Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-01-05


ing the Washington wharf.-the to south end of
the present fats. To this we answer. that our
plan is not necessarily in opposition to that of
the Board or Survey. In carrying out the lat
ter the Engineer Department of the Army
contemplated, in 1873 and 1874, keeping open
the Washington channel. In his Annual Re
port of 1874, the Engineer in charge says: An
appropriation of $4,000 was made March 3
1913: which II was proposed To eXpend in 1873, in
dredging in the Virginia or principal channel
to depth OF fourteen feet at low water, and
along part of the Washington channel to q
deph Of trelte feet. the main idea being so to
the money as to effect an immediate benefit to
use commerce While conforming, as far as Dos
Slble, to the plan recommended by the Com
mission" tSee Appendix \, Ann. Rep Chief
Eng.)
This passage is conclusive as to the iudc-
ment OF the Engineer Department rs TO what
should be done. 1t intended to eXpend part of
an appropriation in dredging part of the Wash
dredge the entire channel to that depth. and
tins would doubtless have been done by the
Engineer Department if ii had had the money.
We presume there is no one so unreasonable
as to demand that the Washington channel be
allowed TO fill up. and our river commerce to
be gradually eNtinguiShed, and the prosperity
OF the southern portion of our city to be para
lyzed; that the marshy flats above the Long
Bridge are TO continue 10 eXude the iilth of the
city sewerage, and poison the atmosphere of
the Capital with their foul and misas-
matte yapOrS, for the many long and
dreary years which must elapSe before
StllSit>S VIII the nlllOnS OF
dollars necessary to carry out the plan of the
Board OF Survey. The Engineers say that the
first appropriation should not be less than two
million dollars: and although the cost of the
improvement is calculated to be between six
and seven millions of dollars, there are some
errors in the calculation, which would largely
Increase the sum named Congress has not
yet given the slightest indication of Il willing
ness 10 make the initial appropriation. We
cannot hope for it in our generation. Our
chIidrenS children may rejoice over its pas
hIt IN lT.1 Ill
The lar-dIStant future, we are not prepared to
sacrifice harbOr whose present existence
and use are necessary to the ordinary business
life of our city: nor are we. because of n yapua
hope that Congress will enter upon SO gigantic
an Improvement ten, twenty. or fifty wears
hence, resigned to live in an atmosphere
tainted with peStilential vapors. If Congress
were to begin now its appropriations for carry
ing out the plan of the Board of Survey many
years would elapSe before its completion. and
as Il measure of immediate necessity, it would
money 10 dredge the Washington channel
Our plan is feasible. 1t contemplates no
channel except the one provided by nature
it requires no depth which did not once exist:
it asks no blasting out OF a rocky bed. but
simply that the sediment deposited in the nat
ural channel shall be removed.
In the year 1897, Mr.. Rives. an engineer
especially detailed to examine and report upon
TINS channel experimental on the nature of
Its bed, by driving down, 1T many places in it,
an Iron-pointed rod of considerable length.
gresS that the Improvement could be made by
dredging only. and that no rock blasting would
De required. No engineer has ever minated
in any report the existence of any difficulties
III the way of dredging ont the Washington
channel. few dredges actively employed
would soon effect Il change, astonishing in its
sanitary and commercial results.
Our plan Is not an expensive or costly one:
II INVOLVES the erection of 4 bulkhead around
| he mats betWeent he Washington and George
t0Wnor Virginia channel. This would be q 1000
a LOG f,, an
yards OF excavation in the Washington chan
mel, including the SwaSh channel south of the
White House: the dirt eXcavated to be depos-
would be as follows:
$1,000 feet OF bulkhead, at $40 per I'M
ZOO 900 yards excavaing and tiiIing at S'o''0o'
50 cents per yard. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 100000
$sS7,OW
Estimated cost Of 1000 feet OF bulkhead
from AnaloStan island, at $50 per
ENcayating in Georgetown channel and
iiliing in back of bulkhead. 10000
yards, at 10 cents. Observation-Disclosures. $4,000
100000
The amount of land reclaimed should be Sc
cured to the United States by requisite legSla-
ion, and is computed To be about 2i,0N.O0
square feet. The part north of the SwaSh chan
lel would be worth III least 80 cents per square
foot. The island portion would not be 50 valu-
able. We have estimated the Whole at an
average OF ~ cents per foot. Si,S0D.ONl, a sum
Tar in excess OF the cost of the improvement.
