Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-07-04
WASHINGTON, D. c. July 3, 1884

Mr.. Editor -
The reclamation of the flats,
located Immediately in front of the White
House grounds, inaugurated some eigh-
teen months ago, is progressing as rapidi-
ly as the most sanguine could wish. The
dredging so as to widen and to deepen the
channel of the river on the Virginia SIDE
for distance of five miles, extending
from Georgetown to a point known as
Easby's, the elevation of Kidwell's bot
toms, which are almost, if not altogether
submerged at every food tide, above the
point to which 1t rises, and the construc-
ton of q sea wall so as to fully reclaim the
| land and to protect the banks thereof from
constant erosion, is by no means small
undertaking. Dredging machines with
their ponderous engines and appliances
are now busily at work. The muck taken
from the bed of the river is emptied by
machinery into trucks, by which it is
transported to the point to be filled, and
there dumped by means of sliding gates
on each side. The bottom of these trucks
are constructed so as to indive at an an
gle of about forty degrees each way from
the centre. These miniature cars are
drawn by small locomotives upon tram
way which is nothing more nor less than
rail road track, built upon tiles from a
point out in the middle of the river, where
the dredging machines are stationed, in
the direction where the muck is to be de-
posted. 1t was held for long time prior
to the inception of this improvement, and
iustla so, that if the river were properly
confined in channel, so as not to flood
the fat lands on its left bank Immediate
" in front of the central part of the city,
that the immense growth of vegetables
could be checked, and that this fruitful
source of all the malaria about which SO
much is heard would disappear, besides it
| is confidently asserted that the fertile land
thus reclaimed will, at no very distant
day, in some way or other, pay double
the amount expended thereon. In what
way, or how it was not stated. The area
of land thus taken from the bed of the
river and built up high enough to be be
You'd the reach of high tides, is of such
] dimensions that it were hazardous to the
regulations of any one to attempt an ap
proximate conjecture. Already portion
of the land has been planted in trees. Il
is not however to be supposed that thiI
improvement, still in its incipiency, car
be completed in any short period of time
and with the expenditure Of a compare
lively small sum of money.
1t is but beginning to make the Poto
mac river Manageable to Georgetown fol
large schooners and to afford suitable
wharf facilities for the accommodation o.
the trade attracted TO this point, by rea
son of the growth of the city, and the con
slant increasing demand for larger sup
plies of wood, coal, lumber, ice and vege
table productions. The annual expendi
ture of large sums Of money upon public
improvements at different points in the
country Is a benefit directly to the labor
ing classes and indirectly to the farmer
in that it affords employment and the
means to purchase all the necessaries o.
life to the one class, and ready market
for all the products of the soil to the
other.
The same is true of manufactures. Let
work open public improvements in this
country close, let manufacturing estab-
lishments be closed, and the mechanics
and day laborers being out Of employ
ment. will, from necessity, not from
choice, be forced into agricultural pur
suits. They then become producers
Over production will be the result and a
ne cessary requend will fOllow,a decline in
the prices of the products of the soil.
Merrill.