days of FebrtP j ary and August in each year, according to war-! rants or coupons to be annexed to said bonds, which said bonds and warrants or coupons shall be ! signed by the Mayor and countersigned bv the i Clerk of Council. Sec. 2. And be it further ordained by the ay !?>s city aforesaid. That his Honor the Mayor is hereby au thorised to negociate said bonds with W. E. F. Shelton for the ourchase of his real estate situated on the South side of Ellis street in the city of Au gusta. The petition of numerous citizens of Bav and Reynolds streets, remonstrating against paving in front of their property on said streets, authorised by a resolution of the City Council, passed at their regular meeting of June 4th last, was on motion called up. A counter petition praying that the re solution be carried out, was presented. After the petitions were read : Mr. Blodget offered the following resolution, which passed: Resolved, That the resolution passed at the meet ing of Council of June 4th, 1 requiring the pav ing of the side walk on the North and South sides of Reynolds street and the South side of Bav street, between Centre and Elbert streets, be lescinded; and in lieu thereof that the owners of the property, on said streets, be required to have a good and*sub stantial gravel walk made on said streets, under the supervision of the street committee. The yeas and nays being called for, were as fol lows : Yeas—Messrs. Blodget, Clarke. Sledge Smith, May,’Keener, Rigbv, Hall—B. Navs—Mes srs. Dye, Hearing—2. Mr. Hearing introduced an ordinance authoris ing the outer railing around the market house to be laid ofl in ten feet sections, to number from one upwards, for the purpose of renting the same to persons selling produce during market hours; and •al! unrented sections to be used as now bv the first coiners free of rent. Referred to market commit tee to report. Mr. Ford appeared and took his seat. Mr. Sledge offered the following resolution, 'which was lost: dissolved, That in view of the difficulty, expense and in some cases claims for damages which would result from increasing the supply of water for the Atse of the city, front any other source beyond its limits than Turknett’s Spring, or the branch below and eastward of it, the Committee on Water Works be requested to report on the expediency •of conducting from a poiut on said branches of sufficient elevation all the water into the city which it furnishes, and is now running to waste; and <of constructing a reservoir for its reception cn the high grounds South of the Beaver Dam, near ■the American foundry, or at some other suitable •elevated point. The yeas and nays being called for, resulted as tfollows: 1 eas—Messrs. Sledge, Blodget, Smith—B. Nays— Messrs. Clarke, Dje, Bearing, Ford, Mav, Keener, Rigby, Hall—B. Mr Dve introduced the following ordinance 'which, after its third reading, passed : AN ORDINANCE 'To provide for the better protection of the streets, i suatwalks and pavements of the City Sec. 1. Me it ordained hy the City Council of An- \ rgusta, and it m hereby ordained by authority of the i ■ same, That from and after the passage of this or- < dinance, whenever the Augusta gas light compa- 1 ny or companies, individual or individuals, for the 1 transmission of pipes of any kiud, or for any oth- I er purpose, shall remove anyportion of the streets • Sidewalks, or pavements of this citv, it shall be i -the duty ot such company or companies, individ- < aL or individuals, to so re-place the earth or pave- « rnent removed iu any such streets or sidewalks and within forty-eight hours after removing the t 'Same, and to leave them in as good condition as \ the said streets or sidewalks were before the work \pas commenced. \S*c. 2. Ee it further ordained. That the Augus te'gas light company be, and they are herebv re quited, to keep covered the service cocks, "and place them as near the edge of the pavement as possible. I Sec. 3. Each company or companies, individual or individuals, guilty of violating this ordinance, i shall be fined in a sum not exceeding fifty dollars' | and for each and every day that such street, side walk or pavement shall remain unrepaired, that such company or companies, individual or indi i yiduals, shall be liable to a penaltv of not cxceed j ing twenty dollars. ■All ordinances and part of ordinances militating against this ordinance is hereby repealed. Mr. Dye introduced an ordinance for numbering the streets of this city—referred to on streets and drams to perfect the ordinance, and report thereon. The following memorial and ordinance were then read: To the Honorable the City Council of Augusta : , The memorial of the South Carolina Railroad Company respectfully shows to your honorable body, that the General Assembly of Georgia have, at. various times, granted, to the City Council of Augusta all the powers necessary for preserving the harbor of Augusta; and by the act of 23d of December, 1840, delegated to them expressly, ju risdiction over the bridges of the Savannah river, within the corporate limits of the town, to the South Carolina boundary. That by these acts the city of Augusta is understood to be invested with full power and authority to decide between the in terests of navigation and commerce carried on by land ; and that obstructions may be rightfully placed in the bed of the river. That your memorialists, trusting to the power of the city of Augusta, to grant the right of cross ing the Savannah river, by a bridge, contracted with