Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-08-18
The Washinyton Canal.

u
) X. Seibert. j. j. Peloody, and w W De-
name. The Chair, after calling to order. an :.
| nounced that during the week he had received
q communication from Mr.. Seibert which he
hoped that gentleman woald read Mr Ss,bsr,
\ then read as follows:
THE improvement OF the canal is one,
| the permanent residents Of this city, ana Am
GLAD 10 know that the subject has beel referie ed
| to n committee Of the honorable Boards of
Connciis, VINO nave invited opinions upon the
subject oefore them. From report printed 0 O
the 18th Of April, 1862 Of paper re I'd during a
session Of the Board OF Common Council
nnd stated In the first paragraph that the canal
Is the only means OF condu cting the accumula-
lions of the various sewers from very direction
70 the rlyer, commencing near the Eastern
branch and running To Rock creek. The con-
ons OF the canal differ from those OF the writer
OF the report above referred, Sc that l will
oreny submit for your consideration a few
OF the important points. The canal from
some years entirely useless from the fact tha
II has been from the time of Its consiruc-
tlcle for the washings Of Rock creek. AMI
every rise OF the water in nd s.-eam ad 1,
70 the quanliy OF sand there deposItet Il.
The subject of sewerage and the canal on
ider inseparable, and as the sewerage OF ne
First and part OF the Second Wards has b, au
under cor slderatIon for several years, and III
dwell at this point upon tina. subject. A bill
recently passed for a sewer on 10Th street 5 Tvs
1t shall empty into the canal, at the intsrsec.
ton OF said street and the canal. l consider IL
a mistake to have constructsd the sewers into
the canal which are at present there. but a.
that is gigantic evil TO remedy at present /.
repetition OF the same as proposed by the p. h
street sewer should be entered into The T.
street. sewer, as at present partly constructed
and running into Rock creek, will be the re-
eeptacle for water and deposits north from said
sewer. put the dralnsge south from stree
should be Carried through sewers down each
OF the streets between 18th and 23d INTO the
fi r. IL has b en- proposed to Iur additional
present this would only increase the film in
the canal between Rock creek and 18th street
10 remedy the dihicuty Of running sewers
into the river with the canal as at present
my proposition is to elevate II so as to build
the sewers under the canal into the river
To carry out the PROJECT there should be con-
nection made with the Chesapeake aud ONO
canal on the west side OF Rock Creek at an
elevation corresponding with the level of
water a. the top of outles lock of slid canal
mo hock creek, and a short distlnce south of
sa'd outlet lock cons truct an aQueduct across
the creek, supported by segment water pipes,
through which the much-needed additional
supply OF water from the Washington conduit
can De brought to the city, one pipe OF which
should be carried by way Of Virginia ayenu5
under the elevated canal, uelr 18th sire If and
across the Monument lot, in direct line to the
corner OF l4th street west and street south.
and thence distributed where desired on the
Island The connection OF the canal al Il )ck
Greer should be entirely broken anu the eIe-
connect with the present canal AT the gas works
and then continue in the present c1nal to 18th
street by elevating Tvs banks, and at a s. r,
distance west OF Eth street, dir. - /, INTO / le
river with an outlet lock. The present lock at
1.th street must, of course, be removed a short
distance west and built at an elevation equal
10 me canal, as no part of SAID elevation should
extend beyond the west side OF 18th street
From point on the river bank Immediately
soath OF the Observatory 10 the mouth of the
elevated canal, or where il should enter The
direction
ument, large area now covered with the ac-
cumulatiors from the rKer and as great a
nuisance as the canal, would furnish good sizes
for wnarves, and would add largely d the city
revenue, and al the same time furnish the
much-desired additional facilities TO the trans.
Portalon companies which are daily to be seen
awaiting an opportunity to have their cargoes
removed by the inadequate arrangements a,
Georgetown. The completion of the Cumber.
!ssi valley railway to the chesapeake and
Onlo U nal Will be an important work TO the
people of Washington and George own a. II
Will open q new roIte TO the Central PannsyI
wanna coal field, and if the citizens furnilh toe
proposed facllitis for having II brought nearer
TO our co9rs. and also for shipment If desired
tnlhK no argument will be required 70 prove
10 them rot only that large additional employ
ment will be furnished, but that coal and q, her
necsssaries Will te reduced.
as the system OF sewerage heretofore con.
sfucted mas. with few exceptions, been direct ID
10 the canal east OF Eth street as the receptacle
~ IS almost useless 10 propose a changa We
must therefore improve upon the present ar
range ment- There is, think, but one opinion
as 10 the exnalatlon of deposits from sewers
where they can become exposed TO The rays of
the sun, and at intervals are covered with
water. To obyiate this injurious atmosphere
the entire distance. That, / think, would moi
remedy the evil, and would be a great mistake
IN every respect In view therefore of com.
plica-on Of difficulties, have taken the fol.
10 wing as the best improvement which can be
made: Reduce the width of the canal from 7th
70 ..tn streets 70 about the width thereof east
OF Mar land avenue; the portion between 18th
and 18th streets should have the south wall re-
moved north to proper distance, and parallel |
with the north wall and the large area now
covered with water to be
grounds about the Washington Monument.
Between 18th and 9TH stree the present north
wall should be removed south at q proper dis
lance, and parallel with the south wall The
advantage in moving the north wall south. be.
tween those streets, will be apparent when the
ownership of the land on the south is consid.
cred: From TN street the canal should con-
nnue ON lane and close to the south side Of
missouri avenue, and thence turn into the
present channel at or near the mouth Of the b.
tsnical garden sewer This will remove the
and connect them with other grounds belong.
ing TO the United States, and the purchase OF
expensive property in squares T. and ID.
After reducing tue canal to a proper width,
Dredging II ont thoroughly, and depositng the
behind the walls for filling
where the width has been reduced. Paving the
the letter Y; building n lock at or near the
Eastern Branch river, which will keep con.
stlntly sufficient fresh water from the Little
Fails in the canal to admit of the passage of
the largest canal barges, anu which will en-
trely shut out all sluggishness compan wing
noe water, and at the same time furnish
facilities Tor drawing off TO dryness the entire
distance from 18th street to the Eastern Branch
river, arranging the paved bottom so as 10 give
several feet additional fall to the bottom of the
canal, from 18th street east, and completing
the Improvements as herein proposed, will
furnish facilities for washing out the wafer
from the higher level west Of 18th Street
at least portion of the deposit from the
sewers AZ low tide TO the vicinity, il not
entirely INTO the Eastern Branch river. The
Increased height OF the canal from 18th street
to Georgetown cannot be over-estimated when
applied TO manufacturing purposes, sites tor
which can be obtained at almost any point
along its length. This proposed Improvement
cannot be carried successfully into operation
without the Potomac front being also i'm.
proved In consequence OF certain impedi.
mente thereto, the water, which is thrown
heavily against the city side Of the river, At or
near q street wharf. Is again thrown back to.
ward the Virginia side. This should not be
the case, and would not IL the causes were
properly removed from the city side, between
q street and the Long Bridge, and q substan.
tial wall built extending from Mason's leland
toward the Washington side Of the rlver, so as
TO pre- vent the strong current OF the river from
ington Monument =
This current, when once directed in that way,
would always remain and would in q great
measure Cte0r n rOrftou NJ fha socusS~Ie