The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-08-18

TIE WASHINGTON CAHAL.-The Commit
tee on Canals of the Boafd Of Common
Council held another meeting last night In
the Council chamber. fresent-Dr. Boyd,
chairman; Mr.. Holmes, secretary, and Mr..
Piper, Of the committee.
Among the spectators were DIT. ). q HAIL
Mr.. 8. R. scibert, Mr.. J. J. Peabody, Mr..
W. W. Dcmaine, and others.
The minutes Of the last meeting OF inc
committee were read; amer which Or. Boyd
announced that he had received during the
week a communication from Mr. seibcrt,
and a. the gentleman was present ne would
request him to read the same before the
NJ, selbert then read the following plan.
The Improvement OF the canal is one,
think. which should occupy the attention Of
ali The permanent residents Of this city, and
I am glad to know that the subject has been
referred TO q committee Of the honorable
Boards Of Councils, who have invited opin-
Ions upon The subject before them.
From . report printed In the NATIONAL
REPUBLICAN Of April 2s, 1859, of paper
mon Council, find stated In the first para
graph that the canal Is the only means OF
conducting the accumulations OF the various
sewers from every direction 10 the river,
commencing near tho Eastern branch and
running TO Rock creek. The conclusions
which I arrived at from my examinations Of
the canal differ from those OF the writer OF
the report above referred to that will
briefly submit for your consideration few
Of the important points. Tho canal from
Rock creek 10 Seventeenth street has been
| for some years entirely useless from the fact
| that II has been from the time Of Its con-
structiou, as at present nothing more than
receptacle for the washings OF Rock creek,
and every rise Of the water In said stream
adds to the quantity OF sand there deposited.
The subject Of sewerage and tue canal l
consider inseparablc, and as tho sewerage OF
the First and part OF the Second wards has
and still undecided, must ask your indul-
gencc TO dwell at this point upon that sub.
Ject. A bill recently passed for a sewer
on Twentieth street says II shall empty
into tho canal at the intersection OF said
street, and the canal. I consider II a mistake
TO have constructed the sewers Into the
canal which are at present there, but ns that
Is gigantic evil to remedy at present, q rep
clifton Of the same as proposed by the TWEEN
tieth street sewer should be entered into.
| The l. street sewer, as at present partly con-
structed and running Into Rock creek, will
be tho receptacle for water and deposits
north from said sewer, but the drainage
south from street should be carried through
sewers down each Of the streets between
Seventeenth and Twenty-third into the river.
It has been proposed to run additional sewers
into Rock creek. With the canal as at pres.
cnt, this would only increase the filth In tho
canal between Rock creek and Seventeenth
street. To remedy the difiiculty Of running
sewers into the river with the canal as al
present, my proposition Is TO elevate II so III
to build the sewers under the canal into the
river. To carry out that project there should
be connection made with the Chesapeake
and Ohio canal on the west side Of Rock
Creek, at an elevation corresponding with
the level OF water at the top OF outlet
lock Of said canal into Rock creek, and
at short distance south OF said outlet
lock construct an aqueduct across the
creek, supported by segment water pipes,
through which the much-necded additional
supply Of water from the Washington
conduit can be brought to the city, one pip
of which should be carried by way of Vir
ginia avenue under the elevated canal, nea
Seventeenth street and across the Monumen
' lot, In O direct line to the corner Of -Four
! teenth street west and B street h, an,
: from thence distributed where desired on tn
Island. The connection Of the canal a
Rock creek should be entirely broken an,
= the elevated canal constructed from til
aqucduct to coBncct with the present canal O
|
I, ent canal to Seventeenth street by elevatin
Its banks, and at q short distance west Q
Seventeenth street, direct Ii into the rive
! with an outlet lock. The present lock a
Seventeenth street must, OF course, be re
moved short distance west and built at al
elevation equal TO the canal, as no part o
said elevation should extend beyond the ives
: side Of Seventeenth street. From q pon
! on the river bank Immediately south OF. tn
! observatory 70 the mouth ofthe elevated cana
or where It should enter the river In the d
y rection ofthe Washington Monument, a larg
= area now covered with the accumulation
Z, from the river and as great a nuisance as Ii
y canal, would furnish good sites for wharve
= and would add largely to the city reyenu
i and at the same time furnish the much d,
sired additional facilities to tho transports
= ton companies which arc daily to be sec
, awaiting an opportunity TO have their ca
goes removed by the inadequate arrang
!, ments at Georgetown. The completion
Il the Cumberland Valley railway to the Chess
> peake and Ohio Canal will be an importai
y work to the people Of Washington au
Georgetown, as 1t will open q new route
D. the Central Pennsylvania coal fields, and
the citizens furnish the proposed facilities f
Z, having 1t brought nearer to our doors, an
q also for shipment, II desired, think no arg
, ment will be required to prove to them D,
!. only that large additional employment wi
y be furnished, but that coal and other nccei
: saries will be reduced.
As the system of sewerage heretofore con
structed has, with few exceptions, been di
rccted TO the canal east OF Seventeenth stree
, as the receptacle II Is almost useless to pro
pose change. We must therefore improv
. upon the present arrangement. There Is,
s, think, but one opinion as to the exhalatio
i Of deposits from sewers where they can be
come exposed 10 the rays OF the sun, aud q
: intervals are covered with water. To obviat
this injurious atmosphere from arising II ha
been proposed to arch over the entire d
a lance. That, think, would not remedy Il
: evil, and would be great mistake In ever
respect. In view therefore Of complies
ton Of difficulties, have taken the follow
. ing as the best improvement which can
l. made: Reduce the width of the canal fro
Seventh TO Seventeenth streets to about Il
Z width thereof east Of Maryland avenue; Il
Y portion between Seventeenth and Fifteeni
u streets should have the south wall remove
north to proper distance, and parallel wit
- the north wall and the large area now o.
l. casionally covered with water be file
to proper level and added te Il
u grounds about the Washington monumen
> Between Fifteenth and SEVENTH streets Oh
! present north wall should be removed sout
at proper distance, and parallel with ii
- south wall. The advantage In moving Il
4 north wall 5outh, between those streets, WI
" be apparent when the ownership of the lar
= on the south Is considered. From seyeni
W street the canal should continue on u
T. and close to the south side OF Missouri ay
III nue., and thence turn into the present cha
Ut mel at or near the mouth Of the Botanic
garden sewer. This will remove the obje
e ton Of dividing the Propogating ground
T, and connect them with other grounds b
T. longing TO the United States, and the pu
H. g.