the Council for the right of erecting such a bridge—for which privilege they paid a large sum of money. That they erected a bridge accordingly, and are now employed upon the construction of a new one, with the intention of removing the other. But the contract between your memorialists and the city has been supposed to be uncertain as to the dimensions, elevation, and supports of the bridge authorised to be built; and they have been sued tor obstructing the river, and are in danger of hav ing their bridge condemned as a nuisance, if not , justified by the contract made with the citv. Your memorialists therefore pray that your , honorable body will define the dimensions, eleva tion, and mode of construction, which thev meant . to authorise. And for the facility of your deci sion, they submit the plan of the bridge now in tended to be erected. And, without admiting , that the bridge which they have built, or that . which they propose to build, is a nuisance, thev pray that the city may assert the indispensable right of sanctioning, expressly, such a compliance with the contract as they approve of, or else adopt such measures for the relief of your memorialists as may be consistent with the high character and respect due to the city. Jso. Caldwell, Pres’t. G. A. Trenholm, H. Gourden, C. M. Furman. AN ORDINANCE To authorise ike construction of a bridge over and across the Savannah River by the South Carolina Ra ilroad O>mpan y. Whereas, The City Council of Augusta hare heretofore sold to the South Carolina Railroad Company, the right of building a bridge over the Savannah river, and they have presented a plan of the dimensions, elevations and supports of a bridge to be erected—which is tiled m the records of And, whereas, the said plan is ap prove*, and the obstruction to the navigation of ; the river, if any obstruction be thereby created,' sanctioned by virtue of the authority vested in the j City Council over the harbor of Augusta, as being ; the smallest inconvenience to the navigation of the 1 river required by the interests of the public : l Therefore , be it ordained by the City Council of Augusta, That the South Carolina Railroad Com pany be authorised and empowered to construct jand use such bridge with the sanction of the rights vested in the City Council of Augusta iu this be half. Provided, That the said company defeud a: their own expense all suit 3 that mav be brought , against them for the exercise of this privilege. I After the memorial and ordinance were read, | Mr. Blodget moved that the Chair appoint a • committee for the purpose of waiting upon the | committee from the South Carolina Railroad Com- Ipany, and inviting them to confer with Council— the motion prevailed. The Chair, in accordance with Mr. Biodget’s mo tion, appointed Messrs. Blodget and Ford that committee, who withdrew; appearing shortly, and introduced the gentlemen constituting that* com mittee. to His Honor the Mayor, and the City Council. The Hon. James L. Petigru, of South Carolina, proceeded to address the Council upon the subject under consideration. After the conclusion of his , remarks— Mr. Dearing moved that the memorial and ordi i nance be referred to a special committee of four, to.which His Honor the Mayor be added, and that . the Chair appoint that committee—the motion was , carried. ; The Chair appointed Messrs. Dearing, Blodget, Dye, and Hail, that committee, j Council elected Gustavus A. Parker a city ven due master. The City Council proceeded to elect a male aud female teacher for the Houghton Institute. The election resulted m the choice of Thomas Holley man for the male, and Sarah Thompson for the fe male department. The accounts and salaries were ordered to be paid. On motion, Council adjourned. Samuel H. Crump, Clerk Council. Called Meeting Citv Council, i August 7th, 8 o’clock, P. M. ) Present—Hon. Benj. Conlev, Mavor. Members—Messrs. Blodget, Clarke, Smith, Hail, Ford, Keener, Rigby. The reading of the Minutes were dispensed with. His Honor the Mayor stated that the Council I had assembled for action in relation to the iocatiou ; of the draw on the new railroad bridge now being : constructed by the South Carolina Railroad Com- i panv, across the Savannah river. The following ordinance was introduced— AN ORDINANCE. * To sanction the erection of a Bridge over the .Sazan- 1 mh river by this South Carolina Railroad Com- t pany: Whereas, The City Council of Augusta have heretofore to sold to the South Carolina Railroad Company the right to make, construct, and use an extension, or continuation of their railroad over and across the Savannah river; and whereas said Railroad Company have presented a plan of the dimensions, elevation and support of a bridge in tended to be erected across said river, which is filed in the office of the Clerk of said City Coun cil, therefore— Be it ordained by the City Counciof Augusta, That the South Carolina Railroad Company be, and they are hereby, authorised and empowered to exercise, use and enjoy ail the rights, power and authority by law vested m said Citv Council, to construct a bridge’on the plan so submitted; provided, that said bridge shall not be used as a toll bridge, or for any other purpose than the pas sage of locomotives and railroad cars; and, that said company shall defend at their own sole ex pense, all suits that may be brought against them for damages in consequence of erecting the same. _ Mr. Blodget offered the following amendment, viz: And, provided further, that said