Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-10-12

POTOMiC RIVER INPROTENENTS
HarbOrs of Washington aud George.
town.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ENGINEER IN
TcHARGE
Mr.. s. T. Albert, civil engineer, U. s. A. has
submitted his annual report to the chief Of en-
sineers of work done in the improvement OF
the rivers and harbOrS under his control Con-
cernlng the harbors of Washington and
Georgetown he says:
At the commencement of the fiscal year the
appropriation made for $4,000 (made March
Sd, ls7Sl for the improvement of the harbors
been expended in dredging channels above
and below the Long bridge and in removing
dangerous rocks in Georgetown haroor. leay-
cient for any work which cOull materially
benefit the navigation of the river. The work
therefore. has remained practically suspended
lie aeeu tSe
undergoing gradual deterioration. This has
been anticipated in former annual reports on
this work, in which it was stated that the bar
years unless the flats were inclosed and the
river width contracted. The river at this
The freshet water. loaded with sediment, leav-
ing the confined channel above George
town suddenly expands over the wide
velocity of the stream. which is still further
checked by the flood tidal current, causes a
deposit of the material held in suspension.
gradual until the freshet OF November %, 1877,
which continued for three days, and which
exceeded any previous freshets OF which We
have any re cord. When the freShet had sub
sided the depth Of water on the bar was found
to have been greatly reduced. The least low
water depth over the bar was about feet,
where II feet had existed in 1873. In the
spring OF the present year, when coal ship
nents were about to be resumed, the mer-
chants and coal compan MES of Georgetown
started subscriptions and raised money for
the purpose of removing this bar. Severals
cuts were dredged in its shOa!eSt part. Upon
application by citizens. part of the available
balance OF the appropriation by Congress for
improving the harbor was expended in widen
ing this channel, and $500 yards were re-
moved.
Congress at its last session of 5000 fer i'm
proving the harbors and channels at Wash
IEgtcn and Georgetown, and says chat in &C
ing the appropriations specifications have
teen prepared for a channel 2C1 feet wide and
IL teeL deep at low water through the bar be.
low EasbV's wharf and aIsO for dredging a
channel 200 feet wide and II feet deep at low
water along the Washington wharves. In
order that the channel to be dredged may be
rendered permanent, it is important that
general plan of improvement should be
adopted and that its continuation should be
provided for by annual appropriations suffi-
GENTLY large 10 ensure substantial progress in
of Congress for the Improvement of
Hsn Hs ha0Gss m OF Abe Mashng a5s ana hsse ps
which have previously been published, and
in lieu Of them recommends the following:
| would now propose to limit the work to the
the operations to the dredging of channel, fol-
lowing the course of the Virginia channel, be-
tween Easby's and the arsenal, and reclaim
ing the entire area between the city front and
cr this area should be parked or laid out in
city lots, for future consideration. The i'm
portance OF a radical improvement of the
cannot be disputed, and its early completion
will afford the only satisfactory solution ID
questions reiating-frst, to The, sanitary con:
labor to eapital and third, the much needed
Improvement to trade and navigation. As to
its sanitary condition, Mr.. Albert says the flats
above and below The Long bridge have grad.
ualy been ShOaling for many years. There
can be no doubt that their area-ab0ut 800
acres-alteTnately exposed and covered by the
TIDES, seriously affects the health of the city.
Sanitary and commercial considerations alike
demand the early abatement OF the nuisance.
In reference to the labor question he says
tie lncre asiDg population OF latorerS and arii-
sans requires an Increase of the employmentS
independent OF Congressional appropriations.
This end can he best obtained by improving
trade and navigation. As to commerce;
Georgetown requires a wide and deep channel
on account OF The large vessels used i'll the coal
trade.
The material. which it is necessary to dredge
fTOm the river, to secure permanent chan-
mel is largely sand. which is suitable for filing
the flats. and can be deposited on them at a
lower rate Ger cubic yard than material from
pose. The height of the filing should be regu-
lated by the height of the highest freshet. As
the filing Of the flats progresses. the DISPOSE
attention. The most efficient method would
probably be TO provide intercepting sewers for
all higher levels to discharge into the river by
Vided with special sewers and with pumping
stations, near the river channel, which will
raise and discharge the sewerage at such
Levels as the stage OF water may require.
Attention is called to the facts that when
the new channel is made the Long Bridge will
have to be replaced, and that the amount of
property that would have to be destroyed will
have to be taken in account. The latter por-
tiOn of the report reads: The general plan of
the Improvement above referred to provides
of the two harbOrS, by the dredging of wide
and deep channel. and filling the flats with
the dredged material. l submit, with this
report modified estimate, providing for the
excavation OF a channel % feet deep, at low
water, along the deeper portions of the river
and channel - feet deep, adjacent. 1t is
proposed to cODfine the material dumped on
the flats by means of a riprapped slope, with
q protection OF sheet filling at the low water
mark. as shown by the plan accompanying this
report. The cost of construction of wharves
would properly be sustained by the riparian
owners. Tie channel, above proposed, viii pro-
vide for 0W-Water sectional area at that part
of the liver where the bar now forms, about
sQ,CCo Square feet being somewhat greater
than the present low water section between
the Aquedllct and the Long bridge. The
width OF the river will be decreased by the
proposed bulk-head lines so as to insure the
preservation Of the depth at low water stages,
and at the same time afford sectional area
during freShets 5000 feet greater than that at
the e,! Long bridge The estimated cost Of the
pIoyement of the Washing gton and George.
town harDOrS is as follows
IA 10000 cubic yards dredging. at
23,C0 feet of slope protection, at ST.. 5000
Crlb work, &C.. at east end Long
bridge. 23N,0
Son'i"SShelco ,'..,.....-.....-..... Zoo,UD
$2,592,0OO
Tie improvement can be commenced and
carried on gradually by the appropriations of
sl?oCCO to 500, Goo for each year: Such appro-
cubic ya1d and substantial progress each wear
until the accomplishment of the work.
SFVFN NEGROES TyNrurn rop