National Republican., 1883-08-03
THE POTOMAC RIVER.
Report Of Maj. P. G. Hams, in Charge Of the
Work Of Improvement
Interesting History Of the River in the
Vicinity Of This City
What Work Has Already Been Done and What is
Proposed in The Future
The Long Bridge should re Removed or
RebuIIt--Other Recommendations.


ment of the Potomac river i'll tho vicinity of
Washington, Mai Hams furnishes lengthy
history of the Potomac in the vicinity of this
city. Tho oldest map Of that portion of the
river OF which there is any record was made
by NJ. l5licott civil engineer, in 1892, the
original being preserved in the office of the
commissioner of public buildings and grounds
Tho soundings Indicated were made by lgna.
thus Fenwick aud Richard Johns, and
were referred to the plan of mean
tide n plane midway between high and
low tidc). There is u tradition that
the main channel of the Potomac was form
crly OH tho Maryland Tor Washington size
Of the river but no authentic information
can be found to verify such II supposition.
However, in support of this tradition it is
said that vessels engaged IN foreign trade re-
ccived their cargocS ut point not far above
the mouth Of Thor creek, the present ter
minus of Seventeenth street; also that Gen.
Braddock, when he started on his memorable
expedition against the Indians in 1861,
landed his forces at II rock in front of the
site of the present Naval observatory. Thio
rock has been known ever since rs BRAD
dock Rock"
The winter of 177DiSO was one of unusual
severity and long duration, and in the spring
when the ice broke up and melted under
heavy rains the waters came down in great
torrent carrying with it whole forest OF
trees which had been uprooted near Little
falls This immense mass of ice and trees
gurgcd in front of Georgetown, and the pcnt-
up waters, unable TO find their way down
stream by the usua. route along the front ui
Georgetown, bust through the low gIOund-
connecting Analostan island with tho maj
land on the Virginia side and poughed new
channcl through it, forming an island that
did not before exist.
From debates in congress on the question
OF author ny the construction of a dam from
Ma,om's island, OH the Virginia shore, in 1901
il was stated by Mr.. Lewis, of Virginia, tina;
before 11ci the channc! ON the western side
was so shallow that vessels only of very
ordinary draught could pass, while on the
Maryland side vessels Of great draught could
easily pass up to Georgetown,
The uncommon hard winter Of 1884 was
followed in the spring by the greatest torrent,
ever known in the Potomac The bodies OF
ice were of immense magnitude, and many U
them lodged ON the island aud under tn,
rocks of its bed; pressing with Il force beyond
all creduiity, 1t tore the rocks asunder ana
pressed them over into the river channel, oc-
casoning Il rise of thirty or forty feet on the
Georgetown side. The torrent also deepencd
the channel oil the Virginia side.
In 1902. us shown by Ellicotts map, there
were three channels in front Of this city.
The first commenced at the head Of Ana
Dstan island and passing between that
island and tho Virginia shore to Long bridge,
thence by u gentle curve convex toward the
Washington side. 1t pursued its course to the
Eastern branch, near Giesboro point
The second, or middle channel, called the
''swa h," was continuation of the George.
town channel which swept along the George
tOwn whuIves, and after passing Eashy's
point curycd gently toward the Washington
= 4 4 q Ia hill.
unit ng with the Washington channel short
distance below.
The third, or Washington, o. city channel
was branch from the Georgetown channel
which acparat d into two parts after reaching
Easby's point, and following the Washington
shore, united with the 'swash' below Long
bridge.
Evidently, If vessels of great draught had
formerly passed up to Georgetown by way OF
the Washington channel, the shGalinS process
(Which formed the ilats) must have been very
Tipd, Judging from the great changes which
have taken place in less than II century.
The nrxc survey OF the river was made in
1881 by Icut. Col James kCarney, corps OF
topographiCal engineers, and is work of much
vauu. 1t shows that between 1892 and 1881
the channel which ran between Analostan
island and the Virginia shore went out OF
existence; also, that shoal existed reaching
trCm the sOuthCasterly end of AnaUstan
island nearly half way to the Long bridge
This sloal was dry at extreme low tide
Another shoal Of the same character extended
from the Long bridge in q westerly direction
more than half way to Analostan island. The
"Swush," at the time OF the kearney survey,
was shown to be almost dry mt low water
On the 81 of March, 1Si0 another survey
was made from the aqucduCt to the Long
bridge, congress having appropriated 81 ,5Ot
for Mat purpose. Again, in 1857, the river
was surveyed from the aqueduct to the Long
bridge by Engineer OihCGr l. Z. Woodruff
and in lo0? by the coast survey from the Aque
duct bridge to GeisbOru point and of the
Eastern branch as far up ms the Anacostia
bridge. OIher surveys were made in 1867
ISL, and 1851. AbertS map of 1881 show.
no vestigc Of the swash" channel. Its dis
appearance is 50 complete that no one would
suppose il had eyer existed. The erection o
the cuuscways of the Long bridge had much
TO do with this tilling up On tho other hand
the Georgetown channel, which in 40,
gave only Il naVigablo depth of eight
feet, hid in 1881 at low
tide navigablo depth Of fifteen feet This
however, was due in alncasure to excavation,
made from time to time by the government
In similar manner the growth of the flats
on either side OF the channel may be traced
The lar GER Hat, close to the Virginia shore, in
1884 exposed II dry area of about 100 acres.
S,nCc then most of that portion of it above
Long bridge has disappeared, the water now
beng from three 10 five feet deep, whore il
was formerly dry: During the debate in con-
grcss, June, 1857, upon the project of erecting
an iron suspension and n stone arch bridge on
the site of the present Long bridge, and for a
bridge at or near tho Three Sisters" il was
argued that the erection of such structure
should be identical with project to improve
the Potomac river Plans for such improve,
ment were then presented.
A plan presented several years later pro-
posed to increase the width of the river at
Loug bridge by cutting OFF about $50 feet of
Alexanders island Mt the south end of the
bridge the material obtained from the exca-
vations to be used in filling the flats. Then
Others suggesting methods Of procedure in
the proposed improvement and the action oi
Congress in ordering the present work.
The Potomac river is described as being
above Little falls scarcely more than good
sized mountain stream, though it, in connec.
tion with its branches, drains an area o
10000 square miles of territory. With thii
enormous drainage the effect of a series o.
heavy rains, in causing frcshetS, eau be i'm
aglncd. From above the aqueduct to Easby's
point it is narrow aud deep. Thore art
places above that bridge where the water i,
50 feet in depth, the bottom being hard, gen
orally OF rock or gravel.
Referring to the flats, the statement is made
upon high medical authorities that the veg
ctabc germs on the fats are disease.spread
ing in their nature aud that the eilluvif
from them is ut times so nauseous as TO make
it impossible for persons to 20 near them