bridge shall I cause no greater obstruction to the navigation of! said river. The ordinance was referred back to the same i committee to report. The City Council adjourned. S. H. Crump, Clerk Council. Callbd Mbbtivg op City Council, [ July mb, 3 o'clock P. M. \ Present—Hon. Benjamin Conley, Mayor. AUGUSTA, GEORGIA. AUGUST 20,1858. Members—Messrs. Blodget, Smith, Dye, Ford, Keener, and Hall. The Chair stated that Council was convened for the purpose of purchasing the lot opposite the City Hall, in rear of William H. Maharrev’s lot, so as to extend Monument street. Mr. Blodget offered the following resolution, which passed: Resolved, That bis Honor the Mayor be author ised to purchase the lot immediatelj* in rear of Mrs. Maharrey ’s residence, now belonging to Mr. Shel ton, provided the same can be bought for five thousand dollars, and the title to said property be satisfactory to his Honor the Mayor and the Citv Attorneys ; five handled dollars of the purchase money to be paid in cash, the remainder in city bonds. The following communication wa3 read: South Carolina Railroad Company’s Office, ) .. Augusta, Ga., July lGth, ISSS. ’ f Honorable City Council of Augusta : Gentlemen: Our company having determined to construct a draw in the bridge now being con structed over the Savannah river, deem it expe dient to procure from you the definite location of said draw in and over the channel of the river, so that m.the construction of the draw we mav avoid placing any obstruction, or impediment, *in the said channel. To insure this our company* respect tully asks, that they may be furnished with the de finite lines of the survey r»f the channel at such points over which our bridge now under construc tion must passover. Our company are induced to make the above re quest from hearing it remarked that the piers now driven to receive the draw are not in the channel proper. Attention is respectfully asked to the above prayer. Respectfully*, John E. Mauley, Agent. After the communication was read, Mr. llali of fered the following resolution, which passed : R-*< -‘d, That in reply to the communication of tha South Carolina Railroad Company, this Coun cil respectfully say that they are unable to desig nate the channel of the Savannah river. On motion, Council adjourned. Sam’l 11. Crump, Clerk Council. Called Meeting City Council, | August 17, 5, o’clock, I’. M. ) Present—Hou. Benjamin Conley, Mayor. Members—Messrs. Clarke, Smith, Dve, Hearing, Ford, May. Rigbv. Keener, Hall. The reading ot the minutes was dispensed with. His Honor, the Mayor, announced that the meet ing ot the City Council was called for the purpose of receiving ‘he report of the Special Committee, I appointed by the Chair, at the regular meeting of Council on the'Jib August, inst., relative to "the construction of the new Bridge, by the South Car olina Railroad Company. To the City Council Augusta: The special committee, to whom was referred the memorial ot the South Carolina Railroad Com pany, report— That, after giving the subject the most careful consideration, beg leave to recommend the pas sage, by* the City Couucil, of the following ordi nance : AN ORDINANCE T-.‘ sanction the erectnoi of a bridge over the Sa vannah river, by the South Carolina Railroad Company: \\ H ere as, The Citv Council of Augusta have heretolore sold to the South Carolina railroad com pany, the right to make, construct, aud use, an ex tennon or continuation of their railroad, over and across the Savannah river; aud whereas, said rail-: road company have presented a plan of the dimen sions, elevation, and supports of a bridge intended to be erected across said river, which is filed in | the office of the clerk of said Citv Council; there- i fore, £t U ordained by thr City Qjuncil of Augusta J i but theSonth Carolina Railroad Compauv be, aud they are hereby authorised and empowered to exercise, use and enjoy, all the rights, power, and authority, bv iatv vested in said City Council, to construct a bridge on the plan so submitted : Pro vided, Tim! said bridge shall not be used as a toll bridge, or for any other purpose than the passage of locomotives and railroad cars; and that said compapy shall defend, at their own sole expense ad suits that may be brought against them for dam ages, inconsequence of erecting the same. The committee ask leave to append to their re port the accompanying papers, marked A and B, together with the survev of the river referred to in the report of Mr. Phillips. Respectfully submitted. B. Co.vlky, Wm. E. Dearing, -James M. Dye. A.) „ . „ Augusta, Ga., August 14th, 1355. Don. Benjamin Conley, Mayor of Augusta : •Vi/-—ln compliance with your request made on tne l'-Lh instant, I have examined the Savannah liver at and near the Augusta bridge, and the old and new bridges of the South Carolina Railroad Company, in reference to the new bridge being an obstruction to the navigation of the river ; and as the work done can be more clearly shown by draw- ings tuan described in words, I herewith submit a draught showing the relative position of the bridges mentioned, and the depth of the water at various points from the foot of Mclntosh street to tae lower end of the wharf below the Augusta bridge, also, a diagram showing the new bridge . and the Augusta bridge with their piers and the ' depth of the water at tuent iu a vertical position. In viewing these drawings, it should be borne! in mind that whenever the new bridge for the ! rai.road is completed the old railroad bridge