Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-09-19
LErTERs FROM raB P1OPLB.
Our River Front. No. d.

Editor Star:-Though not peifect, the Report
OF the Board OF Survey was q valuable contrt-
button OK, to the solution OF the problems OF bar
DOR improvement at Georgetown and Washing
ton The careful soundings Of the Potomac and
Anacostta; the suggestions for the removal of
inc Aaued9ct oridge causeway, an obstruction
extending from the hlgh-water line on the Vir-
gln1a bank $50 feet into the river and Of Eas-
pys Point, rocky obstruction to the easy
sweep OF the current; the provisions for the
curves, for the wharfage above Auueduct
bridge and the improvement Of the Anacostia:
all these must be accepted as parts Of any per-
imperfectfOns OF the plan were discovered in
the sharp discussion extending from 1873 to
1878.
To Mr.. Church, more than to any other one
man, is due the c'edit Of exposing the defects
OF the plan OF the board OF survey and success
FULLY advocating the preservation OF the present
washington harbOr. In his turn, he submitted
plan. He proposed two channels below
Easbys Point: The Virginia channel In it's
present bed, and the Washington channel, to be
reopened from Easby's Point eastward to the
end OF the 18th street wharf, and thence, under
the east end OF the Long Bridge and along the
present ane OF Wharves to the deep water near
the Arsenal The flats, thus left as an island,
were to be filled to q grade above the reacn OF
floods and laid out In streets corresponding to
the city plan; and It's frontage On all sides was
to De ! laid out IN wharyes and docks. This
island was 10 be reached by bridges in which
pivot draws were to be made for the free pas
sage OF vessels. On its first presentation this
plan gained many friends. The keen examtna-
ton TO which it has been subjected for year
or two has not touched its main feature,-the
preservation of Washington harbor 1t has dis
clos ed however, several tmperfections:
ISL. III the proposed island should become a
place Of traffic, there would be necessity for a
bridge from every street On the main land, say
zen brldges,-each with draw In 1t for the
passage sage OF vessels These bridges would be low
wagons and drays to pass; II they were placed
above Long Bridge, it would be announcement
ara ar linpracticable to use the upper part OF the
washington channel for vessels; and IL below
the lower part of the channel would be ruined
as a harbOr.
I'd. AS a winter harbor vessels in the Wash
ice
Sd. The most serious objection, however, to
the two channel plan is, that there is not
AS the Potomac is deep enough for vessels of
% feet draught to reach Washington the depth
OF our harbor should be % feet below mean
board of survey Rep. page A. 70 allow yes
sells to anchor, lie at the wharves and pass and
repass freely, width OF 500 feet is indispens-
cubic feet. But as the section OF the regular
average volume OF the whole river is only "a 600
cubic feet there are but $500 cubic feet left for
the Virginia channel, which is absurd.
To present It in another light: Suppose we
reduce the Virginia channel from $500 feet (the
width proposed by the board OF survey at Long
Brldge) TO 1000, with an average depth Of 10
verse section, for the Washington channel, re-
ducng 1t to width OF less than GO yards, with
depth OF 90 feet!!
a. a Virginia channel OF So yards wide and
Washington harbor OF 60 yards wide are equally
1nadm1sstble, the "tWo channel plan Is not
practicable.
l do nat mention tie objections urged by en-
gtneers, that SO long as the main current runs
IN the virginia channel, good one cannot be
had in the Washington; that any attempt
to turn the current into the new chan
mel by walls built southeasterly from Analostaa
Island would endanger all the. flats and even
Long Bridge; and that the cost OF bulk heading
at the upper extremity Of the island would be
greatly increased. Nor, do dwell On the fact,
that the railroad companies using the Lorg
Bridge would resist making draw at it's east
end. 1t is enough that the regular volume OF
water is not large enough to give Washington
hBrbOr OF the required width and depth and at
the same time, to I'LL the bed OF the Virginia
channel.
In my next number / will discuss the last
plan presented, one which retains the good fea-
lures and drops the bad ones OF its predeces-
sors; one upon which all can unite and which
rallies to It's support more effective influence
than any other. B,