The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1866-06-08
L o CAL AFFAIRS.

The CANAL IMPRoyENESr-It will be re.
membsred that In November last Mr.. BENJAMIN
Seveson submitted to the Board Of Common Coun-
oil, through WIN. W. Moore, ESQ, member from
the Fourth ward, a pIAn for the cleaning and i'm.
prOvement Of the Washington city canal. subse.
qusntiy, board Of engineers were appointed by
authority Of resolution Of Congress, and after
making survey Of the canal they made report,
which In many points correspondsd to that Of Mr..
scveron. The plan Of the board was adopted, and
the work commenced. Mr.. sevsrson, who was ap.
pointed engineer in charge, has made tho following
report to Mayor Wallach:
EsoiSRER's oPYIoE OF wAsHiSoros AquEDucr,
Hon! Richard Waliaca, Mayor Of he oav u Wan.
fn0ton!
srR; I am happy in being able to report that the
excavations Of that part Of the Washington city
canal east Of Third street Is finished TO the depth
contemplated for the present, except the slight OBJ
struction formed by the railroad bridge at Mary
land avenue, which the railroad company will soon
remove and that the tide now flows regularly
through this part Of the canhl to the depthof from
three to hve-and a-half feet, carrying Oh not only
the great quantity Of filth flowing from the Capitol
sewers, which has been source OF the greatest IN.
noyanoe to this section, but all othor matter dis.
charged into the canal that will float Is also freely
carried of, and tho purifying effect Of so large
quantity Of fresh water flowing through with every
tide Is sensiby and agreeably felt.
The oauseway at Seventeenth street IL expected
to DO SO far advanced as to enable us to put the
tids-gatss In operation by the end Of this month
certain, aud possibly by the 25th Of this month,
when We will have daily fow Of some eight or ten
nilors cubic feet Of comparatively pure water
constantly moving in one direction through the en-
tire length Of the canal.
The excavations on that part OF the Chesapeake
and Ohio canal, near Rock creek, will DO finished
In fifteen days from this time, which will furnish
the city canal with an additional volume of clear
water Of two feet deep and about forty feet width
Thus far there has not been the least unusual ILL.,
ness among the laborers employed this work;
nor have been able TO learn that there has been
q single case Of illness along the canal resulting
from the excavations; though great care has been
taken to carry out your directions and the advice Of
the Board Of Health in the application Of disin-
fectants.
And now, as all the excavations at FIRST contem-
plated being made on the Washington Canal before
next winter, from which the least danger was ap.
pretended, arc finished and as no evil has resulted
from IL, but much good, by purifying the air and
In making the canal partially nAvigable during
high tide, 1 would most respectfully suggest the
propriey Of submitting to the Board of Health the
question whether We may not, with entire safety,
enlarge the ow Of water and still further improve
the navigation by removing some Of the most prom
nent sand bars from that part Of the canal between
Third and Eighth streets. The sand Of which these
bars arc mainly composed Is not very foul, and II
can be conveyed In scows direct to the causeway at
the foot Of Seventeenth street. and there deposited
under water whore II will be quite harmless, and
that work, and such as may be len elsewhere can
bethoroughly disinfected.
VERY respectfully, D. SEvERsoS,
Engineer In charge Of the canal improvement.