is , to be removed. As the drawings show clearly the result of the* examination, u wtil not be necessary to trouble you aim the details. I beg leave, however, to submit a few remarks, which I trust will enable vou to! appreciate fully the value of the information ob tained. I presume it is well enough known that Augusta j is at the head of navigation fora certain ciass of boats, and tiiat at some point near it the ciass of 1 boats, must be changed to extend the navigation to ' a higher point. It is also well known that Augusta j is at the foot of a long line of rapids in the Savan nan river, and the port or harbor of Augusta, is, as it were, a basin, with alluvial banks ana bars liable to change with the fluctuations in the river, which are at times great floods, while at other times it may be forded by men with wheelbarrows. These fluc- tuations produce changes in the sides and bottom ' of the basin near the city, which are perfectly in- j dependent of the changes produced by artificial j obstructions, but they are slowly, surely and per- j aianently made, however they may escape the at- j tention of those who confine their observations to ; a particular point in which thev mav happen to be ; interested. ’ | Under ordinary circumstances it is easy to de iermine the point at which a stream ceases to be navigable, and what is to be considered obstruc tion to the navigable portion of it; but in this case t j-^ an ® es e^ore mentioned mav make at times a difference of several hundred feet, and it is well known that at uo very remote period the naviga- i tion of the river extended to near the upper! end of t.ie city, and that warehouses aud wharves ! were constructed there to facilitate the shipment! of produce from them. These warehouses and j wharves are now useless for that purpose, because the cnanges in the befl of the river has moved the neau of navigation to a place lower down ; these changes are still in progress, aud the day is not distant when the head of navigation will be below J a., the bridges and wharves for all craft navigat- • | hie the lower portion of the river. I To show you that this opinion is based upon • i sound theory, I venture to state some of the facts la * * “T® observed them : At and below the mouth jot rtawx s Gully there is a ledge of rocks, which, j in very low river, is bare and reduces the width of the river at that point to from two-thirds to one- I halt its width, when at its ordinary height. In j J low river this ledge is a dam, and in ordinary s I river it is as a jetty or break water, and in both t cases it carries the mam current of the river to \ the Carolina bank. As this ledge is near the I lower end of extensive rapids, its effect as a jetty is constant only during low and ordinary states of the river, aud in high river and floods it changes very much. The drift sand, of which the bars in the basin of Augusta are composed, is constantly passing down the rapids, by the increased trans porting power of the current in them, aud in low and ordinary river it is deposited bel.nv the ledge, because it checks "the stream and diminishes its transporting power to a considerable extent. The average slope of the rapids is abont ten feet per mile, and the slope of the bed of the river from Hawk's Gully to the bridge is about six feet per mile, and this shows how the transporting power is lost. In conformity with this theory it is found lhat a sand bar is formed in the river, ex ; tending from the ledge at Hawk's Gully to some ■ distance below the Augusta bridge; in this ex lent, it is somewhat irregular iu his height, aud i presents a waved surface; the first wave is highest ] at the ledge, and lowest opposite McKinne street •' the next wave is highest just below Marbury! street, and lowest opposite Campbell street; and 1 the third is highest at Jackson, and lowest at Washington street. Beside these there is a simi lar wave or bar opposite Mrs. Gardner’s, below the bridge. These waves were well known to the boatmen when the river was navigable to the western wharf, and the depressions between them culled “ swashes” were the channels bv which the boats.were carried to the deep water on the Caro lina side of the river. The wave or bar commenc ing near Jackson street, extended diagonally across Hie river and passed under the Augusta bridge to a j point on the Carolina side of the river below it. In | ordinary river, when these barsare fully under water j the drift sand was feebly transported in the direc tion of the current, and as the main stream was mi the Carolina side, the channel there was scoured and kept open and the deposits were made near the middle of (he river; but when the river was I low this bar changed the direction of the current. ; This is particularly observable on that part of the ; bar opposite Washington street, for as the passage of the water was checked on the Carolina side be- I low the bridge it was forced to pass over the bar | ‘he l ' 1 -', nearly at right angles. This I have known to be the course of the current from Mclntosh i street to the bridge. The current thus changed abraded the bar and carried the sand from it, as I well as that usually passing down the stream to wards the wharves on the Georgia side of the riv er, and thus within a few vears the deep water i from Jackson to Mclntosh 'street has been lost., The bar extending from near Marbury street has produced similar effects at Campbell’s and the Central wharf. And in time the same causes will | render