The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-08-27
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
THE WASHINGTON AouEDUcT.


We transfer to our columns from the Naloaa Llges
o the following interesting description OF that portion
the Washington Aqueduot between the Great Falls and
the distributing reservoir at Powder Mill Branch mile
and half above Georgetown:
Z Tux WAsnIxogos AQuEDucr even cursory visit along
it, line will suffice TO show is fast approaching compile
ton Indeed the main trunk from its receiving gate ut
the Great Falls TO the principal receiving and purifying
reservoir Of sixty seventy at the Powder Mill
Branch may be considered as nine entls out OF hand.
But little has been done within the past year ia the way
of addition to the rprap dam with which the agueduct
at the level above the Falls, BOTH pre-
sumo, account of the season, and because 1t
judged best not to continue the dam until the result Of
the controversy between the government and the cnm
ants to the right of the water power OF the Potomac at that
spot should show whether it may not be advisable to tap
the river considerably higher up The receiving gate,
the spot where the water from the river enters the tunnel
of the aqucduct proper situated about thirty yards west
Of the lock the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal immedi
atcy in front of the old Crommelin House 1t Is guard
ed by massive masonry plain yet tasteful and fully able
10 bear the rudest shock from flood freshet In
winter, that the spirit OF the old river In his most
wrathful mood impe against it, The foundations
the rocky ribs of the earth ITSELF stretching away
to unknown depths into its bowels Along here too, to
guard the banks and locks of tho Chesapeake and Ohio
canal from assault by the river which, by of the
deepened way to the receiving mouth of the aqueduct,
may at times be violent there has been constructed at
the expense of the aqueduc fund strong stone defence
which, 1T would appear, Is 30 much advantage dn every
respect proper and right to the canal Passing from
the said receiving mouth gate the aqueduct runs un
der the canal lock above referred to- and after keeping
its course floor of adanant about twenty-five yards,
encounters its main line, which last makes nearly right
angle with the entrance passage securing the obvious
result OF putting check to the violence of rush of
waters should SUCH under any circumstances possibly
Here, where the hcady fury of the stream must
be always fully mastered has been built the gatchouse
of imperishable materials and furnished with
valves doors of easily manageable dimensions, where
by the supply of water to the aueduct be regulated
with precision Although already far done that it
could perform its proper duty If called upon this edce
is not yet complete but will be raised story higher for
the accommodation of its keeper and the whole to be
surmouned with dome. The aqucduct line which has
assumed its principal direction Of southerly and
eastery here compelled to pass through quarry of
stone deposited In vast layers and requiring ncessant
blasting This makes the procedure slow, but at the
time effects almost perfect ndesructiblity. Con-
siderable work is yet requisite in this neghborhood
til the line again meets at few hundred yards distant
piece of aqueduct that has been finished for years In
this neghborhood of the range of canal locks the aque
duct Is building wasteweir, nearly finished, for the
protection of the canal, we'll for its own conve
| nience From the finished portion of the aqueduct,
covering distance Of nine and half miles, down to the
reservoir at Powder Mill Branch the contractor il Mr.
Cady whose work is divided into eleven sections dis
trbutcd to subcontracors This whole distance, not
withsandng the extreme ruggcdness of much of it, and
the ntercepon of several tunnels through rock of
sua hardness and vaducts great many streams, s
nearly finished that six weeks said to be
sufficient to put it out of hand very fine piece OF
work, like all the other bridges of massive stone, known
bridge No. g. is well advanced and will form OF
the prominent features of this national enterprise to tho
traveller the adjacent canal But to bridges
the line will compete with that the Cabn John
"a pretty and copious seam for in point Of its span 225
feet it claims pre-eminence not only among American
but Old World structures of the kind The boness and
strength of this great work really remarkable and
will merit and command tho admiration of every behold
err, whether professional otherwise The stones OF
| is The tn
the dizzy heights of the structure by of steam
engine This bridge will be another striking object to
the wayfarer the canal, and add little to the al
ready picturesque scenery along that route. From tho
Cabin John to the great reservoir little of the aquc
duct proper remains to be DONE Several tunnels inter-
vene, but they either quite nearly completed
The great reservoir at Powder Mill branch has been clear
ed cleaned and deepened throughout all its expansive
area and the shores Of the bewitciDgy wooded isets
and promontoes that stud and environ it have been ha
and snoothed apparently quite ready for the intro
ducon Of the beautiful sheet of water that will there be
embosomed amidst lofty hills and shady woods Per-
haps threefourts of the huge dam which is to connc
this sylvan lake completed, and large number OF
men continue busly at work
/ NEEDED IxpnovEMFyr Within a few years past
such rapid advances have been made in science and
great improvements in the facilities of locomoton that
the number of travellers either for business or pleasure
has immensely increased We presume would be safe
say that larger per centage Of Americans
stanty engaged in travelling than of any other nation
| on earth. While much has been done to promote the
comfort and convenience of traveersso that journey
of several hundred miles on our well conducted railroads
is regarded positive luxury, while fathers
would have dreaded such undertaking yet other inn
provemonts remain to be made especially in reference
the connections of different roads, and the facilities OF
through travel merchant who desires to visit dis
tant city business is compelled to pass through
many places where he does not wish to STOP and to sub
NIT TO etcntons that his time and try his pa
thence. in passing from Washington to New York by
the ghtne at Philadelphia the traveller joed over
the paving stones in omnibus for about five miles,
and then has to wait hour two after his arrival be-
fore tho leave for New York. What would sug-
gest is that bnnchroad should be made for the accom-
mediation Of the constantly increasing number of through
passengers to around the large cities instead of through
1 them. This would not interfere In the least with those
who desire to stop at these cities and know of nc
necessary delays On of the railroads in New Eng
land this plan has been carried into operation and has
given universal satisfaction Travellers from Boston tc
the Kennebec river change about two three miles
before arriving at Portland and compelled tc
pass through that city at all, but go branch
which connects with the Portland aud Kennebec railroad
the other side Of that city and with travel in tn,
opposite direction. Were this system applied to on,
southern roads, are confident II would be equal,
profitable for the road, besides adding materially to Tho
comfort of the traveller