Mr. SCHENCK. Mr. Speaker, with due thanks to my friendfrom Massachusetts [Mr. ALLEY] for his courtesy in allowing me one minute of his time, I will endeavor to confine myself within that limit. This I can the easier do because I have no speech to make on either side of this question. But some gentlemen around me find it difficult to comprehend why a bill affecting the use or continuance of a bridge should give occasion to so much excited feeling and fierce discussion; and I think I can relate a little incident which may possibly furnish the explanation. Mr. Speaker, I live in the Miami valley, that loveliest and most fertile part of all Ohio. We had a great freshet there last September. I was away from home at the time making speeches for it was during the late politica canvass for the benefit of Copperheads in another part of the State. I witnessed, therefore, none of the ravages of the great flood, except as I saw some of the effects and traces of it after my return. But my neighbors described it to me, and told me of the damage to farms, crops, fences, and other property, and related to me many interesting and some amusing incidents and personal adventures connected with the general calamity. A day or 2 after my return a friend said to me: “By the way, SchENck, the old bridge over the Miami at Hamilton was carried off.” “Is that so?” I asked. “Well, beside the serious inconven ience of that loss, it must have distressed our Butler county neighbors greatly, for to my certain knowledge that venerable structure has stood for 50 years and was perhaps the old est bridge in our valley.” “You may well say that, ” remarked my friend. “There was excitement enough in the crowd that stood and looked on at the old thing as it was lifted from the piers find swung round and floated down stream. I was there and saw tears almost come into Bill Beckett's eyes.” (Mr. Beckett, by the way, Mr. Speaker, is as true, liberal, and noble a man as ever lived, and will enjoy the story.) “That is not to be wondered at, ” said I; “Beckett might well be affected. He was born nearby, has been familiar with the bridge always since his earliest boyhood, and must have had a good many pleasant associations connected with it.” “Associations the devil, ” exclaimed my matter of fact neighbor; “why, Bill was one of the biggest stockholders in the bridge company f” [Great laughter]