the city wharves useless. These bars are obstructions to the navigation of' j the river, and with the water at four feet on the gunge at the bridge, the head of navigation for all but boats of very light draught may be considered as fixed for the present below the Augusta bridge. The bridges can have no effect whatever in clmng iag the bars above them, or of increasing or les sening the depth of the water at the wharves, and ; ! therefore, are not obstructions to the naviiratiou of the river. | It may be said, however, that the new bridge l piers are obstructions to the navigation of this part of the river by boats of light draught; if so, the question is simply this: ean a boat which has pass ed under the Augusta bridge approach the wharves : above it without danger? Or can a boat, loaded at tfie wharves above the bridges, pass down stream through the piers of the new bridge without danger? The drawing before referred to, shows trie location ot all the piers, and it is evidenton mere inspection of it, that any boat which can pass between the piers of the Augusta bridge can also pass between the piers of the new railroad bridge. The clear! i space between the old or Augusta bridge piers ' tor the nassage of boats, at the usual place, its fifty-three feet and tire inches, and nearly in a direct line up stream, the clear space between the piers of the new bridge is sixty I feet; therefore, so far as breadih of opening is concerned, there is no obstruction. As to the depth of water, it will be seen, that, in the passage under the Augusta bridge it is 5.1*0 and in the direct passage under the new bridge , 't *s 4:90 feet. But, taking the range of soundings as they are marked, thirty feet from the wharves, we find that a boat drawing more than 8:80 feet water cannot get to the wharf above W ashington street. Therefore, the depth of the water at the Augusta bridge and at the new bridge i is fully sufficient for the passage of anv boat which ] can get alongside the wharf above Washington, ; street. If the wharves above Washington street are considered out of the question, and it is con sidered important to receive and discharge cargoes at the wharf below, we find that the draught ofthe boat must be less than 4.50 feet, and as the depth .at the new bridge is 4.90, it is evident that boats of the draft required to enable them to lay along- I side the wharf, will have water enough to oass ; under the bride, and between the new piers. In consequence of the danger from tire, steam boats should not be allowed to pass under either ol the bridges without lowering their smoke pipes ;. and considering the trouble of performing this j operation, it appears to me that warping through, as I have frequently seen it done, would be most satisfactory. But even under steam, if the boat is : of proper draught to clear the bottom, and ordina ry care is taken, there can be no more difficulty or ! danger in passing the bridge piers than there would be iu taking a berth by steam in a crowded , sea port. With tow boats or barges, which are ■ usually passed under the Augusta bridge on poles or by warp lines, there ean be no difficulty or dan- j 1 ger that does not result from gross carelessness or : ■ ignorance. Having formerly had some experience, both on j salt water, I am satisfied from the ex amination I have made, that there is no practical difficulty or danger to be apprehended from the ; present location of the piers of the new bridge now being erected for the South Carolina Railroad Company near the Augusta bridge, and I do not ( consider them an obstruction to the navigation of ' the river. Respectfully submitted by your ob’t. | servant, William* Phillips. > C B 3 Augusta, Ga., Aug. 10, 1858 ' Having been called upon to examine the loca tion aud position of piers erected in the Savannah' river, by the South Carolina Railroad Company, between the city bridge and the South Carolina railroad bridge, and specially the piers erected as draw piers, do give it as our judgment that the posi- 1 don of said draw piers are correct in their location and give free use to the navigation of the channel ‘ to al! boats desiring to pass the railroad bridge, I as experts in the navigation of the Savannah river. regard the present location of the draw piers with out objection. Capt. H. B. Frazer, Capt. S. S. Parduk, J. B. Gpiei*, Capt. R. Johnson’, Capt. Sam’l. Cresswell, Capt. J. E. Skinner. The above papers, marked A. and 8., contain ing the report of William Phillips, Civil Engineer, I and the opinions of several Captains of steam- i j boats on the Savannah river, in relation to the I ! | channel of said river, were read and ordered to I ! be published. Accompanying the communications, j was also a map of the relative depths of the Sa-i vannah river, above and below the new bridge which was, on motion, ordered to be filed in the Clerk of Council's office. The report of the special committee was re - i ceived and adopted. The ordinance, after the! third reading, passed by the following vote: | Veas-Messrs Clarke, Smith, Dye, DearinirJ Ford, Mav, Rigby—7. Nays—Messrs. Keener, Hall—2. On motion, Council adjourned. S. H. Crump, Clerk Council, j On the sth inst., in the Hospital of San Juan de Uios, Havana, there was one hundred and eighty- i six sick, and but four deaths. On the same date i at Paula Hospital there were one hundred and four i •ick and three death*. ( e From the X. V. Journal of Commerce. The Atlantic Cable. St. Johns, N. F., Aug. 10. J The following