Evening star., 1864-05-04
LOCAL NEWS.

LOCAL NEWS.
TIE CANAL Sey mour, the Government
ene'n'er of the aquedurt. In his reply 70 the
resolution OF he City Councils as King his opin.
Ion as 10 the most feasible plan for cleaniup 2
and improving the ashingion canal, sage
In my opinion there are two indis psnsa ble
elements nee. ssary to the successful work, q
| OF any plan Tor cleansing the car al tha ma "
be adopted, First. That the water should
| never be allowed 10 flow In but one direction
thIouah the canal. or any portion of il, that may
be set apart exclusively tor sewerage pur-
| poses. Second. That snfi Gle Mt body Of water
with an adequate head, shonld at all times be
at CT mmand Tor the purpose Of flushing or
| swas ming out the sewer during periods OF low
| tides in the Potomac.
From the mouth Of the canal near the foot OF
18TH street west to the bend between 9th and
9TH streets west, the canal Is straight, and Is
| about $50 feet in width. From that point to
the INTERSECTION with Sd street west. and also
it'll Iihtr cr ek, it is not wide, and there are
two changes in direction OF ninety degrees
| each, as shown on the map.
| The original bottom OF the canal through it's
| entire length is supposed to be below the level
| OF The lowest water in the Potomac river.
The rise and fall Of tides in the Potomac are
assume to be about four feet.
By wallipg in such width Of the canal, say
twenty five or thirty feet, as may be necessary
for the discharge OF the sewerage and drainage
Ct the city tributary to this portion the canal
including the waters of Tiber creek; and con-
sfructing tight dam at the upper or easterly
| end; and one or more flood. gates, opening out
wardly at the westerly end, near the entrance
into the river, we would certainly pre- vent the
consequently the flow of any water through
the sewer In an easterly direction, while
at the same time 1t would be allowed to
flow freely in the opposite direction, h.never
the interval exceeded the external pressure
upon The food. gates at the lower or westerly
end, thus complying with the first essential
requisiticn above referred to.
BY cons acting lift-lOck and dam across
the lower or westerly end OF the remaining
portion OF the canal, and inserting therein
Hood. gates opening inwardly from the Poto.
tomac water to the level OF high tide, which
Will be held there when the tide recedes, bv
means OF the self-regnlating process OF the
fiood.gates. by which they open and close in
response to the prepOndeIa ance of pressure on
either side
by this means we obtain large supply of
wafer ior hushing purposes, to which will be
added the natural flow from Tiber creek, and,
II ne necesssry. any amount that may be req uired
from the Washington AGnedpct.
tbs proposed to discharge this water into
times OF low water in the Potomac, by means
OF valve gafes inserted either in the drawer or
dlviding.wall, or bof h. and thus under head
Cf four feet to cleanse the sewer whenever cir.
cumstances may render 1t Unnecessary, thus com.
plying with the second essential requisition
al owe reteIrs to.
have no soubt that the same theory can be
successfully applied to the entire canal in a
mut more simple form, in case 1t is deemed
desirable TO preserve lis present dimensions
for commercial or other purposes.
Assuming that tie bottom is such as to allow
the wafer to flow freely at all stages through
the entire canal between the m ain aud eastern
branches of the Potomac river, as originally
designed, there should be constructed lock,
with lift equal to the rise and fall OF the tide,
at each end OF the canal, so as to allow the in.
grfss and egress OF vessels.
In or near one OF these locks should be in.
serted flood gates, opening in wardly from the
Potomac, so as TO fill the canal to the level Of
hiP h " ater; and at the other end of the canal
either flood. gates or valve-gates should be SO
a airanged in the locks as to discharge the water
from the canal into the river at low tides as
often as necessary, for the purpose Of purifl-
cation In this way the current Of the water
passing through the canal would always be in
the same direction: and, if necessary, the entire
car al could be flushed out at every low tide.
Whenever this was not necessary, it could be
high tide, which would add greatly to its
healthtulness as well rs usefulness.
referring again to the proposed plan of i'm.
proving that portion of the canal between Sd
and l4,h srreels west, which is by far the most
desirable result to be accomplished at the
pres ent time, would say that there appears to
be no objection to reducing the width in the
manrer proposed by the bill introduced in
common Council February 1, Sol, provided
the proposed reduced width will afford suffi-
cienr room for CONNIE rcial purposes, and storage
capacity for the purpose Of flushing out the
sewer when necessary. In that event, the Dor
Hon set apart for a sewer should be so located
that the southern wall Of the sewer would form
the northern boundary of the canal when re.
duced in width. The sewer should also be
arched over, and the present northern boundary
hlled In with the material excavated from the
bottom of the canal. The city would thus
reclaim width OF from seventy I've to one
hundred feet along the entire length Of this
portion OF the canal, which being located as it
is, IN the heart Of tie city, could certainly be
rented Tor an amount sufficient to make the
improvement, and also to create q sinking fund
that " ould In short time repay the principal.
The other cor siderations that should urge
forward this improvement in the shortest pos.
sihle time are too apparent to every one to re.
quire reference here. ....
The same considerations should, in my opin.
ion, apply with equal force in favor of arching
over the channel Of Fiber creek, from its lunc-
ion with the canal, at least az high mp as New
Jersey avenue, ana II this matter should be
undertaken in good faith by the city, there can
be no doubt th at the general G overnment would
Immediately arch over that portion of the
creek which runs through the public grounds
between the canal and Pennsylvania avenue.
Before any portion Of these Improvements Is
commenced, however, I would advise that
careful and comp ehensive surveys, plans, and
esttn ates be made OF the whole question of
suits Of which would depend, not only the
probable cost of the works embraced In this
particular Improvement, but the requisite d.
BE- Iua by npsoy OF me mann sna 70
sizes Of the different lateral sewers and veins
that would tntersect and be tributary to it. and
for which 1t will be necessary to provide aper.
tures and flood. gates In the nerthern wall of
the main sewer. sa
1t is very manifest that the present system Of
drainage and sewerage for the city is much too
limited in Its capacity to supply the present de.
mands upon IL and that 1t should be greatly
enlarged In view Of the fact that very soon
from twenty i've to fifty millions gallons or
Potomac water will be discharged into it daily
from the Washington aquedrct
These considerations should induce the adop.
ton OF general plan OF proper proportions 70
commence with, and the adherence TO it In any
branch or portion Of the work that may from
time to time be undertaken and completed.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
-.E5HZs1Es S. SEYMOUR, j.
Chief Engineer Washington Aqueduct.
TIE DIsTRICr IN OoNSRRss.-Thef following
ts the bill introduced by Senator Wilson yes
terday: a35 E = s...i,. - ~ y. =
AN AcT to grant one million acres Of public
land for the benefit Of public schools In the
District OF Columbia. ~
Be It e.facted, dc, That one million acres OF