The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-06-01

ed by the corporation | will endeavor 10 send yun
n q DAY or two, ior publication, his report on me
public buildings. Mr.. CLusKEy's name is presented
10 The people for the Office which he fills and
can sately say, without dnpamging the claims Of
Others, that such combination Of talent is rarely 10
be met with.
REPORT.
Mr., FRANKIIN, from the committee The canal pre-.
on The subject Of lie Washington canal which was order
! ed I" be published with the journal
SURVEYORS ioPrlcR, WAanlaoros
| September % lSiS
SIR: stated in my communication 10 you of tho 2sfi,
ultimo, thai the amount necessary for the Improvement ot
the Washington city canal would not exceed the sl,n OF
sixty Thousand three hundred Gny dollars
oil that amount twenty-five thousand four hundred dolla
w"ufd he required ior cleaning ont nnd repairing liz
walls from The Eastern branch tolls western terminus
have now the honor report the result Of my obse valona
The corporation, and the plan Of improvement which
would recommend, embracing the deepening ol the chan
mel OF The Potomac, The Washington side, from The
Long Bridge 10 The Basin Seventeenth and suggestions
the improvement OF The river generally from the East
ern BranchIo Ceorgeiown matter of vital Importance
10 both ces Ion The distractions which materially affect
Georgetown in high reshets. alike injurious 10 His
Guy N many respects ande to The dam which, neon.
nexioh with the wooden structure each side OF the Pc
cmac forms collectively what is called the Long Bridge,
and which, during the reshet in October last caused the
water 10 raise In one of the principal streets and along The
whatyes of Georgetown TO alarming extent; aud in
this city overflow the banks OF the and Hood the
streets contiguous 10 IT, thereby only filling The cellars
with water and rendering many residences nnenabe,
but creating well calculated impair its high char
aeer ior health and destroy and depfecate large amount
|
Hens generally sshlhc'ent fofge the prompt removal Of
il in part but II is not theo My evil which results from
IL Ion ii has created above aud below, tlaanf great mag
nltude composed tho debris and sunee o the river
which in part bare al low water and which very
hinfiousto ia navigaton and consequently 10 the clys
commercial advantages point of location The o;
these Hats Is equal 10 the length of the dam bout two
hhs he width OF the fyer nearly two thousand feei)
tending from The east 10 The junction OF fhe Easter
Branch with the Potomac, and on the Yves, To The main
scarcely trace trom Houndngs have taken and old aud
new surveys inny possession) Of what was once ship
channel on the north side superior 10 the present south
channel II IN 1reoyer dimniehes The natural ascent Of
the mood THE oil IT, by breaking impulse along die
line of obstruction on the east, and leaseniug, from its
great length, The volume thai would pass il If produces
like effect tile with The ebb and thus creates ed
dies sluggish pools the face OF the river the
Of the HATS ahd the snage OF the rvr that would be
| held IN suspension were HE natural momentum Of The
| current moi impeded by It's constructions Ia there depos
| ted
These, TO my mind The which have produced
those Hats, and in view OF The correction Of the evils
which have alluded and the soppaee OF the growth
Mats, uor AT certain seasons Of The year The action 81
the sun, they must create atmosphere of very daltier
oua tharacero as well the projection plan Of i'm
proremem that herein recommend Tor the canal the
val OF about 400 iee OF on the north side il Indispensable
aud with the wooden structure each side, 10 be supplied
by ferry boat or other meas ntt permanent structure
could be piers not less than 100 eet apart
TO s,iian an iron snperarnctnre for TO build Of lefsdu
rabe material would be false economy, which the pre
sent dilapidaied AMI rai mass is the best evidence
The removal aud plan Of improvement here suggested
would increase the waterway sufficiently 10 admit he
whole volume from above passing H. in high esets
and with the drift wood aud floating ice, which in its pre-
sent condition the pilea and their appendages being less
than twenty FIVE feet apaD accumulate great an ex
tent aa 10 renderthe wooden portions OF this mscenceped
structure nearly formidable barrier 10 the
the dam proper In connexon with these euggeationa il
would be asay 10 change The form Of The remaining
portion o the dam ON The west side, as 10 give direction
10 the volume the flats into the channel and outlets
and also 10 construct from the south eastern part Of Ma
sons sand Of Easily spoint wing dam Of such form
and tugth defect and give direction the current
on The north side, thence TO the Long Bridge Tlia, how
ever could be accomplished by simple and less
pensye en'sby sinking the hns Of condemned vessels