is a copy of the address present . ed to Mr. Field to day. . To Cyrus W. Field, Esq.', General Manager J Os the Atlantic Telegraph Company : We, the Executive Council of Newfoundland, \ have great and sincere pleasure in,offering you x our congratulations on the success of the grand 1 project of the laying of the Atlantic telegraph \ cable. Intimately acquainted as we have been . with the enterprise which has distinguished vou, r from the commencement of the great work of ! telegraphic connection between the old and new . world, aud feeling that under Providence, this , triumph is mainly Tlue to your well directed and ’ j indomitable exertions, we desire to express to you ! our high appreciation of your services to the cause _ of the world’s progress, and our sympathy in ! those feelings inseparable from the present pro found result. We recognise in this achievement the creation of new bonds of commercial ana social union between the people of the two great nations thus marvelously connected; and we are gratified to remember the aid contributed towards , this most important object by the colony of New , foundland, and the privileges conferred upon the ! j company you represent. We sincerelv trust the . best expectations of the results of the enterprise . to all the interests associated with it mav be . abundantly fulfilled, and that you, sir, individual may reap from it an ample recompense for L your many labors and sacrifices, from its concep ' tion to the present hour. On behalf of the Executive Council of New foundland. (Signed,) Lawrence O’Brien, i President. To this address Mr. Field made the following reply: i To thellonorabU Executive Council of Newfoundland. President and Honorable Gentlemen: I thank * you with all my heart for the cordial manifesta ! turns of your good will. There is, however, noth ■ ing new to me in the present tone of vour feelings. • Upwards of four years ago, when I first laid be , fore the Legislature of this colony the plan of t uniting the two continents by means of the tele | graph, the communications received your ready ; countenance, aud in the charter of incorporation . then passed was unfolded the whole view* which . has now arrived at it 3 final accomplishment. The terms of that charter were liberal and encouraing, j but had your counsels been guided by a different spirit, the project would have been abandoned, and years perhaps might have passed without witnessing this happy union of the two worlds, j with the beneficent consequences it is destined to • diffuse. The exclusive privilege conferred by the colony on the New York. Newfoundland and London Telegraph Companv made her the subject of severe criticism, and it is, therefore, with satisfac tion I observe the approving terms in which you refer to them. Every enlightened country recog nises a right of property in those who organise a ’ work where science or skill or capital has been invested. This protection is necessary to draw • out the efforts of men in new works of public utility—for who would sow* if he could not reap?— . and while the individual has his reward, society . is the gainer by his labor. In the exclusive i privileges you have conferred on the com pany I represent, the principle of copyright . 1 only is involved, and I think there can now * be no doubt that your policy has conduced to , the interests of the colony. While I confidently trust that the future may be productive of much benefit to vour people from the greit work, which from the beginning to the present time has had your consistent and liberal support, I shall 100k 1 with peculiar pleasure on the advantages resulting from the proud position of this colony, in the tele-! graphic connection of the new aud old worlds, aud shall be ever ready to promote your views of advancement by all the means in my power. (Signed) Cyrus W. Field. Mr. Field this afternoon received the following , address: ij At tiie Merchants’Exchange, ) j From the Chamber of Commerce. > To C. IV. Fit Id, Esq., General Manager of the At , Untie Telegraph Company : * Sir : The Chamber of Commerce of St. Johns , have the high gratification of welcoming you on , your return to these shores after the accomplish i ment of the great undertaking in which you have been engaged for some years past. Personally known as you are, sir, to the members of the, Chamber of Commerce, they have watched with ! deep interest vour indefatig*ab!e perseverance in carrying out the vast scheme of the trans-Atlantic Telegraph Company, and while they sympathised with you in the disappointment you must have ex perienced at the failure of 1857, they felt assured that jrour well kuown energy,combined with the sci entific skill of those gentlemen who w*er-‘associated with you, would have eventually succeeded if suc cess were practicable. Devoting, sir, as you have | done, your fortune and talents to this great enter prise, the Chamber of Commerce rejoice that you nave seen the fulfilment ofyour most ardent wishes, * and they beg to express their fervent hope that i you may be spared many years to enjoy the fruit of your intense labor, and that you may receive ou your return to your native iana such a welcome■ from your countrymen and friends as may in some; ! measure compensate you for the days and nights j of anxious care that you have passed. (Signed) Walter Grieve, President. 