Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-08-09
Improvement of the Potomac River.
ANNUAL REPORT OF ENGINEER ALERT.

ANIMAL VI ENGINEER ALERT.
The annual report or Mr.. T. s. Albert who
has charge OF the Improvements along tRe Po-
t0mac river, states In reference to
THE WORK on THE HARBoRS
OF Washington and Georgetown that opera-
lions since ISL have been directed TO securing
ana maintaining nayigable channel through
that portion or the river known as the George
town channel, from near Giesboro point TO
Easty's point, 200 feet wide. and 16 feet deep at
low water; TO the removal OF rocks In George
town harbor; and, within the past year 70
securing channel along the Washington
wharves The amount expended TO June 80
1850, Is Sl6G, 1918, and has resulted IN securing
channel above the Long bridge 200 feet wide
and 70 ieet deep, completed In December. ISL.
Since then the channel was redredged twice the
last being completed In April lSs0 A channel
was cut through the bar near GieSboro point,
2hO feet wide and 16 feet deep. In 1875. The re-
moNal OF three dangerous rocks from George
town harbOr and the cutting or a channel along
the Washington wnaryeS 800 feet wide and u
feet deep (afterwaTd deepened 10 IS feet for q
width OF 80 feet next the wharyes), carried down
10 about MIDWAY OF the arsenal grounds was
completed in May last. Mr.. Albert states that
the $780, 600 designated for dredging the George
town channel In the act or March 3D. 1879 viii
not be drawn from the treasury until the cut
completed in April last shall have been filled by
freShetS. The appropriation OF $40. 900 granted
b. the last Congress will be applied TO widening
ana deepening the Washington channel and
removing remaining rocks In Georgetown har-
Dor. He recommends an appropriation OF SIS. 900
for The removal OF rocks In Georgetown harbor
Chesapeake a OHIO canal above Georgetown
An estimate for dredging winter harbor for
Washington and Georgetown IS submitted,
auour ting TO s2l4, ,OO0 and he thinks that an
annual appropriation OF not less than 100000
viii be necessary for the execution or the work
Els estimate for the entire completion OF the
work is S2S2. eco, OF which he thinks sl5S 600 can
be pTofltably expended for the fiscal year end
ing June 3Oth, 1882.
THE POTOMAC RIVER FLATS.
On this subject Col. AGeTt Says:-In a plan
TllQ linn
river hats the cost was estimated at 81 592 OO0
but be now believes that the details can be still
further modified The tiiing OF the flats below
the Long bridge viii not involve the de
trGctCn OF the Washington channel as it can
be kept open Ior navigation until the frontage
shall have been completed. IL can then either
be filed or widened and deepened, and kept
open as perpetual winter harbor and highway
to the Washington wharveS The earth eXca-
waited from The Washington and Georgetown
barbors has been deposited below Easily wharf
near the line OF the proposed bulk-head in ac-
cordance with the act or Dec. II, 1s72. All the
localities suitable for dumping grounds within
twenty three miles or the city are occupied by
fishermen or claimed by owners OF adjacent
property, who object TO their being used for
such purposes. The work upon the winter har-
Dor, II IL gives channel 400 feet wide and six
teen feet deep, viii neceSSitate the removal OF
GO, SO cubic yards OF material at an estimated
cost Of s2l4 Co., and IL widened 800 feet the cost
OF removal OF soil viii be ssls sos. The expense
VIII be even greater IL the material excavated
,umriDC scows cannot be used
BUSINESS OF THE PORTS.
Attached TO his report Is statement that at
rhe ports OF which Georgetown is the collection
d strict, collections for the fiscal year ending
june So 1S19 were 81 ,304. S. and for the eleven
NJ ~ b ending May 80 last were Sl2 63S 63. sta
tlsIics of trade 10y river OF Washington for the
ear ending June, 1850, show: Bituminous coal
eiyed, as, coo tons; anthracite coal received,
2Jo.CO0 tons: ice received. 100.O 900 tons; lumber
II oeVed 25 100000 feet; stone received, $4,000
tons; wood received, 25, 900 cords; oysters re-
crivt d, 2l5, coo bushels; miscellaneous merchan-
disc received 100000 tons
Statement OF commercial facilities fn 1860 and
lSS0, respectively:
1850. 1ss0.
rat OF v es employed 1ft Ito IS n.
Average depth OF water. I0rt. I5ft.
Number OF steamboats, en-
plOyeu-.. o lo
Number OF steamtugs en-
piOyeQ... ID
Capital invested In steam
boats. .................. $4,000 100000
Number OF wharves be-
tween the Long bridge
and the arsenal ...... Is
OF TIE CHANNEL AT MOUNT VERNON,
the report says the amount expended to June
30, 1885, Is S. 956 a. which has resulted In secur.
ing channel IS feet wide and 6 u feet deep from
the Potomac channel TO the wharf and a cfrcu-
lar turning basin at the wharf the same depth.
Toe appropriation OF 81 900 asked for Is TO be an
piled 10 widening the channel and enlarging the
turning basin.