Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-08-04
Washington and Georgetown Har-
bOrH.
ANNUAL REPORT OF COL. ALERT.

bOrs.
ANNUAL REPORT OF COL. ALERT.
The annual report OF Col. s. T. Albert civil
engineer U. s. A., who has charge Of the work.
on the Washington and Georgetown harbors, is
somewhat similar to his report of last year.
dredging as stipulated in the act Of Congress
making an appropriation OF $4,000 for the i'm
provement OF the two harbors.
AS TO THE PERMANENT IMPROVEMENT OF THE
it is stated that 'in order that the channel to be
dredged may be rendered permanent, 1t is i'm
portant that a general plan Of improvement
should be adopted. and that its continuation
should be provided for by annual appropria-
t1ons sufficiently large to insure subSJantional
progress in the work. Three plans were dis
cussed by the Board of survey appointed by act
OF Congress- for the permanent Improvement OF
the harD0JS OF Washington and Georgetown.
First. That of single channel following the
Washington shore between Easoy's Point and
the ArSeH@. second. A channel following the
so called Virginia channel. Third. The reten-
tion OF both these channels-the Washington
channel to be employed as the main channel
as an outlet for the flOod-water, and the area
between to be reclaimed and raised above the
highest flood. The second of the above plans
can be executed at less cost than either OF the
others; it affords easier curves for the discharge
OF the water, and will require less expendi-
ture for the preservation of Its depth. The
work already executed for the relief OF naviga-
ton has been In accordance with this plan"
Instead of the execution OF this plan
COL. ALERT NOW PROPOSES
to limit the work to the essential features Of the
plan by confning the operations to the dredg-
ing OF channel following the course OF the Vir-
gtnfa channel between EaSby'S wharf and the
arsenal, and reclaiming the entire area between
the city front and the river channel, leaving
the question whether this area should be parked
or laid out In city lots for future consideration.
The Importance OF radical improvement OF the
river to the health and prosperity OF the city
cannot be disputed, and its early completion
will afford the only satisfactory solution to
questions relating to the sanitary condition OF
the city, to the relations Of labor and capital,
and to the much needed improvement OF trade
and navigation.
above and below the Long bridge have been
gradually ShOaling for many years. An area OF
more than 800 acres Is now left bare at every
low tide and the depth on the remainder is from
to feet, increasing towards the river channel.
There can be no doubt that the flats, with the
deposits in them, alternately exposed and cov-
cred by the tides, seriously affect the health of
the city; and sanitary, as we'll as commercial,
ment OF this nuisance. 'The Increasing popu-
lation of artisans and laborers requires an in-
crease OF the empl0ymentS which are indepen-
dent OF the annual appropriations of Congress,
and this desirable end can be best attained by
the improvement OF the facilities OF trade and
navigation, Which will open larger field of
employment for laborers and artisans
TRADE AND COMMERCE.
''The commerce of the port of GEORGETOWN re-
quireS wide and deep channel. TIE largest
shipments are those OF Cumberland coal brought
down by the Chesapeake and Ohio canal which
is sent to northern and eastern cities in sailing
vessels. A deep channel permits the use Of large
vessels and materially reduces the cost OF trans
portation. The statistics appended to this re-
port show fully the amount and character of the
trade OF this port"
THE FILLING OF THE FLATS.
"The material which it Is necessary to dredge
from the river IN order to secure Permanent
filling the fats, and can be deposited On them
at lower rate per cubic yard than material
from the shore, and will thus serve double
purpose. The height Of the filling should be
regulated by the height OF the highest freshet.
The average height OF the flood OF November S,
1877, between street and the Arsenal, was
Of ii feet would be ample If sufficiens Cross,
section Is maintained for the discharge OF the
river at high water"
SEWERAGE OF RECLAIMED GROUND
nosaon Ie o, 1ng 1h OF sne mats the dis
9Ure agt wi se
method would probably be to provide intercept
sVeT 1er avn an fNr Ib
to be provided with special sewers, aud. with
pumping stations near the river channel, which
viii raise and discharge the sewerage at such
levels as the stage Of water may require. For
the district now drained by the street sewer,
at the foot OF 18th street, the line suggested by
the board will probably be the most economi-
cal.
A perfect system of sewerage could be secured
for the low districts by placing pumping en-
gines, one on the new river front On the pro-
outlet Of James Greek canal, about half way
yard: At the present tim time one one pump pump
cient to drain the sewers at all stages Of the
water. When the channels have suf1cientIy
progressed some provision will also be necessary
for the construction Of bridge in the place OF
the present. Long Bridge with piers sunk to the
depth that the new channels will require, and
with spans and draw which will meet the re-
flats and washington channel between the
Long Bridge and the Arsenal will involve the
destruction OF the wharves along this part of
the city front: It will be necessary, therefore,
to keep the washington channel open for navl-
CATION until the new frontage shall have been
completed, when the riparian owners might be
granted an equivalent frontage and area OF
land upon the new and deeper channel. The
old channel could then be filed without detri-
ment to navigation"
AT AND ABOVE EAsBY's POINT,
the changes proposed for the reduction OF the
curvature OF the channel are of great import
aDce, "but as the excavation would be very ex-
pensive the work may be limited to the re-
moval OF Easily wharf and the rock near the
s1ons OF the new channel would be regulated by
the cross-section required for the discharge OF
the river at high-water."
THE GENERAL PLAN OF THE IMPROVEMENT
permanent improvement Of the harbors by the
dredging OF wide and deep channel and filling
the flats with the dredged material Col. Albert
submits with his report modified estimate
providing for the excavation OF a channel 20 feet
deep at low-water along the deeper portions Of
the river, and channel 10 feet deep adjacent.
following substantially the lines laid down by
the board OF survey. 1t Is proposed to conflne
the material dumped on the flats, by means OF
r1prapped slope, with protection of Sheet
piling at the l0W-water mark. as shown on the
plan accompanying this report. The cost Of
construction OF wharves would properly be suS-
tanned by the riparian owners.
The channel above proposed will provide for
loW-Water sectional area at that part of the
river where the bar now forms about 80 900
square feet. being somewhat greater than the
present lOw-water section between the Aaue-
duct and the Long Bridge. The width OF the
liver 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 Long Bridge
THE ESTIMATED COST OF THE WORK
now proposed as the project for the improve
ment OF the Washington and Georgetown har-
bOls Is as follows:
IA 100000 cubic yards dredging, at Is
$4,000 feet of slope protection, at S. 92 900
Cr1b work, &C., at east end Long