1 Mr. Field, to this address, replied as follows : Mr. Presilient and Members of the Chamber of Commerce — Gentlemen : The address vou have presented is ! deeply gratifying to my feelings on this occasion.! I will uot affect to conceal from you that the sue- j cessful result of the laying of the Atlantic tele-1 graph cable fills me with great joy. While I trust I feel humbly thankful to the Giver of all Good | for having permitted me to be an instrument in 1 aiding the accomplishment of a work that is des tined to promote the happiness and welfare of the human family, I have certainly made some sacrifices, and have had to contend with diffi culties of no small magnitude. But when I find my friends coming forward as you have . done, to congratulate me in the hour of my ; success, I am more than repaid for any toil's ] I may have borne in the furtherance of this great work ; but it would not only be ungenerous, but ; unjust, that I should for a moment forget the ser- i vices of those who were my colaborers in this en- i terprise, and without whom any labor of mine i would have been unavailing. It would be difficult to enumerate the many gentlemen whose scientific acquirements and skill and energy have been de voted to the advancement of the work, and who have so nobly produced the issue which has called | forth the expression of your good wishes in mv behalf. But I could not do justice to my own feel ings if I failed to acknowledge how much is owing to Captain Hudson and the officers ofthe Niagara, whose hearts were in the work, and whose toii was unceasing; to Captain Dayman, of Her Ma jesty’s ship Gorgon, for the soundings so accurate ly made by him, and for the able manner in whfch he led the great circle arc while laving the cable; to Captain Otter, of the Porcupine, for the survey made by him in Trinity Bay, and for the able man ner in which he piloted the Niagara into Trinity Bay at night, to her anchorage; to Mr. Everett, i who has for months devoted his whole time i to designing and perfecting the beautiful ma chinery that has so successfully payed out the Viliuat J lUUh 111*0 OV OUCVC.IOI til IJ vw - J cable the ships—machinery so perfect in every respect that it was not for one moment stopped on board the Niagara until she reach ed her destination iu Trinity Bay; to Mr. Wood-i house, who superintended the coiling of the cable, and so zealously and ably co-operated with his brother engineers during the process of pay ing out; to the electricians, for their constant watchfulness; to the men for their almost cease less labors; and I feel confident that you will have a good report from the commander, engineers, electricians, and others on board the Agamemnon and Valorous, the Irish portion of the fleet, to the directors of the Atlantic Telegraph Company, for NUMBER 501. the time they have devoted to the undertaking without receiving any compensation for their ser vices : and it must be a pleasure to many to know that the director who has devoted more time than others, was for many years a resident of this place and well known to all of you—l mean Mr. Brooking, of London; to Mr. C. M. Lampson, a native of New England, but who has for the iast I, twentv-five years resided in London, who appre l/ ? iat , S. reat impoatauce of this enterprise to 1 both countries, bv giving it his most valuable ser b vices and briugingnis sound judgment and great a business talents to the service of the Company; to that distinguished American, Mr. George Pea t body, and his partner, Mr. Morgan, who not only v assisted it most liberally with their means, but to s whom I could always go with confidence for ad i vice. I shall rejoice to find that the commercial i interests of this colony, which you represent, may ? be largely benefited by the close bonds that will 1 now be d’rawn bv the agency of the Atlantic tele - graph between them and the varied relations they t hold through the world; and I wish you all every i prosperity and happiness—l am/vour’verv grateful t friend, (Signed) _ Cyrus *W. Field. . From the Charleston News , August 13. ’ The Ocean Telegraph. There is scarcely any limit to conjecture as to the commercial and political effect of bringing Eu rope and the United States in that intimacy which , is promised by the ocean telegraph. When steam established its triumph on land by overcoming . spaces that widely separated nations and cotnmu uities, there were few who denied that it was an advauce in commerce and civilization, exsept such . its were the slaves of routine. The same general fact must be attended with similar consequences when distance is subdued, of any kind, by the in genuity of man. The great economical result of 1 bringing the producer and consumer in almost im mediate contact follows the extension of the wires ; whether on land or water. Every step that has been made by the agency of steam and electricity has met with sinister pre diction. It is the same unreasoning apprehension • that looked to the depression of the working classes ’ from the application of machinery. The dis r placement or labor was thought to augur results ( that would give too great predominance to capi : tal—its profits increasing as wages lessened. Time 1 showed that the sphere for industry was widened ‘ | even in the employments which appeared to be ; temporarily overstocked by competitors for work. When the rail car was about to supersede the wagon the cheapening of transportation was the thought to offer no equivalent for the slow coach and the lumbering vehicle. The same doleful anticipations met us when the steamship supplant ed the sailing vessel in crossing the