We respectfully submit this report. in the
earnest hope that il will meet with the appro-
baton of our fellow-citzens of the District.
md cOntribute To proper legislation in behalf
u the sanitary and commercial interests of
he capital.
LSigned l-Chas. p. Church, Alexander Ray.
" illam Birney. John MarBIlry. Jr John Pet
ibone, Chhrles EdmOnStOn. Vim. j. Stephen
'On. +. T.. White Sam'l Bacon, subcommittee
III Harbor and River improvements.
DEEDS IN FEE have been filed as follows:
w. r. HOFFMAN, trustee, to DorOthea Repetti,
3, 40, part lot 9, So 763. j. =. Town, trustee.
2 VIM: Chase s9}S lot 20, So $38. Howard
OF II; block I, bingham Place. G. W. Taylor
o Albigenee II. Brown, 1880 part lot 10, So
9l: II: F: Newman to Mary F. Rose, quit
,lalm, 500, al his interest in real estate as an
' Ear YoeungsboroQgh; Il, ", DownmaTn t to
lsce0la |, ureen, 500, lots il ali;a. Is. sub 50.
81; John IngIe Cash to o. G. Green, $3.50 his
J: {. Cash. Warner and McNaIIey, trustees,
o Anna b. Smith, $l25, lot NJ, sub. OF lots % to
=, 50. 800. S. A. Robinson ct al. to F. H.
smith, s, lot Il and part Y, Peters square.
to II, 81. "A, 'Isherwood." John Freeman ct
u. To j. L. Freeman ct al, $, west half lot
J. so. 40: 6. w. Taylor to A. I'll. Brown, 81 $50,
part lot 10, So. 4Ol. John ROney to Susan
ROney. $lO,G00 part lot !, sd :2l. and lot II, So
,. NJ. Ashford ct a.. to T. i. Hamilton, $3.50.
sub. lot IS, OF lots and >, So. $40.
kILBOURN'S BOARD BILL.-TO-day, in the
Circuit Court, Judge Cartier, the case of
Frvnd agt. kilbOurn-actiOn for meals fur
liSned defendant while in custody Of the Ser
leant- at Arms of the House of Representa-
ives as recalcitrant WitneSS-Which was
placed on the assignment for Monday, was
allied up by Mr.. Mattingly. for the defendant
v no stated that he could not 90 TO trial on ac-
count OF the absence of Mr.. THOMPSON the
Sergeant-at-ArmS.
Mrs. Lockwood. for the ,,iaintitf obiectnd
ma stated to the court mat her client mad moi
'nly furnished mea,,, TO the defendant but to
40 had ~ VI. .,ls order. While he was i'll jail
,e1 h4o -.- friends there, and ordered wines
VI" ,uXurieS., broiled chicken, and straWber-
,IeS out of season. Latta. OmStead and Mrs.
kilbOurn. too, participated in the meals.
The COurt.-The case will be continued
WHO owns THE SQUARE EAST OF SQUARE
morning, III the Circuit Court Judge
Cartier, the case OF Ann +. Carroll and Maria
+. FitZhugh agt. w. Il. Smith was argued on a
motion by defendant to dismiss the case on
the suggestion that the U. =. possessed the title
to the ground sued fOr-SqUare east OF square
176. Mr.. Totem appeared for the plaintiff and
District Attorney Wells for the defendant.
The plaintiff claims that the land in question
is part and parcel of their Inheritance from
their father-the late Daniel Carroll. of Dad