Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-09
POTOMAC FLATS AND WASHING
TON AQUEDgCT.
Annual Report Of Gen. Wright.
THE WORK DONE AND TO BE DONE.

annual Report Of Gen. Wright.
THE WORK DONE AND TO BE DONE
In treating Of the subject Of river and harhor i'm
proFenentS Gen. Wright, chief of the engineers, L
S.A.. says, in relation to the Potomac river i'm
provelnents, that the amount Of expenditures for
the fiscal year for improving the harbors was
ll,9ci.Sl and the total amount eNpended I'D TO
June 80, 1889, Was s2i6 29l $50 These expenditures
have resulted in securing in the approaches to
Georgetown a navigable channel from Is to - feet
deep and 200 feet wide.a channel to the wharyeS
along the Washington front IS TO 16 feet deep and
100 feet wide. The Improvements now in progress
under the appropriation for filling the Potom ac
flats VIII give a naygable channel up to George
town OF 20 feet at low tide. There is available for
the Improvement OF the harborS q Washington
and Georgetown the sum of Si5f a3.,9 OF this
amount II Is proposed to apply s4l to the re-
mova OF rocks that ohStruct navigation in George
town hafb0r. rServing S44lS.10 available for Wash
lngton harbor for such contingencies as may arise
lhere are ether rocks in Georgetown harbor that
are an obstacle to navgation and will become a
more serious obstruction when vessels of deeper
dr1ught seek this port for freight To remove them
VIII require an additional appropriation of s6oeoo
tne damaged callSeWay between Anal0Stan Island
and the Virginia shore, and replacing it by da,n
reaching to the level OF high water.
FILLING THE FLATS.
The expenditures for the improvement OF the
Potomac flats thus far has resulted in opening
partially completed channel 20 feet deep at low
tide. which is to be made 400 feet wide: in covering
not less than about 30 OF marsh land with the
material taken from the channel, reclaiming that
area from overflow and in getting proper plant and
machinery on the WORK for its future prosecution.
The amount of land reclaimed thus far represents
but small fraction of the actual outlay made TO
get the work started.
About 10000 lneal feet OF railway has been built
on the flats, stocked with two 1S-ton locomotives
ana forty cars of 10 cubic yards capacity each Five
dredgeS nave been put on the work; four OF them
iar'- r new ones OF the most approved pattern and of
iarge lar thpacly: others are to be added. The work
up 10 the present time has not progressed as rapdy
as was expected owing to delays attending the
use OF new machinery and from other causes. but it
Is now In condition favorable for rapid pr,lSpcll-
ton. The foundation for about 1900 feet of slope
wall has been built, and about 1000 more partially
The amount available for the fiscal wear ending
June 30 1874 Is 3f659017, all Of which is needed to
meet liabilities already contracted for There is
practically nothing available for commencing addi-
t1Onal work. which could be done if funds were
available for the purpose. With the money now
available it is proposed to complete channel some
what less than 400 feet wide and 20 feet deep from
Georgetown to GesbOro' Point. fill about 14O acres
OF the fats build about 1900 linear feet of embank-
ment 30 eet wide on top along the line OF the outer
edge Of the fl and face it with protection of rim
rap.
THE ESTIMATED COST OF THE WORK,
according TO the existing project is g, 500 This
does not include the cost OF building retaining
walls to the sewer canal the foot of 18th street.
Provision should be made for the construction of
work of filling the fats in the immediate vicinity
OF the sewer canal cannot be properly executed
unlll they are built 1t is estimated that these
walls VIII cost s2tS.144 At least 81 100000 could be
prohtabiy expended during the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1885. for continuing the Improvement in
accordance with the existing project including the
building OF inlet and outlet Suce gates. This is in
addition TO the amount required for building walls
TO the sewer canal.
THE LONG BRIDGE.
1t Is OF the utmost Importance that the cauSeway
n Of Ia,
that the bridge be carried treste or piers for
distance OF 400 to 500 feet in order that portion of
AleXnders island may be cut off depth of about
. ite III TINS cauSeWay should remain as it now is
ana the Washington channel be closed, the sec
t1onal area OF the river Will be too small at the
bridge to discharge the fioOd-waterS in times OF
lrtsnets IN consequence of which damage may re-
Suit 10 private property well the bridge itself
II the flOOd-WaterS OF the Washington channel be
added to that OF the Georgetown channel, the
capacity OF the latter must be Increased. A new
bridge will be necessary at no distant day but with
the cauSeWay on AieXanderS island removed, the
present one will serve its purposes until the flats
are led in and it is decided what disposition is to
be made OF the land reclaimed
The amount recommended for the fiscal year end
ing June 30th 1885, is 81 ,0O0,G00.
THE WASHINGTON AQUEDUCT.
For the maintenance and repairs of the Washing
ton aqueduct So 600 is recommended This is 600
In excess OF the annual appropriations for the past
five years. which is sufficient only for maintenance
and ordinary repairs; but it is necessary to construct
an overall at the receiving reservoir in order to
carry the waste water over the conduit. and up to
the present time the amounts appropriated have
not been sufficient to afford means for this purpose.
1t is proposed to apply this extra $1,000 to that OBJ
Ject For increasing the water supply OF the Dis
tlct no additional appropriation is asked for 1885
The amount available June 3O1SS3was 81 47O,105 Oh.
For erecting tish-ways Great Falls no additional
is asked. The amount available June
~, 1883, was $40, 1922 67.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS
Attention is called to the recommendations Of
Col Rockwell for the improvement and care OF
public buildings and grounds. His estimates amount
to s21G,g60.