Atlantic. There is one apprehension wliich we think rr ay be dismissed. It is feared that both ends of the . line being on British territory, in case of hostili ties with Great Britain, we shall be placed relative ly at a great disadvantage; but the character of j our era forbids any idea of advantage from exclu sive possession of the channels of information. ■ The world will soon be encircled by a chain of | electricity. No nation can monopolise knowledge any more than riches on the general avenues of ; communication. Several lines between various ’ points will be formed across the Atlantic before ’ any State, however powerful, can prosecute to a ‘, successful termination a warlike purpose. There ■ are many more sections of table land beneath the ; ocean than that which has been selected for the first cable that has been laid between Europe and | America, which, if less direct, will be found suffi ciently profitable to engage the attention of capi talists. Besides, it is a narrow view which over looks the reciprocal interests of States bound to intercourse, commercial, social and literary, in the poor endeavor to monopolise the advantages of such a mode of communication in the nineteenth ' century. Another Telegraph Project. The success of the Atlantic cable will encourage the establishment of other lines, with more or less 1 submarine wires, to other portions of the globe* ; Among these is the proposed route from Key West (Fla.) to Havana: thence to Yucatan across to Tehuantepec, and down to Panama, and ultimately to San Francisco. In 1356, Horace B. Tebbets, Esq., of this city, ; well known from his pioneer efforts in the build ; | tag of the Newfoundland telegraph, visited Flor i j Ida to obtain from the legislature of that State . j the charter of a company to establish a tele »! graphic connection between Key West and Ha ■ vana. He did not succeed in getting through a special act for the purpose, hut achieved the passage of a general law, broad and liberal enough to encourage him in his efforts. Mr. Tebbets then went to Havana, and enlisted the co-opera tion of Messrs. Torresas and Sanaa, and another gentleman, all large and enterprising capitalists, through whom application was made to the Gov ernor-General of Cuba for the necessary grant— covering a period of twenty-five years. The Governor-General approved the project in April, 1857, and the papers were then sent to Madrid to receive the royal ratification. This would un doubtedly have been given long ago, but for the fact that the Spanish Government preferred to wait for the successful completion of the Atlantic telegraph line, which was then a matter of serious doubt. The main advantage to be derived by . Spain from the Cuban telegraph, was considered ] to depend on the triumph of the great ocean en terprise, as Madrid will then be brought in com plete telegraphic communication with Havana. It is supposed that the royal assent will be given im mediately after the Atlantic line has been put in j to practical operation, and that Mr. Torresas, who has been at Madrid for some time past to forward | the interests of the “Cuban Telegraph Company/* i "’*ll return to Havana with the ratified documents I some time in September next, when the company will be formed and go to work. The distance from Key West to Havana is only seventy miles, and the cost of laying the cable, it is said, will be about five hundred dollars a mile. The cable will be of the “three threaded” pat tern—that is, with the insulated conductors. The maguetic telegraph company have agreed to build a branch from Savannah, &a., to Key West, so that at no distant day New York can be put in telegraphic connection with Havana. The advan tages of such a line to shippers and traders in New York and elsewhere are too obvious to need pointing out. The same company proposes to run wires from Havana to Cape Antonio, the extreme westerly point of Cuba; thence across the channel to Yu catan, a distance of about forty miles, where it will connect with a line already built to the City of Mexico. They also propose to extend the wires from Yucatan to Tehuantepec on the Pacific, about four hundred miles, and South from Tehuantepec to Panama, about eleven hundred miles, passing through Nicaragua—thus affording telegraphic ' communications with the United States and Cuba • for the steamboat and railroad companies at ; Panama, the steamboat company at Nicaragua, and to all ships that may choose to send messages from those points. Lastly, this company propose to construct a line from Tehuantepec to Santiago, where there is al ready a line to San Francisco, three hundred miles North. The distance from Tehuantepec to Santia go is not far from two thousand miles. The line will pass through a country pretty well settled. We will not undertake to say how soon, if eTer, all this will be accomplished, but it is all within the purview of the company. Dew York Journal of Commerce. Key West Items. Health.—We have no change to report in the state of health of our city—it continues to be most j excellent. j Death of a Spanish Consul.— We are called upon to record the sudden and melancholy death of J. M. de Salas, Spanish Counsel for the port of Key West. He was drowned on the 27th inst between the hours of twelve and two P. M., while bathing; and his remains were conveyed to the Cemetary on Wednesday morning at ten o’clock, attended by a large concourse of citizens »ad many Spanish’residents of the Island. Key ofihs Gulf, 31st vis.