Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-01-17

reporter OF THE STAR found Mr.. p Sanford
Ross, the contractor OF the Potomac fats improve
m mt, at the Ebbitt last evening", resting from a
busy day occupied In experimenting the arrival OF
a part OF the "plant" to be used in the work and
securing place for their storage. When asked
what progress he was making In his work, he
said: "We have nearly our entire plant here now,
or viii hive in a short time. The engines the
rails and the pile-drIvers are here and the dredges
Will come as soon as the weather permits We
VIII have everything ready by the time we can go
to work"
"When will that bes" asked the reporter.
well, expect by the middle of February" was
thing While the river is frozen up or is likely to
be. When we begin we Will work quite rapidly, I
expect rst laying the trestle WORK over the mats
and the shore with the pile-drivers. The pile
drivers for the shore wlll Be on cars that win adj
vance as fast as the piles can be driven and the
Sleepers and rails laid down.
81 see that you have driven some piles already
out In the river opposite the foot Of 18th street,"
Yes" was the reply, " that is the beginning of
the pier which is to be built along the Georgetown
channel when the dredges can come up. The
pier IS farther out than where the actual filing in
Will begin, as we are 10 keep 100 feet away from
where 1t is proposed to build the sea wall. From
this pier we will build treStle work to the shore
In about a parallel line with the canal sewer,
keeping the filling the same distance for that as
pier Will receive the stuff from the dredges, and,
then running back. it will be dumped on each side
OF the track This trestle work will be about 5000
feet long. Branch tracks will be built as the work
progresses which will carry the material over the
flats nearly up to Easbys point. There will, sup
pose. be three or four miles Of trestle work built,
mated to be about 600 acres. between the
sewer canal and the Long bridge. The filling will
be Gone In the same way, only space being left for
two ponds, which it Is proposed to construct in
continuation OF the fish ponds already there Then
below the Long bridge pier will be built out in
the channel. nearly opposite the Arsenal point,
and railroad track run right down the center OF
the fats to the bridge. distance OF over $500
feet"
"Will you carry on the work both above and
below the bridge at the same timer" asked the
reporter:
have SIX dredges at work and the material will be
run out over the fats as fast as the cars can be
loaded: The present appropriation Will be suffi-
cient, suppose. to keep us at work until October"
"Nill the flats then show that anything has
been done?' asked the reporter.
Ine nillng won't make much OF a show proba-
oily above the bridge, but below. where all the ma
an area OF reclaimed land that will make great
show from the shore. But you must not expect
these flats to be filled up all at once. They
cover good deal o. ground, and require great
suppose the tide sweeps all this newly dumped
material back into the channel?" inquired the re-
porter.
But the tide won't do it," was the confident re-
ply. at is not strong enough and the current out
OF the chanIel Is very weak. If this was not the
case the sea wall would have to be built first and
the Killing dumped 10 afterward."
u suppose you will have to employ good many
men," continued the reporter.
"Well, we will have to have quite q large force,
put not so many as you would suppose" was the
response "There will be ten men fol each dredge.
about 30 carpenters and the same number Of
truckmen. Then there will be train hands and
others whom the necessity of the work will re-
qu1re We will have enough to carry on the work
with due rapfdity.'
Mr.. Ross said that he would soon open an Office
here and make this place his Headquarters