The Evening critic., 1882-03-02
OUR RIVER FRONT.
PLANS FOR IT'S IMPROVEMENT.
Report of the Board Of Engineers on
the subject Recommendation of
col. Albert and Major Twinipg -Cost
of the Proposed improvements
The Flats to he Reclaimed.

the Recommends of
Col. Albert and Major TwiniDg-Cos
OF the Proposed Impr0vcu ents-
The Flats TO he Reclaimed.
The board Of officers Of the Corps OF Engi
neers, appointed "to consider tho report upon
the plans and estimates for the lmprovcme mt
OF navigation Of the Potomac River in the
vicinity Of Washington, D. g., the raising OF
the fats In front OF the city and the establish.
ment Of the harbor lines,' have made their
preliminary report to Gen. wright, Chief of
Engineers, U. 8. A. The board hal before 1t
for consideration the plans OF Col. s. T. Albert,
Major william j. Twinlng, those considered by
the Board of Survey, constituted by act OF Con-
gress, approved March 5, 1872, and another
plan which contemplated the reclamation Of
OF the areas which are proposed 10 be re-
claimed in the plans OF Major Twinng and
Col. Albert but instead of doing 1t by 1lling,
use the method adopted In Holland, by build
Ing dikes. The board reports that Il is OF
opinion that an improvement which shall
combine substantially and In It's essential
features the harbor and shore lines Of Mr..
Abert's plan from Easbys Point to the Arsenal
nnd the low-grade nlling and surrounding
embankment OF that plan below the Long
Bridge with a cheaper revetment than he pro-
poses with Major Twinlngs high-grade filling
and sluicing ponds between the Long Bridge
and Easby's Point, offers a
Better solution
improvement of navigation, the establishment
OF the harbor lines, and the reclamation OF the
fats than any Of the other projects or comblna
tions OF projects TINT have been considered. IL
Is regarded as necessary TO the proper execu-
tion Of this plan, as thus defined, that the
channel depths In both Washington and
George harbors should be sufficient to
accommodate the largest draft that can be
brought up to Arsenal Point, with such addl-
receive % their fuii careoes without grounding @ at
low water that the filling over the flats above
the Long Bridge, as well as the crest of tho sur
rounding embankment below, should be car
ried up to height of three feet above the
food slope Of 1877; that the flushing ponds
should not be less than eight feet deep and be
provided with inlet and outlet gates OF ample
dimensions automatically arranged for 1ling
the ponds from the Georgetown channel to the
level of high water, and emptying them into
The wathinGtOn Channel
TO the level of low water during each oscilla-
tion of the tides. that an ample system of
drainage for the reclaimed areas be provided;
that all sewage now discharglng into the
Washington chanel should be intercepted aud
conveyed away TO the James Creek Canal east
of the Arsenal; and that the Long Bridge shall
be rebuilt at an early period during the pro
gress of the improvements with Wide spans
upon piers Offering the least possible
ObstructiOn 10 the Flow Of Water.
The board recommends the adoption OF this
plan OF Improvement, with such notifications
OF details to be submitted in future report as
a further study of the subject may suggest as
advantageous or expedlent. 1t is estimated
that the
Cost OF the Improvement
as recommended, win be about s2,500,0oo.
1t Is desirable that an appropriation OF not
less than $1,0O0,O00 should be made in
one sum. The board recognize the
principle that the area of the tidal compact
ment of stream should be diminished as
little possible in any project designed solely
or mainly for the improvement of the channel.
In the case under consideration other interests
than those connected with navigation ore to be
subserved, the reclamation OF the flats with
the consequent reduction of the capacity of the
tidal basin being one of the leading objects to
The mischief, If any shall issue from non
conformity to wellestablished law, will not
1t is thought, be serious, and VIII be felt IL at
all below the Arsenal and not at the side OF the
| works. The board have had the opportunity
to examine the interesting report OF Col.
| George G. Waring, jr., to the officer in charge
| OF the public buildings and grounds dated No
| vember 26, 1881, concerning an examination
made by the former of the sanitary condition
| Of the Executive Mansion in August, 1881.
