Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-09-23
LETTERs EROH rHB PBOPJ


Editor Star:-In THE STAR Of t. satS mot
ON an old iDhabitaht, maintai' % s1I1 1sGo
and long after, there were no nsss WHARF the
ar,gfn iher denost h .a. aey ale OF recent
the building dn 1885 Of eea Rroon nc ah oy
bridge; and that the oaomac RiyeS fo U ev
la. ran-a ,ra uep Sns mel along the Washington
anacostta N I TS Point to the mouth of the
a. %, ~, S Do nxes the depth of this channel
az 70 VI ~ 1eet, about the foot of 21st ST., at
me me- io:mer glass works. He denies that the
r,1 =. ma s enamel was the highway" OF the
CITY," to correct my statements on these points.
cheerfully concede "M's'' patriotism; / deny
his historical us 1adc accuracy As proof ofer
Cal notice OF Washington city, speaks OF the
fats In the Potomac.
II: In 1895, the Washington Commissioners
mention the "baDks' hats) In the Potomac as
impatring the value of Washington harbor, The
above are both quoted in my No. 2.
III. In 1892, Ellicott, who succeeded L'Enfant
city and its entire water front. This was en-
graved In Philadelphia, at public expense, and
published officially by the then commissioners.
The sale Of lots In 1892 was according to this
deltneates the flats, showing that, substantialy,
thelr boundaries were In 1892 pherc they are to-
aey; II Is true there have been some changes
IN the last eighty seven years, but none that
affect the question between an" and me.
so much for the flats. Now, as to the channel
close along the Washington shore. The Elucott
present bed and makes 1t quite as broad The
numerous soundings given show its depth to
nave ranged from about Is and Is feet to "a and
". 1t was of sufficient capacity to take eff
nearly the whole volume OF the river current.
There is but one other channel Indicated: 1t is a
narrow and generally shallow swash channel,
the flats enthusiastically, and striking the
Washington shore opposite L, NJ and streets,
from which point it hugs the shore with in.
creased depth, but In a narrow current Its
maximum 0pDth ia
me point where 1t strikes the Washington
shore is little above the well-known Mary
Washington wharf
From Easby's Point to the 17th.street wharf
ana thence 10 l. street, along Washington shore,
no channel Is designated. The water there Is
elther PACK water from the river or comes from
row strip between the shore and the flats show
the depth to have been as follows. opposite the
streets named: Doth, 21st, 23d and oath streets,
seven feet r'M.o says iJ was Is to 20 feet deep
along bere) 1eth 18th and ed, eight; 18th, six;
at Long Bridge, eleven; at street, nine, ana
at T. street, eleven feet. To sum up: Ellicott's
existed with about the same extent % at pre-
sent; I'd: The Virginia channel was In its pre-
sent bed; Sd. There was no Potomac channel
along the Washington shore, except from about
street, little above the Mary Washington
wharf; and 4th. There was narrow strip OF
water between the shore and flats from Easby'S
depth.
". February 10, 1884, report was made to
Congress (see II. X. Rep. 264) in relation to
building Long Bridge. The transverse section
OF the proposed work is given. This shows:
ISL Water feet inches deep under east end
OF Long Bridge; I'd. A broad sWash channel
beginning 1865 feet from the Washington shore
very shallow, five feet at deepest part; Sd. A
Virginia channel, $3.50 feet wide, 25 feet inches
greatest depth; and 4th. Solid flats occupying
2245 feet CT the total width Of river, which is
5000 feet AS this transverse section was made
by engineers upon actual survey and for a
working plan, 1t is authoritative. VIII an"
insist that John Quincy Adams swan on this
1915 feet Of solid flats? an" twits me with
not knowing many things he mentioned. AS
none OF them prove any thing, ] don't care
whether know them or not. Capt. Tharpes
boat could run to-day to 17th-Street wharf;
boats have been for years bringing sand to nth
street wharf and could get it to the glass works
at 2lst street. II these existed; schooners lurn-
Der and others. Of light draught, can load now
the boys swim out above the bridge at high
tide, and not only Adams, but jackson, who
was taller man. could now have a good swim
at mean tide and even at low tide, at the same
place. What prevents, pray, boat OF six feet
drart from sailing to-day from the east end OF
Long Bridge at Giyens wharf to Alexandria?
/ might fetOrt on [" by saying that instead
OF exploding periodically irrelevant statements,
ne should have known enough to stick to au-
thent1c surveys. We should, then have had
less eloquence, but more reliable data for an
opinion.
Am asking too much, Mr.. Editor, when So
licit the liberty OF finishing what have to say
on our river 'front.'" before dissentients give
their views? Haven't the floor? 1 will finish
In three numbers more Of the regular series.