Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-08-02
RIVER IMPROVEMENT
Report Of Major Peter c. Hains.

Aeo A1-'A
Report Of Major Peter c. Hains.
OBJECT OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ArPRorR1 ALTON
METHOD OF CARRYING ON THE woRK-DREDGING
THE CHANNEL-FILLING THE FLATs-REMOyAL OR
REBUILDING OF THE LONG BRIDGE RECOMMENDED
THE ROCKS IN GEORGETOWN HARBOR-THE ANA
LOSTAE CAUSEwAY.
Major Peter c. Hams to-day submitted his re-
port on the improvement OF the Potomac river to
the chief engineer. He gives detailed history of
the various attempts made to improve the river
coming down to the present plan now being car
red out In speaking Of the condition OF the river
the report states that the Long bridge has done
great deal in promoting the rapid growth Of the
Potomac flats, but 1t was the original cause OF
their formation. The causeway was built because
the flats were there, and it was supposed to tend
to deepen the channel
THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE RIVER NOW IN PROGRESS.
The report states that instead of discharging
through the two channels at Long bridge, the
water Will be concentrated In one and the area of
than that OF the two combined. The velocity OF
flow would be increased on account OF the greater
depth, and the surface OF the water a0ove will be
lowered. The area OF discharge at and near the
Long bridge will be increased, rather than dimln-
1Shed, though the Washington channel be close d..
This will be done by deepening the river, and at
the same time cutting of portion OF AleXander'S
Island at the south end OF the Long bridge con-
sequently, there will be less damage done by
lNOuS tndu ueTetOIOTe
REMOVAL OR REBUILDING OF THE LONG BRIDE RECON-
MENDED.
Major Hams recommends that the Long bridge
be removed altogether or rebuilt on a less
Objectionable plfI. This latter would be wide
spans upon piers that would offer the least possi-
BILE obstruction. The Virginia abutment extends
too far out into the river and should be removed
and the bridge carried on piers for distance OF
about four hundred feet on the Virginia side
At the same time portion of
A1py1n6prt yyb h,,frp toto a,
should De removed Another great objection to
the present bridge is the large quantity OF rprap
sents formidable obstruction to the flow Of
water. II the land to be reclaimed above and be-
low the site of the causeWay be converted into q
park it is essential that the railroad should cross
1t on an elevated track sufficiently high to allow
vehicles to pass under The estimated cost OF q
suitable structure will not be much less than
Sl,5OO,OOO
THE OBJECT OF THE APPROPRIATION
made for the improvement Of the Potomac was,
the report states, threefold-the Improvement Of
navigation, the establishmens OF the harbor and
the raising OF the flats To accomplish the'most
with the money available ss0JOOo was devoted to
feet deep at low tide, for the deep water near
Easby's Point to the deep water off Giesboro'
Point. THIS would give navigable channel for
the accommodation of the largest vessels. The
total area OF flats to be reclaimed is about $50
acres, of which about 127 will be occupied by
lakes.
could not be brought above without greatly in
creasng the cost. The distance from the place Of
dredging to the place Of deposit being more than
tH1ening the nearest place Of deposit
drawn with that view, ana advertisements pub
l1Shed In number OF the principal papers inviting
for the work
THE METHOD OF DOING THE WORK
was left to the contractor, who was also required
m fotn tynb
while it was not intended to restrict him in the
means employed, they were req ulred to be such as
would satisfy the engineer that they were adapted
to the work.
with the approval of yourself and the honorable
lowest responsible bidder Mr.. Ross entered d i'm i'm
mediately on the execution OF the work."
The report then gives description of the method
OF carrying on the work, WHICH has been printed
before In THE STAR. In order to deposit the ma
teIial on % section Ion railroad was started from
protection and 400 feet west OF the sewer canal.
The specifications require that the foot of
the slope which the material takes when deposited
shall not be less than 100 feet from the sewer
canal. This was necessary precaution, In order
to prevent the filling up OF the channel and the
from the great sewer that pour its contents into
the river at the foot OF 17th Street. 1t is
expected that the railroads already built or in
tribution of about 100000 cubic yards OF
material, which will cover about one hum
six feet Other railroads will be built ps as the he
space between the lines now becomes filled up.
The railroads OF section are stocked with twenty
cars OF Ten yards capacity and one eighteen-ton
locomotive. A force pump was put on to facilitate
the flow of material and cause 1t to spread out.
Two dredges were put On In April on the channel
above Long bridge, one an Osgoods improved Dip
per dredge, the other clamshelL The capacity
OF the dipper is about two cubic yards; that OF
the clamshell about four and half cubic yards.
breakages OF machinery, and has thus far accom-
plished but little work. The other has done fair
work; nevertheless, much time has been lost by
The total amount OF material deposited on the
flats Gus IN section | up to and including June 80,
s was ne9us i9 cubic yards inclusive OF
dredging company.
THE WORK BELOW THE LONG BRIDGE
Is carried on In similar manner to that above
the bridge. About $4,000 cubic yards has been de-
posted In section III. Total amount deposited on
the flats up to June 80, 1885, about 200 600 cubic
yards About 1900 llneal feet Of railroad has
been built The road is substantially built on
piles, many OF them being from 60 to 20 feet in
length: few less than 50. The rolling stock is
the work, four OF which are new. The dumping
scows nve in number, nave proved to be too large
for handy work. They are from 800 to 600 cubic
proaches to the receiving basins is too shallow to
allow OF their being loaded to their full capacity
Better progress could be made With q greater
number OF smaller scOws. IC Is hoped that the
contractor will soon see the necessity OF increaS-
1rg his plant at work In the channel The average
daily amount OF work done ought then to be not
less than 5000 cubic yards
THE STONE WORK.
Simultaneous with the work OF dredging the
channel and filling the fats. the TO- ndation for
the slope revetment or wall has been carried on.
The foundation OF rlp-rap placed In a mattress of
brush VIII form sufficient foundation, tt at some
future time solid wall should be erected. At the
present time about 5000 lneal feet OF trench has
been finished and about One-third OF the yidge be-
tween the trench and the five foot curve.
THE SEWER CANAL.
The attention OF Congress should be called to
the necessity OF taking prompt measures to con-
struct retaining walls through 1t. The canal Is
now about 5000 feet long, but when the flats are
filled In it viii be 3,430 feet Unless retaining
walls are built the material used In filling the flats
Will have to be kept at a distance from the
canal, or else it will be choked up. Major
Hams thinks that the work OF building
to the sewer canal. This canal covers the flats
from the foot OF 18th street. but 1t Is merely
Shallow ditch, about sixty feet wide, with no re-
talnlng wallis OF any kind. The mud bank on each
SIDE has nat slope, supporting growth OF vege-
tatlon that impedeS the flow OF the sewerage.
These walls should be done by the government.
He submits an estimate for the cost for pair of
walls OF solid concrete, built on pile and grlage
foundations, which reaches e998.1A The cost per
tended, according to the present cost, will be
ahOnt HrR "a nar foot