Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-09-26
DISTRICT IMPROVEMEyrS,
Important Changes I'm the Southeast.
eru Section of Washiugton

STREET woRK-sEwERs-THE JAMES CREEK
cANAL-THE N.sTRsET BRIDGE, ETC.
The increasing travel between South Wash
ington and the Navy Yard has induced the
beard OF public works to extend the street i'm
provements in that direction, and open up some
OF the lower streets which run eastward from
south w ashlngton across the new James creek
canal, by way of the brick-yards. 70 artholow' s
wharf, and so on to the Navy Yard. The i'm
mense number OF brick now being manufac-
turet at the yards in this locality, and the ne
cessary heavy hauling 70 points where they are
reeded for use over the bad roads fully JUST fe
the toiud III making the Improvement 20 4 and
nothing OF the convenience TO the travelling
public generally.
FoUR-AND-A-HALF STREET,
which for years past has been conspicuous for
its mud, dust, Tuts and reeking flth, has under
gone q thorough reconstruction from Maryland
avenue TO the arsenal gate, a distance OF one
mile and So3 feet. This work was commenced
about one year ago by the contractor, Mr..
Patrick Culinane, and is now nearly completed.
The entire surface OF the street has been eXca-
waited and carted away to make room for the
eight inches of crushed rock foundation, neces-
ssry for a hrst-class macatlam carriaseway.
New curhs have been set aud Pinch sewer
pipes laid the entire distance on h0th sides OF
NE way; the sidewalks extended aud laid with
new brick; water service and gas pipe, with all
the necessary stOpcOcks and water taps, have
been put in Tor every lot of ground bordering
on tie street; lanp-pOsts Changed, and the
neces Sary gas connections made; and all the
traps, drops aud mahOles AZ the street corners
properly constructed. - seCGTe perfect ORA maze
10 the street and sewerage 10 houses ON the line
Oh the work. ~ before stated, the roadway ia
covered with a foundation OF pebbles and broken
rock eight inches deep, rolled as solid as Dos
sible; on this Is four inches Of broken blue rock
aieo C0mpscted ~ means o. immense rollers,
and the surface is covered with sharp river sand
mixed with clay, TO make il more compact and
sCiij, and the whole rolled and united making
an excellent road. The whole liuC OF this work
seems TO have been well done, and, altogether
II is one Of the most important street improve
ments made by the board, as il viii doubtless
give new life to business through the Increased
travel attracted thereto.
In connection with this is another most i'm
Iertant work by the same contractor, and so
closely allied TO it that 1t must be here noted;
this il
THE THIRD STREET SEWER
now nearly completed, and running from the
north side of through the middle of Sd down
70 III where it turns eastwardiy down that
street and discharges into James creek canal.
This Is a So inch brick barrel sewer, and is in
tended as a main artery to drain this entire
section OF the city by outlet connections through
the streets crossing it. This is the sewer which
receives the drainage from the ~ street tile
pipes described above by means OF laterals from
each OF the corners on the east side OF said street.
These lateral pipe sewers connecting the two
streets, are Insufficient size to carry of all the
flow from both sides Of ~ street into the Sd
street sewer, the west side of AZ street being
connected with the east at every square by
mean: OF cross pipes.
THE GRADIEG AND PAVING OF STREET,
now IN progress, is important from the fact that
II is the direct line Of communication to the
navy yard, being the only street on which A
hridgels constructed over the canal. The grade
las been raised along the lowest point, and the
carris geway paved with cObble- stones, which is
best suited for the heavy hauling OF brick,
kilns on brick yard hill
THE BRIDGE OVER THE CANAL
mere IS one OF the main features OF this improve
ment. and attracts many visitors from the novel;
Y constructions i a lra -ArI nd
Is construCtedfro from the old iron bridge removed
from street, the best portions OF that bridge
having been selected for the purpose, and with
the addition OF some new castings aud the cut
ting away the sidewalks, it makes z neat aud
substantial crossing. The abutment walls are
OF rutbie stone, Tilted with close joints, and laid
up with cement on pile foundation.
go piles being driven to the gravel bottom and
saved OFT below low water mark in each abUt-
ment. and the extension walls about hundred
feet in each direction along the line of the canal
laid up in the same substantial manner also. on
piles. The width OF passage way for boats is 80
feet between the sbutment and the bridge is
swung around on railway built on solid tOun-
dation on the east side, the bridge being balanced
with iron weights so nicely that one man can
easily swing it around by means of an adiust,-
be lever, which fits into the pivot. This piece
or work throughout has been most substantially
executed under the supervision of Mr.. William
ID. Wise, and is commended by all who see it.
THE JAMES CREEK CANAL
blds 1alr 10 draw large business to its banks In
the way of coal and wood wharves, its mean
depth Of water being about . feet and. by a
similar bridge constructed at the l. street cross
ing, Will be no serious obstruction to travel the
opening and closing of the draw being the work
Oh a rev minutes only. No better use could be
made OF the old iron bridges than placing them
across this canal, and the expense is not heavy.
Il street communicates directly with the bridge
over the old canal, near the old Blagden man-
sloi'. AS 1t has been opened and graveled the
entire length, ali that is needed now IN mala II
much Travelled thoroughfare is the bridge
connection over James creek canal.