Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-02-09

instance, only to the Virginia channel, there
leaving passage way OF one or two ndr ed
fss ,Gs n sor.on Sf ~, SsIs
The present Virginia. channel Nould . TINS
temporarily improved where - mossz1sfes-
tve, and yet large proportoa b the dScend.
ington shore, and exert its for q "a CEN tiaa
the work commenced btshe dsodkiAg nc itn6
The moment the new channel shall present The
required facilities for NAVIGATION, the opening
received in the breakwate should be finally
closed, which would be done most Iudicious.
ly- psrhaps, when navigation Il Suspended
during the intense frosts of winter. The re-
suit Of these combined operations wopld give,
instead Of tbs unsightiy and unhealth y fiats
along the Washington shore, q new and deep
ehAnasas- Of Anea2oaaAbls bsne6t - boAh IWaai..
times sussessed 70 dsSide the current. sending
one portion along the Washington and the
other along the Virginia shore. However
sirss an .improvsmrnt ihis may be ON the
prseent stTe OF the river, it must still be evil
dent that one good chan mel Is infinitely prefer
able To two inferior ones. 1t has also been
proposed to NH eat the river from the Wash
lngton shore to the Virginia channel This
proIect would require maay years to realize,
be OF immense expense. remove commercial
iaeuties to q great distance from the present
cenfers oil business and might seriously com.
promise the actuAi regime of the river below
the arsenal. tf~'0rasttrH aIl al ..4-- d.
% 2d. The health Of q large portion of the city
would be greatly benefited by the double ef-
tect Of removing the flats and improving the
sewerage. The construction OF guard. locks
at the mouth Of the TAber would perfectly pro.
tect the city from the consequences of inun.
dations which are now a source of great an aov.
ance. Ii seems strange anomaly that the
Presidential Mansion should crown a hill
terminating in pesiiiential nat, on winch
large portion OF tine sewerage Of the city is cast
to fsster in the sun and generate unwhoIe.
some miasma. It's removal has, consequently,
been come times suggested, the expense OF
which would be more than sufficien to realize
improvements
80. Ii 1t should be determined to erect per-
manent bridge at the site of the Long Bridge
the proposed plan would diminish its cost BY
nearly one half a large portion of the struc
ture may be SIMPLY causeway. II there is to
be NO permanent bridge at this location, the
the facilities afforded by a ferry In the actuai
state OF the river that privilege is denied, at
ordinary low water, TO the lightest row boat
10 pass from Washington to Georgetown by
water II Is necessary to turn the point of allu.
Wal deposit, below the arsenal, In order to as
cend the Virginia channel-a distance OF two
miles being thus drawn out to six
Atm BY the proposed modi C alton OF the dam
connecting Masons Island with the Virginia
shore, we should secure all Of It's ad vantaees
without experiencing any of its evil effects In
all ordinary stages OF the river 1t would force
the whole current around by 0eorgetow n us
keeping its channel free. In times OF danger.
Gus fire shets it would act as a safety valve by
largely increasing the water way, thus de-
pressing the level Of the river on lis passage
by the Heighboring cities, and greatly dimin.
tshing the Injurious effects Of inundations
more especially in GEORGETOWN. At the same
time tue formation OF marshes along the Vir.
gin1a shore would be prevented II would of
course, be necessary to leave permanp MT and
suitable passage for the water through any
causeway that might be constructed at the sight
OF tue Long Bridge. BY means Of the modifi-
cation here recommended the dam at the head
OF Mdson's Island would become an imn a Sc
waste weir of great stability, its s1opin9 sur
face would act as an ice- breaker while It's les
sened heigh would preserve IL from The anyrv
violence of the swollen waters Of the Potomac,
which on previous occasion effected it's de-
5th. Tue expenditures necessary 70 secure the
advan res elumera'ed above will not am cunt
- one-sIx:h part OF the value Of the land
Reclaimed, the greater portion OF which, pre-.
sumo, will belong TO the United States, as three
reservations and one street front on it, By
referring to the accompanying estimates it will
be seen that the cost OF removing q portion of
the Long Bridge causeway, replacing II tenn.
porariiy by wooden structure, depressing the
dam at Mason's Island. dredging new chan
mel. and building breakwater from the Island
amounts to slOS,3 1867. IT, in addition, we con.
struct guard lock at the mouth of the Tiber.
and reclaim 100 acres Of land by raising the
level OF the flats six feet and facing them with
a more elevated dixie. the total expenditure
Will amount TO $6O2, Az; equal TO s g. 10 cent
per superficial foot This sum could be yerv
considerably diminished by making arrange.
ments TO retain the elluvlal deposit. 1t would
require however, series Of years to realize
very material results from such a system
should more expeditions means be thought
advisable, the earth required could be pro
cured by grading the conuguou. portions OF
the city. thus securing double benefit. The
value Of this land at q reasonable estimate
tiles, cannot be LEES than fifty cents per super.
fetal foot, or, in the aggregate, 50 6i5ase,
which, az before stated, is six times the ex.
penditnre in question. For each and all OF
these reasons feel no hesitation in recom
mending prompt and EN- cient measures for the
improvement Of the river Ia the manner here
IN indicated. Knowing the possible doubts
eff cacy ofthe plan proposed, however clear
my own convictions OF It's certain success I
nave felt 1t my duty TO consult with some OF
country on the subject, and they concur in the
opinion that the plan IL safe, feasible, eligible
IN itself, and what IL also important, suscepti
bic OF rapid realization. without interfering in
any way, or at any time, with the general In.
terests Of navigation, or with the convenience
Of the travelling public. q. u 7f07'
Prom the Improvement OF the river pass
now 70 the consideration OF plan for bridging
the Potomac at the site of the Long Bridge
the one the most infiuenc ing and the most in.
nusnced BY ma vigation. The resolution of
suspension bridge. First, then, supposing the
river 10 have been modified in tine mann
above proposed, the stone arch bridge accord. /
ing to the plan have prepared and herewith
u mit, VIII common &c with an abu trnent ON |
TIE Washin gton shore, having an entrance
from both Maryland avenue and ilth street.
Will De pierced by Tour semi. circ uInr arches
OF twenty feet span, designed to afford a pas.
saee to vehicles along the rivers bank A
quay twenty feet wide will be reserved hmm
oiately In front Of the abutment Three arc hes
or 10 feet span, with their ACCOMPANYING
piers, reach draw presenting two Openings
or 20 feet each: next, nine arches attain q
eaoseway 1850 feet in length, surmountsd bv
. brick vfaduct formed Of semi .circ ular arches
OF 20 feet epan, 1ightened to the utmost ex-
tent. the side walls to be faced with stone.
r nally. three l20-feet arches span the re-
served Virginia channel, and with their abut
ment terminate the bridge. Every third arch
will rest on an abltment or abutment pier-an
Indispensable precau ton, and greatly facfi.at.
Ing the erection OF the bridge as II may be COM
pletsd in sections. The supporting piers are
fourteen and the abutment piers twenty 4 We |
feet thick at the springing fine The accom-
panyfng estimates show that an economy OF |
Bon, W0 may b realised by dispensing with
the brick yladuct across the cause way, to.
Eether with stone arches over the Vireinia
II 10 proposed in that case to make a |
solid earthen causeway, with a descending
GRADE, and span the Virginia channel by a
single suspension arch Of 400 fest chord fhe
surface OF the roadway 10 elevated forty feet |
above mean low tide, and corresponds with |
the summit OF the elevated ground on the |
Warrington eide, both in Maryland avenue |
and l4th street. A higher level than this |
would entail the necessity OF slopinK abut. |