Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-14

THE INCREASE OF THE COMMERCE
of Washington since 1860, as follows:
Average traft Of vessels employed
in tie carrying trade, feet. il
Average depth Of water, fleet. IS -
ste amers EN- pley ed.-..-.......---.. II
Capital invested in steam vessels. I7O 700 ss25O55
II n Of sail vessels employ ed $1,000 400 coo
~haTves between Arsenal and
Numbsr OF cord. Of Wocd isudci.... 500 1890
EuWbeT OF tons o! stone and ice. 1900 77(G5
n{isct Ian Us -, iI1-090
Mr.. Stephenson said that they had con
suited with practical engineer, and
PLAN HAD BEEN PREPARED,
but the engineer was now absent from the
city. He would state, however, that the
general features of the plan were 10 drive
piles on the south side of the channel, crib IL
in, and throw the dirt excavated from the
channel behind the piles on the flats. This
plan would not encrOach upon the more
costly plan of improving the Georgetown
channel and retaining the flats. The plan
the committee proposed would require about
100000. and the plan proposed by the gov
eminent officers VIII require n bout II, 900 O00
ana Will take I'VE or SIX years. They pro
POSED 10 take the plan to Congress, and If
they can't get 1t they will take the best they
can get.
Mr. Cochran, the chairman, said that in
this matter they were not attempting To
subserve any private ends, and there was no
job or ring in il. They were seeking the pub
lie good. and at this time il was most i'm
portant for the interests of Washington that
the harbOr ne iDprOved-that the channel be
cleaned from 1ith street 10 The Arsenal point.
IT ne had any suspicion that there was any
ring or clique in this movement he would
rot be here.
The above reports of the committees were
adopted, and the following
COMMITTEE
was appointed 10 present the resolutions to
Congress and urge an appropriation for the
/ barbour. l.. X. Johnson. T. l.. Hume, w.
/ II. Clagett. w. J. Stephenson. John A.
| Baker, General Birney, G.. W. Linviile. II.
/ VIM. DicksOn. J. w. Thompson, Samuel
Gedrey and l.. W. Guinand.
| DR.. j. l.. Morgan, from the committee on
RAILROAD MATTERS,
| presented memorial which had been signed
/ by 500 persons, and said thousands of sigma
u -os could be procured. The memorial was
- ne Honorable the Senate ant House az ReB.
/ IeSe1HdtiJes--We, the undersigned, citizens
/ of the city of Washington, In the District Of
I Columbia, respectfully represent TO your
honorable bodies that very large portion
I Of our beautiful avenues, streets, parks and
public grounds IS now used by the railroad
companies whose roads enter and pass
Throughout our city; and that their use OF
\ these avenues, street. parks and grounds,
/ partly under cover OF law, and partly, as we
believe, without any 4rant whatever Of
. law, is exceedingly detriment al TO the beauty
+ and symmetry OF our city. initiates against
! the growth and prosperity o. the section
/ through which these roads pass. and has
proved very dangerous TO the life. limb,
( health and comfort o. the inhabitants.
/ Many accidents have already happened
and more are likely 10 occur IN the future;
and the abuse which has arisen OF loading
. and unloading cars in the streets. making
/ M trains in the same public thOrOughfare Z
AL hours OF the day and night, and other
Z wise apprOpTiating these streets to their
/ Own private use. utterly regardless OF the
/ rights of individuals or Of the public, has
/ grown 10 be such an evil a. 70 demand i'm
\ mediate redress.
! We respectfully submit that ii would be
/ for the interest and welfare of the city, as
rHaNH - FENN~ H.F.rpE
/ companies, and certainly for the benefit of
4 the public, that union depot should he es-
/ ta6lished at some suitable point, where the
/ inconvenience and annoyance TO which we
I are now subject may be avoided.
/ We earnestly entreat your honorable
| bodies 10 devise immediate measures FOR
/ CIR relief i'm this particular.
/ Dr. Morgan said that il was unnecesS ary
/ 10 peak on This subject; all knew how the
/ company's entering the city with three
/ tracks deprecated property. and could con
/ Ceiye whose advantage IL would be 10 nave
| ore grand union depot for all the roads.
The memorial was adopted.
Tie following committee was appOlntef TO
/ present the resolutions TO Congress: DIR. Jas.
/ =. Morgan. ". III. Ward. w. II. Webb, y ~ d.
/ Howell w. F. Walker, w. {; Bam6urger, r.
| Temple, &. Il Church, Rev. c. C. MeadOr, J.
\ /. Kidwell, F.. +. White, Joseph ShilliugtOl
ard j. II. Johnson.
/ The cbairmen OF the committees were ap-
/ Pointed 10 nil any vacancies which may Oc
HISTORY OF THE HARBoR.
/ Gen W IN. Blrney was introduced rs a
/ gentleman who knew considerable OF the
/ harLOr. and he addressed the meeting. say
l ing that his profess iOual services na1 rem
/ GeTed IL necessary for him to post himself in
/ T6G9rd 10 the river front. In the early his
| tory Of the city there was good channel
/ on this side of the river in front of the city,
! between the Arsenal and the Long bridge,
/ the depth being - or IL feet. and above the
/ bridge from 10 10 y feet to Easby's wharf.
/ AT this time the harbor OF Washington was
/ regarded as one OF the best in the country.
I - - ~ n
/ In 1898 the channel TO the AuacOStia bridge
! was IS feet deep, at Renning's bridge Is feet,
B and even at Bladensburg 10 feet OF water was
/ found, enabling quite large vessels 10 load
/ there. The barbOr mas been damaged from
| various causes. 10 1905 Congress authorized
/ Georgetown 10 build dam from the north
/ end o. Nason's island To the Virginia shore
l which mad beneficial effect on the river,
| but the next action OF Congress, in lS0S, was
! uIfavorable. This action was bill author
| izing the construction of the Long bridge.
! and the causeway OF this bridge had done
/ more than anything else to cause the forma-
| lion of the fats. On these accumulates also
| the sewer DRAWINGS, washings, &c, had coll
| lected. Some idea of the fine water front OF
! old times nav be obtained from the fact that
I David Burns had a wharf west of 18th street
( in 119S. at which there was a depth of II feet.
! Now the site Of the wharf can be walked
! over. The depth OF water i'm the Washington
! channel is now from TO III feet, while the
| draft Of the vessels employed in our COM
| merce is from to l. feet. The formation OF
| the nsts has progressed rapidly, and, being
ssl ilit 1T Vi tlCt TIC WasllAusss Will
! the sewage here meeting the tide, ii is de-
| POSTED. The har6or OF Washington Is Ike
I liberty: 10 be enjoyed only at the price OF
I eternal vigilance. Congr has done so much
b 10 injure the haIbor. II was duty il owed 10
1 DO something TO aid us. Washington could
! never become a commercial city, out II Is
clear that in a short time we would have To
provide for q population OF half a millien
! citizens. One thing was settled by the war:
/ that we are no longer q collection OF indie
, pendent states, but an independent nation,
4 and we are fortunate in residing at the capt.
| tai city.
| THE GROWTH OF WASHINGTON.
II seemed 10 him that when the site was
I selected for the Capitol those who selected IL
| were sinsularly fortunate. Here they found
at the head Of tide water a site, with river
| over mile wide, ON which the largest YES
| sells could ride at anchor, while France
Roasted OF her capital on a river 800 yards
! wide. u seened mysterious, too, that