Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-10

"
valley, viva flow into 1t. That truth IS equally
plain with theuther in this connection and both
are fncontrovertible. The dyke and the mole
below w., the Ii6er wiz cut OF the current from %
the street sewer canal wide open to receive
them and usher the Potomac into Pennsylvania
avenue, and in very few hours the current
admit at least one-third Of its flood
waters, through the heart OF the city, into the
Anacostia. Picture to your mind the scene ON
in the river the night preceding, the general
average which the muddy waters would pro-
duce, among the silks, satin, yelvets, and
fabrics s6 Of tine so h smSag on the ea
and chemicals, the jewelry, gold, and silver
ware; and the numberless other products OF re-
fined civilization to be found In the stores! All
would be reduced to a glorious confusion OF
equality, while the dilutiOn Of the "fire water ~
In the drinking saloons would reduce them to
so low a temperature that the most pronounced
out fear of inebriation; and the fashionable peo-
pie of the city, too, with the senators and mem
bers the army of strangers, and citizens In easy
circumstances, as they all moved down from
their residences, which are principally west of
the Capitol and north Of the Avenue would find
themselves on approaching the "Appian Way :"
confronted by stream OF turbid water, cutting
on their approach to the national legislative
halls, perhaps on day when some exciting
question was to be considered, and upon which
some man OF national fame was expected to en-
Ties On the brink OF the stream OF muddy water.
their attitude and facial expression, their seriC-
comic ensemble, would present series OF tab.
leaux that would eclipse the highest efforts OF
the Imagination OF an Hogarth, While the Ora
cious mes.' OF the ladies, the 50 Bless my Sours!'
OF the reverend lobbyists, the decorous objur-
cations of the grave senators and judges. and
he emphatic " cuSS words of the yOun ger and
less reverent members of the House would fur
nish a vocabulary OF eXpletiyeS which would be
an infallible index to every emotion of the mind
having their origin in surprise, perpleXity, be-
trayed confidence and indignation. And after
the subsistence of the waters, what a ''meSs" of
river mud would be left on the smooth streets
and footways a Shiny and nauseous deposit, to
remove, which in time to avert an epidemic,
would tax the energy of the health department
to its utmost tension. And the fair promena-
der, though distance lend encha ntment to the
view," would scarcely feel compensated for the
labor and disgust of walking through it, by sight
OF the far off groves and gardens in "Kidwell's
Meadows which the gallant major has doubt
might meet the irritated citizens and Congress
Sional committee with unflnching nerve, but
he must flee before the indignant glances Of the
fair descendants of old mother Eve, when Penn
sylvania avenue, their splendid promenade, will
have been reduced to the Shiny condition of
Water street by his engineering experiments in
direct antagonism to the laws OF nature: by de-
stroying the defences which she has placed on
the banks of the Potomac for its protection.
Now, come Mr.. Editor to the top OF Observatory
Hill, and from that elevation look at the POto-
q
veals to your eyes the curves Of the river ar
ranged by nature to afford easy and free pas
sage TO descending floods without injury to its
banks or their surroundings; looking down the
stream your eyereStS upon the causeway Of the
Pc tomac bridge with which the folly of past gen.
Grafton has Obstructed its course. Look up the
stream, and you observe that the natural curves
of the river above Windmill point are In har-
mony with those below it. and demonstrate the
law of compensation, which marks all the ar
range ments of nature; the sharp turn Of the
current at the eastern boundary of Georgetown
is balanced by the sharp turn at Windmill
point, and impinging against the southern end
of Analostan island it makes long and grace
full sweep through the wide basin below the
island. to the foot of Maryland avenue, spread
ing out its waters over the wide surface above
the bridge and falling below the valley of the
Tiber, and which, but for the obstruction Of the
causeway, would pass on without damage to
and with the bulk of the aluvium
which they hold in solution, and which Is now
deposited in the bed OF the river.
Now look at the peculiar topography OF that
change In the course Of the river. Your position
on the hill commands good view. You observe
that from the foot OF 21st street as far up as the
eye can reach, the bank of the river rises above
the highest floods, anda few hundred feet below
21st street you see the mouth Of the Tlber, the
to the low valley extending through
the city, and nearly to the level Of which the
northwest the terrible yet majestic
mountain wave of the Potomac advancing upon
the city with a speed of fifteen miles an hour.
Its crest is laden with icebergs, trunks Of huge
trees wrecks of houses and bridges. 1t dashes
upon the river bank at II street. which Sustains
and repelS the shock, when almost "like thing
concentrate their powers and rush with impetu-
GUS velocity towards the mouth of the Tiber
entering which the whole valley must be del
uged. Look, now. at the base OF the hill upon
which you are Standing-your eye rests upon
point. Natures defence OF the valley
Of the 11ber is arresttng the flood in its freHZied
career, hurls the maddened waters against An
aloStan island; their destructive energies are
exhausted, and falling by their own gravity into
the wide basin below the island, pass harm
leSsly on to the sea, and the valley Is saved
from tnundation.
RESTORE THE ORIGINAL CHANNEL.
Now, spread before you, the map of Mr..
Rives observe how very nearly he has deln-
Gated the original channel, shown clearly to
your view by the course of the current passing
before your eyes; refer to his report OF the
taken In the survey OF 1851, and you
will be ready to endorse the conclusion at which
a very great majority OF the scientific and prac-
teal men, who have studied the subject have
arrived: That the easiest, cheapest and only
effectual way to improve the river front will b.
to remove the causeway Of the Potomac bridge
and restore the original channel, upon which,
with the exception OF a small sum last summer
On that part OF 1t below the bridge, not dOllor
has been expended. while large sums have been
wasted in vain attempts to create permanent
channel in the narrow outlet for the waters, cut
by the great ice freShet In ISL The accumu-
lated deposits of century have filled the bed
OF the original channel with soft mud; there is
no hard substance to be eXcavated, and 1t can
be opened at less cost and in less time than
would be required to cut off Windmill Point
alone, without considering the magnltude OF
the remainder OF the work contemplated by the
plan of the board Of survey or that of Major
Away, then, with the causeway now
moleS which Will further embarraSS the flow of
a noble river, restore the channel which nature
had provided from the beginning OF the post
diluvian world for the outlet OF the flood waters
OF the Potomac and the Shenandoah to the sea,
and the problem of the reclamation of the
flats" viii be solved the harbOr OF Washington
and the easy passage of the largest
shil S secured through an unrestricted channel
filled with pure water along the whole front OF
the city, and "bulkheaded" from Windmill
Point across the mouth Of the Tiber to the foot
OF Maryland avenue, the metropolis will be re-
lfeyed from the presence OF a pestilenttal marsh,
and all at cost OF less than one million dollars
sum, which compared with the great and lasting
benefits, It's expenditure for those objects will
confer, not only upon the people OF Washing
pie of the states, who are annually called by
business or pleasure to the capital of the nation,
sinks into insigniicance.
An eminent military engineer has elOQuently
and truthfully said: mature brooks NO attempt
TO control her in her course, or to destroy her
laws, which must be obeyed." Disregard of her
laws has rendered the harbor of Washington
to the rich commerce OF the old
world, and has covered iG with a malignant
swamp. Let us beware how we provoke the
wrath of the venerable dame ,disobedience In the