The plans of Mr.. Albert and Major Twining
referred TO above, are rs follows:
| Col. Abert's Plans.
| Plans proposed by Mr.. S. Il. Albert, United
| line may be thus described: From short dis
| tance below Easby's Point the main or George
town channel to be deepened by dredging
down to the deep water OF Geisboro' Point,
the material so removed to be deposited on
| the flats above and below the Long Bridge,
cutting off all communication of water be-
| tween the upper end of the Washington chan
| mel and the
Georgetown Channel Above the
Long Bridge.
This deeper channel is TO include the line OF
| mid-area and mid-volume, as shown on Mr.
| Aberts map, and described at length in his re-
| port, but less curved in direction. The Washing
| ton channel below the Long Bridge Is TO be re-
| tanned and To be widened and also deepenei to
20 feet at low water, the material removed
| therefrom TO be deposited upon the flats. A
| basin, about thirty. three-and-a-half acres, is
| provided above the Long Bridge, with depth
OF ten feet for a wood harbor, &C, and for the
| smaller class of vessels.
The main channel, in It's dimensions OF
| width and depth, Is 50 planned that the ma
| terial necessary for the filling shall be pro.
| yided from the excavation, and that the sec
tional areas below the levels of low tide
| high tide and freshet level ten feet above
| low water shall not be less than 25,000 80,
S75 and $4,000 square feet respectively, foi
reasons set forth in full in his report 70 the
Chief of Engineers, dated January II, 1882
The line bounding tho area upon which the
dredged channel Is TO be deposited comes al
| most out 10 the edge of the deep
Channel Just Below Ensby's Point
recedes therefrom till at two-thrds the dis
tancc TO the Long Bridge II is one Thousand
feet distance, then approaching thereto Il
comes nearly out TO the edge of the deep chan
mel at the lower end of the reclaimed area
This channel does notcut into either AnalostaI
Island or Easbys Point, or into Gravelly's
Point, except taking on about four HUNDRED
feet OF the point on which the conservatory
| rests. No change Of The location of the Ions
| Bridge is contemplated by this plan. The hai'
| Dor lines proposed are set forth in detail IL
| Mr.. Aberts report.
The reclaimed area VIII project about 5000
| feet below the Arsenal, or Greenleafs Point to
| ward Geisboro Point. The area of flats re
| claimed is G04 acres. With this general out
| line as a basis, the plans presented by hin
| vary in detail. As 90 depth of the main chan
mel, the alternate depths of twenty-five ant
twenty feeta presented, with a preferenc,
for the latter depth widening on the bottom a
| II progresses down the stream. Different pro
| jects are presented for the
Details OF the Arrangements of tn,
Reclaimed Area.
First. The area to be inclosed by n DIR,
masonry wall resting on piles retaining til
| deposited material which ia filled TO Tn
| height OF six feet, above low water three fee
| above ordinary high tide). This wall forms tn
| bulkhead line. This surface OF six feet heigh
| above low tide Is 10 be inclosed by au embank
ment of such height as 10 exclude froshets
and placed at a distance fifty feet from tn
bulkhead line. The area within the embanE
| ment is 10 be drained by pipe furnished wit
The bulkhead will form the base froI
which the wharves ana piers are 10 be con
| siructed. Mr.. Albert estimates the cost OF thi
| project at S2,27l, isO.
second-The area 20 be filled to the genera
height Of six feet above tide as before, protecte
| ON the water side by slope OF riprap suppOrte
| by footing Of stone, but without an embanl
ment To exclude freshets, which would at II
| terYals submerge this area. To assist In PR
, | tecting the city against floods an embankmen
| Is proposed from Eighteenth street ID Mont
cost 81, ,S0l ,ls3. Mr.. Aberts report and draw
| fnR sllgnest notifications of these two plau