National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-03-14
THE RIFER FRONT.


Another Plan for Improving 1t and the
Sewerage system.
To the Editor of he National Republican;
SIR: OF the many plans written for the i'm
provement of the river none have mentioned
the following: l think the facts have some
Significance, aud I therefore ask space in your
wdely.circulatcd paper for them. President
Washington, who had exclusive power given
him by the deeds from the proprietOrs, decided
that n certain plan, drawn and in part exc
cuted by Mr., Ellicot, should be promulgated
as the plan for the city of Washington. That
plan has upon it a number of squares which
have been divided into lots and which have
been conveyed for considerations. These
squares are situated south of street, between
Seventeenth and Twonty-third streets west,
and will be frontci on the south by A street
northwest. The fact of their conveyance for
considerations legalizes a claim for them. No
dredging for canal inside of street can
therefore be done.
In my opinion, the entire available appro.
nriation should be used, first. for tho removal of
the artificial obstacle which Is the principal
cause of the closing of the channel, which was
formerly deepest on the city side.-viz: Eas-
by's wharf; second, for excavatng ditch of
the proper width aud depth, from the wall of
G-strcet wharf to the intersection of Twenty
sixth and Water streets and thence to the
south side of A street northwest, at Twenty
third street, to be continued in a circuling line
to the Long Bridge, This ditch will draw
most of the water which flows by Georgetown
through it, and will wash out more deposit
from between the Long Bridge and the East.
ern Branch than twice 100000 will dig out.
The money, If expended on the work above
proposed, would not be for temporary relief,
As (if the money could not be Immediately OBJ
tanned for building therein stone wall) the
passage OF water would continue TO deepen the
ditch. After the wall shall have been built u
canal should be dredged to depth sufficient
for the largest class vessels going to George
town. This depth can be obtained without
encountering rock, and this deeper channel
will draw the water toward It, If 1t should
not fully accomplish the desired result, u jetty,
extending from Masons Island, would Ger.
tainly secure 1t.
Tho earth required to fill the area between
the wall and Il street TO height, say three feet
above the highest freshot level (after using that
! obtained by eXcavatng the canal should be
| taken from the flats south of the Long bridge
| in n way 10 increase the width of channel, pro-
| vided sufficient money could not be obtained
| for defraying the cost of removing the entire
! deposit between the Eastern Branch and tho
Long Bridge which think desirable, as II will
/ furnish increased area for the great amount OF
freshet water which collects at this point of the
river. When this area between b street and
the wall shall have been filled to the proposed
height it will prevent the ireshet water from
forcing into the cellars of Pennsylvania ave,
nue., provided all connections with tho river
and the B.strcet sewer are removed. This
sewer should be Immediately takon up and re-
built on an incline, having its highest point at
Seventeenth street west, along its present line
to Sixth street west thence south on Sixth
street west 10 Virginia avenue, and thence to
/ the bed of the Old canal aud on TO the river.
| This would carry on all sewage east Of Eigh-
| teeuth street,
To furnish sewerage for the section W, Of
| Eighteenth street aud south of the diyluo I
| propose 10 build a sewer on Virginia avenue,
| from point near Rock Creek, at proper Gle
walton, through which TO conduct water by an
! aqueduct over Rock Creek from tho canal.