The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1882-08-04
THE HARB0RS
OF WASHINGTON s. GEORGETOWN.

the Engineer Department by Col
OneI Abert-HistOry of tho HarbOr
Improyem cnts-- Official Statement |
of what WINS Done the Inst Fiscal
Yenr-The Dredging Operations
Recommendations ana Estimates
For Next Year.
The following report and history OF harbor
improvements for Washington and George
town has been made to General Wright, Chief
OF the Engineer Corps, by Mr.. s. II. Albert, U.
s. Civil Engineer, for tho fiscal year Just
closed
Tho Improvement Of tho harbors at wash
ington and Georgetown, District OF Columbia,
comprising that part OF tho Potomac River
along tho water front OF the cities abovemen-
toned, was definitely commenced under the
direction OF the Chief OF Engineers July IL,
1870, when an appropriation of $4,000 was
mado for the improvement OF tho Potomac
River between tho Long Bridge and the city of
Georgetown. This appropriation was expended
in dredging n channel 200 feet Wide and Is
feet deep at low water, through the bar which
has existed for n long period and formed tho
principal obstruction TO navigation Tho chan
mel was completed in December, 1871, the I'm.
provements having been in the charge of
Major N. Mlchler, Corps of Englnoers, until
Major W. p. Craighill, Corps of Engineers.
BY act OF Congress approved March D, 1872,
board, OF survey , was created IN order to pre-.
OF washington and Georgetown harbors.
The Plan Recommended
by this board providing for tho reclamation OF
the Potomac flats, deepening and Widening
the Virginia channel and tho correction OF tho
curvature of the river, has boon fully described
in previous annual reports, and Will be found
at length in Senate Mis-. Doc. No. 10, Forty
second Session. Congress mover sanctioned
this plan.
on March Q, 1873, an appropriation of $780,
600 was made for dredging the virginia chan.
nal lint xyn a mi n nand nd
In the River and Harbor act OF juno %, 1874,
It was provided that this appropriation DO APP
| that tho oxcayated material be deposited SO
as to conform to the plan Of the Board Of Sur
vey;
| During the fiscal year ending June 80, 1875,
channel 200 feet wide and 10 feet deep at
boro' Point The balance OF the appropriation
Georgetown S i IN 1915 BY hired labor.
The high freshet which occurred November
90, 1877, resulted in large deposits Of sedi-
| water on the bar below Easby's point.
| The River and Harbor act OF juno 1S, 1873,
appropriated $4,000 for the continuation OF
tho Improvement, $4,000 to be expended on
the Washington channel and $4,000 on the
Georgetown channel. The contractors failed
and their contract was annulled, their BuretieB
| also having failed to do the work.
| The dredging was relet January 8, 1870, and
under the new contract q channel was dredged
200 feet and depth Of IL to Is feet at low w
| water, extending from point near the Long
Bridge TO the upper end Of the Arsenal
| grounds. This was completed July o, 1870.
Under the same contract channel 200 feet
wide and sixteen feot deep at low water was
af
was completed April ID, 1880.
Tho River and Harbor act, approved March
prove ment, 100000 of which was directed to
BIO expended in the Washington channel be-
low the Long Bridge, and $4,000 In George
As the Georgetown channel was completed
| to the dimensions above named under the
o. inv was %
1870 designated for Georgetown harbor and
channel until the depth over the bar had been
Under that portion of the appropriation for
1870 designated for Washington channel, the
channel for width OF 75 feet next the
| wharves was doepened TO 10 feet at low water.
The River and Harbor act Of juno ID, 1880,
appropriated 5000 for continuing tho i'm.
provsments including the rem9yal t e. rocks
prepared for dredging the Washington chan.
mel, and with view to subsequently deciding
upon the disposition Of the dredged material,
proposals were invited by public advertise
ment for depositlng It at either OF two locali-
ties, designated respectively as Harbor fats
and Potomac flats. By the first was meant
that portion of the river Immediately below
the Long Bridge and between tho two naviga-
| Dl0 CnaunelS. by the second was meant any
locality below the city sufficiently removed
from the channel and otherwise suitable for
dumping, which the bidder might be able to
| find.
This contract was afterward annulled, DO.
cause the contractor could not ind dumping
| grounds for the purpose.
flcations for the work with tho combined
funds OF the two appropriations, 1880 and
1881. From the former r. Of these np Pr0
| been reserved for the work In Georgetown har
Dor and channel.
Work of the Past Fiscal Year-Wasi.
ingtOn Channel.
Under date OF June o, 1881, proposals were
invited for dredging In tho washington chan
mel between the northeast end OF tho Long
Bridge and Greenleaf's Point, United States
| Arsenal.
The contract was awarded to the National
Dredging Company, Of Washington, at the
rate OF % cents per cubic yard and articles Of
agreement entered into July 30, 1881.
The Contract Provided
for dredging the Washington channel to
200 feet, or "a much thereof as the funds
would admit the material to BIO deposited on
Long Bridge, and ut such distance from the
Washington wharves that whom permitted u
take It's natural slopes, the foot OF the slope
than 300 feet from tho Washington wharyos
and the foot Of the slope next the Yirginit
, channel not more that 2,ooo rect from TINT
l
, The Washington channel at this time wa
200 feet wide and from IL to 10 feet deep, OK
| cept for q width OF rs feet next the wharves
, where the depth was 10 feet.
The contractors decided to deposit the ma
| terial by means OF q tramway and cars, drawn
| by small locomotives. This tramway wa
| built southeast OF tho causeway OF tho Lonl
Bridge, its sasterly end being 400 feet from
the causeway, and the westerly end 100 fee
| from tho causeway. Its length was at frs
: 1,1SO feet, but in April, 1882, 1t was EXTENDED
about 200 feet, making the total length 1,3S'
, | feet.
) whom built the height of the tramway was
feet above low water at the northeast end
| with q grade Of four inches TO 100 feet.
Having completed the necessary prepare
0 | lions for the deposit OF the material, the con
, tractors commenced active operations on De
cember B, 1881. The dredging was com
mcnced at the upper end OF the Washing
ion channel, near the Long Bridge. Tn,
material was then hauled out to the proper
/, point on the tramway and dumped, the ma
| terial flowing over the flats.
Tho disposition OF material was contiuei
! | during tho day and night, In order to keep tn
J. basin, which was IL feet Deep FREQ for us
q | during the following day. The work at nigh
| was carried on by tho aid OF electric lights
| furnished by the United States Electric Ligh
a | Company. II was found that this light cause,
I | the workmen somo trouble by reason OF 1t
Injurious action ON the eyes, and 1t is belleye'
0 | that three locomotive headlights would hay
been less expensive and more efficient.
l. During the progress OF the work, the oil
1 - t.l.n Nnnt Iant.