Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-11-09
The Potomac Channel.

Major VIM. p. Craighi Of the engineer
corps, in charge OF the work Of dredging the
Potomac channel between the Long Bridge and
Georgetown under the act Of Congress Of July
II, 1870, appropriating S50,0O0 for that pur-
pose, has submitted his report. Major Craig
hill first refers to his letter Vi November ~,
1870, in which he recommended that the
Georgetown channel BE- cxclvalcd 10 ii width
If .,nD feet at lntnm and to depth OF fifteen
feet at 0w water. His recommendations were
approved and 4 contract entered into.
The work has been delayed by ice in winter
by lrcShets in the spring, andy sickness among
the workmcn. At the request OF some OF the
prominent m"a oi' business Of Georgetown, an
examination Of the river opposite that >ace
was made in June, ISL, for the purpose of
determining precisely the location and extent
Of certain rocks III other Instructions, with Il
view to having their positions carefully marked
by ljuoys or otherwise. and with the hope OF
their ultimate removal 1t was found that to
remove these rocks would cost StOjU, and II
was then recommended t. reduce the excava-
ton Of the channel to width OF It's instead Of
700 yards, by which II, 0nU yards OF excavation
would have been saved, amounting to Sl4, lWi,
and the rocks could have been removed. 1t
was, however, decided to eypcnd the appro.
priution in dredging, according to the approved
project. and not to undertake the removal Of
the rocks until more money should be available
for the Improvement of the river The drcdS-
ing will b: completed during The autumn OF
1871.
The regimen OF the Potomac river in the
space embraced within the orr ginal limits of the
District Of Coumbia has been greatly modified
within the last century This change is due
to several causes. One Of these is the CONVEX
sion vi IL large extent Of country bordering Oh
the stream from forest into cultivated SEC
tio,D. Another is the growth OF large cities
and towns upon its banks. Still another Is the
building Of bridges for crossing the river, as
we'll rs the pushing out OF wharvcs and other
structures from its banks into the stream.-
Several Of these artificial works have not been
arranged as well as they might be, with due
regard to the preservation of the channels OF
the river for the purposes OF commerce. The
result of al these causes has been the fOrma
ton of extensive deposits covering large areas
between Georgetown and Alexandria. The
channels formerly existing have either been
oblitcratcd or greatly changed i'll position and
depth. The great extent Of the causcway of
the lDng bridge is, beyond serious question,
Of constant dctrimcnt to the river. In the
drift of events, however, it appears to have
become thing not to be gotten rid Of, or mate
rally anciioracd In any scheme Of improve
meut lOr the river, the continued presence uf
that structure must it would seem, be taken
INTO the account.
The interests conferred in Georgetown press
constantly in the direction of the retention and
Improvement Of the Virginia channel, to the
disregard Of the Washington channel. They
have in their favor the strong argument that
nature, in her adjustment OF tire regimen OF
the river to existing circumstances keeps open
the only continuous navigablc channel, which
is known as the Virginia or Georgetown chan
nell On the other hand, it is suggested by
others that an unoLectionable course of proceed.
urc would be to close up the Virginia channel
entirely above the Long bridge and open the
Washington channel in the same part Of the
river. That by so doing access to Georgetown
would not be impaired, while the river front oil
Washington would be greatly improved. 10
spend more money on the Virginia chanucl
would seem waste if it is ultimately to be
closed by brcakwater or dam, as has been
proposed by some TO close it, seems running
in the face of the indications of nature. 1t
seems vera desirable that an authoritative de-
cison should be speedily obtained, and some
policy fixed as to the improvement of this river
in which the General Government is 50 much
Interested. No further expenditure seems ne
cesSary at this liaIc for the Virginia channel;
l'u,lcr the action Of the causes already referred
to it will gradually fill up 10 a cons:dcra bic
extent. IN | then must be dredged out again.
with the same process of filling to occur.