placed 10 military phrase, in echelon, the length
and form required for The wngdam, and, by OF
dredging machine and river rake be worke, by steam
power lhe original channel the north side could he
made what i once was, and kept 50 al moderate eSpen
iine for The deposiIes are OF character that could he
| easily removed
nave also remark, In To The bar al the Juno
ton Of The Eastern Branch with the Potomac opposite The
arsenal that from aonnings Ihave taken there ano
ieral difference since 1887, as shown Ewing'n chart
aud only requires The use al dredging machine ioT a
aion time to restore IL 10 iia original depth, Sufficient
| have thus given, although embraced in The rcsol
lions Of the corporation, snctnct view Of what conceive
10 he necessary Tor the OF the river generally
as II Is materially connected with the canal and viii now
proceed to report scond'ion and plan Of Improvements
ern Branch, aud rom thence 10 the iron bridge Mary
few polns'hat Is on The second section, between and
streets on The eastern side, caused by the washing Of the
the brick bridge New Jersey avenue, in tile deep cl
where crosses street SOUTH and where considerable
portion ofthe wans has fallen in on both sides, and with ii
parl Of The embankment; and the section, be-
tween Virginia and Delaware avenues caused by the dis
ing in Of part Of The wall and embankmenL The walls
loo, OF this pan Of the line are in comparatively fair
several sce mens and small breaks which viii require
be thoroughly repaired considerable portion Of The EN-,
bankmeni has also washed down both siles in lie deep
cuts and IN some places over the wang into the canal
particularly each side OF the brick bridge, where the face
OF HE embankment forms nearly inclined plane from its
apex 10 the edge Of the wall And here would remark,
soner in having ditch cut the side Of The bridge,
which carries on the surface from that part of The
street, large portion of the embankncnt inevitably
lave been washed into The canal. the removal which
would have been attended VIII heavy expenditure,
From tie iron bridge 10 The termnua at Seventeenth
Ia Fourteenth street low and several points
covered high water particularly lis junction
with Fiber creek, caused by the wreched condition Of The
banks OF the creek thence to Pennsylvania avenue No
provision having been made by the government wall
ing them up III substantial and permanent manner they
have, from Tue continued action Of the current in time Of
tfeseis been torn away and deposited in The canal far
west Four.andn,hal street. aud south The iron
bridge, thus completely stopping he transit Of boats 10
the Eastern Branch. Il has also desroyes large por
lion of the walling AT this point making The damage an
item Of considerable magnitude Again; between Four.
aud aha ond sixth streets, aud between Sixth and Sev
e streets, the deppstes ane very heavy and ~ all other
through the Immediately into H. which is TO be
peced there being no provisions BY ceapools or other
along ,his secnn requires extensive repairs particularly
from Fourteenth street bridge on the south side 10 Ne Ter
exception the wlarvea At the eastern terminus and The
ninebrdges, all Of which, except the one which
avenue are OF wood and most Of them i very dilapi
dated aud lettering condition. much TINT they will
they should nobe inferior The iron Al Maryland
avenue OF The wtarees ~ the eastern ermin there is
cienr.io auFiain platform.
have thus, IN detail presented lis condition and II il |
scarcely necessary FOR add that the immediate clean
ing OF It on, and repairing Of it's walls Gully ndspen
sable 10 It's protec0u but The health Of ciiy for
even viewed IN the light of yer, located da
W. with the advantages Of tidal drainage its value ia neH
mable But there other considerations which prompt
ed and accomplished its construction, and forcbly
urge the importance OF making such improvements viii
render all lis pruiccto desedthe eft Give connecting
link between The naygable waters OF the Potomac AZ an
important point and that stupendous work the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal which is rapidly progressing To com
peton and by which this city viii he largely benehted
not only in commercial point Of view, by the coal trade
spirit Of enterprae which will innse into every class
of society and thus the patronage Of TIE government
and It's dependencies matters confederation with
Tie citizens generally. The natural advantages wheel ,a
city pOnsesses point of location, require no Fluodoh
OF mine and when add TO this harbof Miicent ir
any amount tonnage dor The water boundary oi the ct
from The Navy Yard 10 basin al seventeenth street. and
thence Easbys point requires but 70 be properly wharv
"a and The channel improved, "a already stated to make u
so IL not too much 10 cay that Il requires but the