Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-10-21
THE POTOMAC HARPOR
recommendation for it. ImDroye-
ment by Maj. Craighi,i, Engineer


Mai. Crsighill, U. s. A, In charge of the i'm
provements Of the harbrrs Of Washington and
Georgetown, has submitted his report to Gen.
Humphries, chief engineer U. S. A. The report
states:
Under the act of Congress approved March
9Th, 1872 a board of survey was created for the
purpose of reporting to Congress a full AID com
prehensiye plan of Improvement This report
was printed in miscellaneous document No, Is
Senate, 10th Congress, Sd session. An appro-
pristiOn of $4,000 was made by act OF March
Sd. 1873. The freshets of the spring of 1873
having caused considerable deposit in the cham
examination of them became necessary in order
to ascertain the extent of the changes reported.
THIS examination was made by Lieut.. Thomas
1uttle, corps of engineers, as soon as practica-
BILE after the subsistence of the freshets. A pro-
ject of expenditure was submitted, the main
idea OF which was to so expend the appropria-
ton as to relieve at once, as far as possible,
the wants of commerce, while conforming
TO the plan of Improvement recommended
by the board of survey already referred to. 1t
was decided by the chief of engineers, in carry
ing out That idea, to devote 900 to dredging
IN the Virginia channel (which Is proposed ulti-
mately to be the only channel) to depth at low
water of "a feet and TO expend the remaining
$4,000 in hedging along the present Washing
ton front to depth of feet at low water. Pro
pOsals for this work have been invited, and IL is
hoped to execute IL before the end of 1873.
The hoard of survey state that if 1t shall he
decided by Congress to proceed with the eXecg-
ton of their plan of Improvement, not less than
100000 should be appropriated for the frs
year. In any event not less than $50 900 should
be provided for the year ending June 30th, 1873,
to pay for necessary dredging "a keep the chan
mel open and to remove certain dangerous rocks
in the harbOr of Georgetown.
Appropriated March Sd, 1873. ........ So, 900 90
Expended in year ending June 80, 1873 80 p
Required for the year ending June 80,
1875, not less than. 30 900 90
and if the project of the board Of survey be
begun, the appropriation should be not less
than - ,OOO,OC
THE REPORT OF THE BOARD OF SURVEY.
This board consisted of Gen. HUMPHREYS,
Prof. Pierce, Gen. Babcock, Gov. Cooke, A. Il.
Shepherd and e. p Patterson. At meeting
held in the Governors office on the 18th of De-
cember, 1872, Prot. Patterson submitted a re-
port and plans for the improvement, which
we're approved and sent to each house of Con
gress. Ii recommended the reclamation of the
flats, and to have but one channel, of sufficient
tinuation of the river at Georgetown to run
along the right bank of the river as far down
Gravelly point, and thence directly toward
GiesebOro' point on the left bank, Joining the
deep channel of the river at that point, follow
ing nearly the present main channel of the
river. The plan reclaims all the flats, and adj
vances the city front directly TO the edge of the
harbOr channel; affords abundant frontage
about 81 900 feet, exclusive of piers, wharves,
&c-and gives about 455 acres of land, most
advantageOusly located. for government pur-
poses. The dimensions of the channel
adopted to fulfill the foregoing cOndi-
tons are as follows From the Aque-
quot DTlOSe IOr distance down OF
$500 feet TO Easby's point, channel from
the water front of Georgetown across to upper
end OF Ana OStan Island OF 900 feet in width and
70 feet in depth at mean low water, an additional
width of 500 feet opposite Easby's point with a
depth of 10 feet TO AnalOstan Island, and a
width of SEQ feet with at least depth of feet
between the upper end of AnalOstan Island and
the right bank Of the river. To obtain this last,
the causeUay connecting the Island with
the right bank must be removed, az well as the
deposit above IL. Below Easby's point the chan
81 a a tf
mean low water is continued until II strikes the
deep water near GeiseborO point, just below
the Arsenal, distance from Easby's point by
the channel of 1900 feet. From below the
upper end of AnalOstan Island down, the chan
mel is gradually increased beyond the width of
l,CO0 feet TO an additional width of 800 feet,
half Of which has an average depth OF 10 feet,
and the remainder an average depth Of Is feet,
making a total width of $500 feet.
The Death of Judge James Hughes
The report this morning Of the death Of
Judge james Hughes, at his residence near
Bladensburg, surprised his large circle of ac-
quaintances here, as but few days ago he was
in the city attending to business. For some
months past he has suffered from attacks of
heart disease, and was taken with one at an
early hour this morning, and did between7
and O'Clock.
Judge Hughes was in his fftieth year, and a
native OF Maryland. In early life he went to
Indiana, and received his education at the In
diana University. He then studied law, and
was admitted to practice at Bloomington, in
that state, in 1912. He received the appoint
ment of first lieutenant in the 10th L.. ). in
fantry, in which he served TO the close of the
Mexican war, and returned to the practice of
Jaw at Bloomington. In 1852 he was elected
circuit judge, and served as such for six years,
and from '53 to '56 filled the position of
professor of law in the University of In
diana. He was elected to the United
States House Of RpprPGpUtatjVpa in
served in the 35th Congress as a member of the
committee on territories. In 1861 he was APP
pointed by President Buchanan judge of the
Court of Claims, and filed that position until
ls6j, when he resigned. On the 9th Of July of
that year he was admitted to the bar of this
District, and with the exception of the period
he acted as a cotton agent for the Treasury de-
partment, (having received the appointment
as such from President johnson in May, 1861
has been actively engaged in his profession,
pTacticiDg principally in the Court of Claims,
the Supreme Court of the United States, and
before the departments.