Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-11-08
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
The Potomac River,

most wanted for commercial purposes will also
promote health In the highest degree The
means by which both objects can be most fully
secured are Nithal the most simple and most
economical, and are approved by all known
competent, practical engineers who have given
much attention TO these questions.
But in order to fully realize the Importance
CT these questions to the public. to secure the
greatest good to the greatest number, we must
not prefer merely local interest, or any private
schemes. to the public good For Instance
Georgetown must not strive to force all the Ship
ping of the river to her own limited wharves; OF,
Washington, lying below the Long Bridge; thus
leaving out the intermediate two-thirdS of the
City OF Washington, in which most OF the gov
eminent buildings are located; as unwisely pro-
yfded In the plan reported by the Board OF Sur
yey of 1872.
and deep channel, and that close along the
Washington side OF the river. along the entire
city front, including that OF Georgetown, sub
stantially as described by Mr.. A. L. Rives an ac-
compshed civil engineer, in his report OF 1857 in
\ which the location, width and form OF the chan
mel are essentially the same as appears more
fully in q plan and map of mine-printed by
Congress In 1873, in which the errors OF tha
board OF survey are also quite fully exposed
tSee Senate Mis-. doc No. %. 45th Congress, Sd
That line for the main channel would meet
the wants of all sections and of the whole Dis
trict equally well. 1t should have clear width
of about 900 feet at EaSbyS Point l, 800 feet at
the Long Bridge, and $500 feet below the june
ton OF the present Virginia channel and the
The wharveS along the Washington side
should be raised some two feet higher than the
greatest floods rise, for preventing the city be
ing Inundated. The parts OF the shore line
along the opposite side, for combining the chan
mel to the desired width, but not required for
wharfing purposes, should be raised to only
about two feet above the line of mean high
tiGeS. so that floods may readily flow over them
in thai direction and not endanger any part OF
tn city.
Some $500 feet in length of this work, to ex-
tend in asoutheasterly direction from the lower
enc Cf AnalOstan Island. should be built strong
enough to serve as a breakwater, for turning the
current strongly towards the Washington side
of tie river. This part would leave good foun-
datiCn on the point OF rock which there extends
th s OF the length ee Of the should be-
built; that is down to the present Virginia chan
mel; the other third to be added when the Wash
ington channel shall have been so well opened
that the Virginia channel may be abandoned
Between the eastern end of the completed
Sreakwater and the walls or wharves that may
be required below it. there should be an opening
lett OF some 200 feet width partly for present
navigation of light draft, but mainly for the
escape Of flood water But for these purposes,
that channel might be wholly closed to the
height OF two feet above the tide level, as the
main channel having the width named and
ample depth, would be sufficient for all COM
mercial and naval purposes and would answer
these purposes very much better than two chan
nelS OF half its width. And the cost OF keeping
one channel in good condition would be very
much less than i'll two. The force or the flowing
water would also act most effectively in keeping
a single channel Clear, and in preventing the
back now of the sewage after reaching the main
channel below the SYSTEMATICALLY the only
proper place near - city for the discharge OF
any sewage into the 16ser.
Unlike the Thames, with its very high tides at
London, the down flow of the Potomac prepon-
derateS so greatly over the low tides at Washing
ton that sewage once reaching a point where
the whole flow is confined to one channel, as
proposed to make 1t below the arsenal, it cannot
be, 1t is confidently believed, returned to any
part of the city front by the rising tides. If any
OF the sewage should be inclined to move up the
Eastern branch towards the navy yard. that
may be efectually prevented by means OF the
tidal basin along GtesborO and Poplar points, as
Indicated on the map accompanying plan No.
25 before referred TO. These obvious facts,
easily and surely atta1nable and at little cost,
are of incaculable importance in sanitary
point of view.
Several surveys have been made for ascertain
ing the depth of water in the river but none for
fully aScertaning the character of the material
composing its bottom. 1t is known, however,
that considerable rock would be encountered In
forming a complete channel along the Virginia
side; while none would be found along the line
OF the Washington channel, except at EaSbys
Point, part common to both channels, for the
removal OF which there is no immediate neceS-
sity, as there is great depth and sufficient width
outside OF the rock to answer present purposes.
Excepting the breakwater but little work
would be required along the Virginia side of the
Washington channel, until there shall be a ne
ceSsity for wharve5 only such piling and plank
ing. or other cheap devices as may be required
for holding the matter to be dredged from the
proposed main channel. The first work re-
Quired is partial opening OF the main channel
to width OF 100 feet, at uniform depth OF Is
feet, and building the first two-thirdS or the
length of the breakwater for directing the main
current of the river into this initial channel.
This DONE the current will so rapidly enlarge
the channel that by an expenditure of 5000
annually on dredging, in aid of the action OF tn
currents we shall in few years accomplish tn
full width and depth required. The cost of tn
FIRST part of the breakwater will be 500 900. Fo
dredging the initial channel 100000. Total,
1920, OG0
The bridge for connecting Analostan island
with the Virginia shore. now broken down. When
renewed should be built on piers. with arcned
openings between the piers for 1lood-water to
pass through. The bottoms OF these openings
should also be raised some two feet higher than
the mean tide level. The openings thus forming
spacious fiood-ways would have the effect OF
considerably reducing the height to which floods
would rise along the wharveS below them, as
Practical engineers will readily see that clos
ing the channel south of AnaloStan island. and
projecting the wharf at EaSby'S Point far out
into the river, are the main causes or so widely
dfTuSing the ordinary flow OF the river as TO
prevent its currents forming deep or perina-
nent channel along either side, or through any
part OF the river below them.
Equally plain is IL that il at the times these
disturbing changes were introduced the break
water now proposed had also been added this
would have gathered within its gently curved
line all the dfuSiye forces of the currents above
il. resolving them into one resulting How direct
ed towards the Washington shore, along which
il would have moved with concentrated energy,
slowly but surely forming deep, Wide and per
manent channel. Such as would have left no
necessity nor excuse for eXpending the large
sums that have for years past been wasted on
futile efforts to keep what is known as the Wiz
ginia and Georgetown channel In partially
nayigable condition.
II is hardly possible TO over-eSttmate the i'm
portance of the proposed breakwater. 1t would
form Part OF the first work required. While
the initial channel shall be dredged for conduct
ing the main current along the Washington
shore. the breakwater should be built at The
same time for turning the flow into it. Without
it. the narrow channel proposed by Mr. c. b.
Church, to extend on nearly the same line as
the initial channel, would be OF but little value.
as IL would soon be filled to nearly the present
condition OF that part OF the river.
In most OF the discussions in relation to i'm
proving the Potomac, the volume and force OF
its flow appear to have been very much under
estimated. For instance: The board OF survey
refer to the great flood OF 1852 as basis on which
to determine the capacity required in the chan
mel along the Virginia side, as proposed by them
selves Say the water at that time rose in the
Potomac at the arsenal four feet nine inches:
10000 feet further up stream, at the Aqueduct
bridge at Georgetown, ten feet; and II, 900 feet
still further up stream, at the Chain bridge. As
feet above mean high water Thus forming a
fall or surface slope in the length OF the lower
section of 5.25 feet, equal to $50 feet to the
mile In the upper section a fall Of SO feet equal
to a surface slope OF 9.95 feet to the mile