New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-24
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
WASHINGTON ENGINEERING
JAMES CREEK cANAL.-sfoRE SHABBY AND ROTTEN
WALLS.
To the Edftor Of The Tribune.

WALLS.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: Simple as wall-buIlding may appear, IL
seeme to be quite beyond the skill Of such engineers as
have been employed Ivy the Ring Of this city eithei u
der MI shepherds or that Of his successors
the present Commissioners none Of them have sue
ceeded IL building d single substantial wall, "nu hafup
passably decent The walls along tue line OF inc
James Creek Canal like oil their other attempts To puid
on piles, or on wet foundations. are shameful lahies'
have already called the attention OF IhE TRIBUNE W
the fact that the opening OF that part the Arsenal prheh
Of tbe old Washington Canal length Of some 800 feet
y,as mainly private affair, for which there was no pun
lie necessity. II undertaken four years ago ny 9'r
shepherd, and Is continued ny his associa"s' ho'
only without authority and without any splhopfa"o
having made for it, hui also ~ declared III rcPor
on the investigation Of 1872 page 10, 'in direct Noia
tjon of law" And that work is likely TO become an ex
ceedncly EXPENSIVE affair." After LAUNDERING over IL ioi
four wears and expanding upon 1t unknown anu uasccr
tanae of money, 1t appears to be a. iar from CUM
pe,ion as when il was begun. That is before the wo@
can De properly finished will cost ~ much 10 remove
what has been badly done all the rest Is worth
The channel Of this branch partly dreiet as cary
as 1871 and the earth excavated was dumped on lis
banks. Since that time much OF 1t has sid 'cA mo 'o
canal In the time repeated efforts nave Dee maui
to wall it's sides, but III such bunsng way has IL "e
done that part Of it Is fit to remain I"r,pS
fourth of he walls may have heeh party i,ni
though part has been cOnpe'vu. =" ""o !!i,, H.
badly where there has been huch ming VI cai'" W
hind il. <, .,,o ,vo,,, ~,
The first part of that work to found the wal. on
piles Ru effectively done III AL itsiTes. an
piles ar, slender there are not enough vi th,' ,p
ibcv are not well driycl They are cut oH so hs WA,
thor INNER ends and all the cappng mbers placed upon
them ae exposed To view when the tides are low, ll
iu>ni;l carly decay The sheet pilng Is composer VI
small roiind piles of three, fGur o. SIX inches uaDeei,
driven near together. yet too open 10 P,Ic'TI'
he earth filling from passing through De
tween them. by which the banks are under,
mined and the canal filled. In cons quence OF hli
these defects the pill foundations have already yiI'
bnlily Ia the pressure behind and upon tIcn 10 suei "
extent as t. leave douDi tha large portions "i tn
walls will fall into the canal before OF soon w.
ii linz of the banhS shall bt completed. The walls an.
.i5hr" OF the ruicsi kind laid badly in"hl y c"ic"'
cement but OF 90 poor quality ti! IT has arciiN Jus
-olyc, ara disappeared as l1r ~ 4 visible li" TUE
Thai are washed by the gentle action OF the tdeS hent
t1c walls are exceedingly Trail seeing the uier UNI,
ness of their work. tie engineers nave now peSu plio
ing on concrete foundations instead oi plinG no" u
may succeed with that - vet Ia appear " II rni'
loiu however that, whether they stani OF hol, ,ie
cs Of tle whole must become enormous ann VII r.
nro several more years for toir cOispeilon Inc UNI
and cat will both probably bc i've o. six Times a. gi'
-. c,,,.t ri and honest would have required 10 60
fhe WON we'll q" -
BosL,ngtDu. D. C., July II. 1870.