Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-09-12
THE CANAL IMPROVEMENT.

u,
engineer In charge of the canal improvements,
which was transmitted 10 the Council. oy the
mayor Monday evening, will be read with in
terest:
ENeINKER's OFPrCE, w. c. CANAL. Wash
inetop, Sept. I, lso6.-Hoa. Richard WdIIach.
4dyor-Sr; 1 have the honor TO report that
provemenf, authorized on the 18th Of April,
tor which S73,oO0 was appropriated, is now so
tar advanced as 10 insure a strong current OF
comparatively pure water constantly flowing
IN one direction through its entire length, and
with sufficient force to carry of all the drain
sge of the city and all foating matter that inds
its way into the canal.
All the expenditures upon the work up 10
this date, including the cost of the lock gates,
which are under contract, amount 10 S37 9,ss %
Deducting this sum from the S75,UOU appropri-
ated. leaves a balance of S37.O9l17.
The part of the improvement accomplished
consists OF excayating the part of the canal
east Of Sd street 10 level slightly below low
water; In the formation OF an extensive basin
at the west end of the canal, al nth street. and
in so clearing the bed of the eastern section of
the Chesapeake and Ohio canal to conduct
the water OF ROCK Greek through this section
into the basin.
The basin is formed by connecting the pier
at the foot Of 18th street with Monument
| Point by means of a causeway of 9OO fee: in
| length. Within this causeway are placed
tide gates that are perfectly automatic in their
| operations, yielding readily to and opening by
the first inward pressure of the rising tides:
| thus freely admitting the tide water. and
thereby filling the basin 10 the height the tides
rise; and closing readily by the first outward
pressure of the ebbing tides, thus retaining the
| water admitted, and also the water flowing
| into the basin from Rock Greek, until both can
| flow eastward and pass out at the opposite
| END OF the canal into the Las Branch. and
| there follow the receding tides. And the sur
| face OF the water at the outlet sinking as the
| tides ebo, causes declivIty OF fall TO be
| formed on the surface Of the water within the
| length OF the canal, corresponding with the
rise and fall OF the tides, by means of which
fali strong current is obtained towards this
end, even within the broad basin, and in the
widest OF the canal near its western end, which
increases in velocity and force the water
approaches the eastern and narrowest parts
SO that from Sd street to its outlet the current
At times moves at the rate of three and four
miles an hour, and as il now appears. the
force and duration of the current in this direc-
hon is sufficient to prevent the re-
turning tides entering any distance at the
eastern end of the canal, consequently the
drainage once passes out at this end cannot be
again returned by the tides, heretofore. In
view of these facts. now practically established
by nearly months trial, there seems to be no
necessity for a dam, lock, gates of any
kind at this end for any purpose whatever.
In TINS strong current, rOuInQ iR but one direc-
tion, we undoubtedly have a complete solution
OF the hitherto perplexing question, hoto to dis
pose OF the sewerage of the city. For, by this
improvement the canal can be regularly tlled,
even when il shall be excayated to the full
depth contemplated TO make il navigabe. And
as most of its water will oe changed by being
displaced by pure river water as often as the
tides occur, the quantity Of water thus flowing
through the canal will be suff cient to deodortze
and satisfactorily dispose of all the drainage of
cl having population of one million of
people. And great as must be the power called
into action IN thus keeping up a constant flow
OF so large quantity of water; yet il all comes
from the natural, quiet, ana apparently gentle
action OF the rising and falling of the tides, not
requiring even so much the toucn of a
hnger TO start and TO keep the whole system in
operation.
Seeing what has been thus accomplished in
the canal by the action OF the tides, il becomes
plain that the navigation Of both the east aud
west branches OF the Potomac may be equally
well improved by the same means: that IL is
only necessary to confne the action of the
tides and the natural flow of these streams
within proper limits, and in right directions
10 insure the formation Of channels on such
lines as commerce may require, and as deep as
may be desired. 1t is hoped that this city and
Congress will al an early day give to these
questions such attention as their i'm portance
demand.
After having thus improved the sanitary
condition OF the canal, the next step will be 10
make il naylgable. And in view of the i'm
portance of accomplishing this object earIy il
might be well, al first, 10 excavate q channel of
enly some fifty feet in width, and 10 a depth of
foer feet below the line of lowest tides which
will give a depth of water OF some eight or
nine feet at high tides; leaving the residue TO
be excayated when Its proper form and width
and that OF the basin, shall have been deter
mined by competent authority. Adopting this
course, the canal may be made nsvigable
through its entire length within four months
after the work shall be commenced, and il will
leave an abundance OF material in the bed of
the widest parts TO Till the banks of such parts
as may ultimately be contracted in width
The material to be taken up in the operation
OF forming the channel of nifty feet in width
may without be eadvantageously disposed OF on
parts OF the public grounds within convenient
distance of the canal Some thirteen thousand
yards of 1t might be used in extending the pier
at the foot Of Eth street TO the line OF the river
'front.' thus forming additional and valuable
wharf property at that place. The SUPERFICIAL
area OF such extension will amount TO $500
square feet, and Will be worth, il is supposed
al least S6O.UOJ; q sum more than sufficient TO
cover its own cost, and that of the causeway,
with its ude-ways and other appendagss
added. So far as the filling of this extension
as an item OF cost the labor OF filling il will
be- more than compensated by the convenience
of its location as place tor depositing the ne
cessary excavations ofthe canal. The only ex-
pense OF any consequence attending its forma-
ton Will be the construction OF q wall OF .aO
feet in length along its eastern side. which NAV
amount 10 some s. 600.
To excavate channel OF fifty feet width
through the widest part of the canal and
basin, and TO the full width through the
parts hav ng a width OF only fifty feet,
or less, and all TO the depth of four
feet below lowest tides, will REQUIRE
the removal Of about 1lo,51s cubic yards Of de-
posts; which at fifty cents yard Will amount
10 S59,259. This sum will, without doubt, be
sufficient TO cover all the necessary expenses
of dredging, and for removing the excaya-
tons to proper places, including the use of all
necessary implements. But 1t is thought by
many that il would be we'll 10 change the
course of the canal from point near Virginia
avenue bridge 10 the line of James Creek IL
might De we'll 10 take early measures TO ascer-
tain the feasibility and cost of such q change
For, If the course should be thus changed,
then one-fourth of the sum Of the foregoing
estimate for excayating the whole length on
the old line, say l4,sI4.75, the proportion due
TO the part east OF Virginia avenue bridge, may
be saved from that, and be applied to the new
line, in the direction Of James Creek As
suming the length of the new part OF this line
TO be 500 feet, that il will require an average
depth of excavation equal to ten feet, that il
must be walled, and have a clear width of 40
feet; then this new line will probably cost
about S95,CO0. From which sum deduct the
foregoing S1i,s1i.75 assigned to the eastern Sec
ZION OF the present canal, and add S4i fii IS for
the western section, embracing three -fourths
Of its entire length, and we have SI2i, ,629 so as
the entire cost of opening navigable channel
from the causeway at the foot OF 18th street TO
the Government ship canal at the Arsenal
That is, on the James Greek line il will
cost -Sl2i.629 so
On the old line, terminating at N
street sc9th. 59,259 90
A difference of................... $3.50 SO
II il shonld be decided to extend the 18th