National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-06-04
THE POTOMAC FLATS.
A Committee OF Merchants Inspect the
Work OF Reclamation.

A Committee OF Merchants Inspect the
Work OF Reclamation.
Mr.. Sanford, of the firm Of Ross & Sand
ford, tho contractors for dredging tho Po-
to mac flats, made q tour of inspection Of the
work yesterday afternoon in company with
committee Of business men, consisting of
MossrJ l.. NJ. Cornwell, the South Washing
ton grocer, DR.. Leo9h, Il. G.. Wheeler, A. w.
Kelly, William Yeatman, Andrew j. Clarke,
4. G. Mablor, and Robert Oliver. They took
O small steam launch ut the foot of Thirteen.
and-a-half street Mt $3.50 o'clock. A donation
by Mr.. COrnwoll in the way of refreshments
had boon put aboard.
The party first landed at q largo dredging
boat opposite Goisboro, where the men were
OF work Tho boat and its workings wore
inspected. The dredging boat is worry strongly
built. and ito machinery is of the most dura-
BILE kind. Tho largo closing buckets which
raise the mud to tho surface weighs five
tons, and Is capable of raising six square
yards of earth at one pull. This mud Is dc.
posted in largo scow, which rests along
side. When the scow il filled under
tho direction of q government inspector,
1t Is towed to point back of the observatory,
and dumped into the river again. 1tislifted
from the bed of the river by another dredg-
ing machine and deposited in small mud
cars, which in turn deposits il along the
route to be- filled. When the mid Is dumped
hero it Is washed down to the level of the
proposed scawal, A part of the seawall is
completed near Georgetown, but at high tide
IL Is scarcely more than two feet above tho
water. This is thought to be insufficient, as
in case of flood or rise it would be overhowed.
Tho contractors have almost completed dredg-
ing the channels east of the Long bridge,
and two weeks will SEQ it completed. The
work west of the bridge has just begun and
L. Ill
the channel on the Virginia side 400 feet wide
and the one on this side just twice as broad.
Tho artificial lakes, to be laid between the
shore and the channel, will be five in num-
Dor, aud will run from the Long bridge TO
Georgetown. There is some talk of making
drive of the part filled in, and the ground
could be easily leveled of and graded. The
work of raising the mud and clearing the
channel has been progressing year, and in
that timo great deal has been accomplished.
The contractors think that If sufficient
money was available tho work could be
completed in another year. While Mai.
Haines seawall plan Is said to have consider
able merit, some experts think that IL Is not
strong enough and would not stand much
pressure Tho Long bridge also interieros
with the flow of water, and the water around
the base of the piles is very shallow, while
the channel is chokcd up and needs cleaning.
THE real work of cleaning tho river has
been going on for ten years." said MIR.
Sanford, "aDd If the government keeps up its
plan of economy it will be three hundred
years before it is done. This work has
got to DO done, and they might as
we'll put ont the money for it at once instead
of letting it out in driblets. If sufficient
money was appropriated at once work could
be done in year that would last forever.
There is no moro perfect harbor in the world
than this, and with little improvement tho
city would DO benefited beyond measure.
An immense amount of labor is required to
perform the work of redemption, and tho
mon work night and day. About 300 men
are employed, and all of them live on tho
boats. Tho work is done at night by elec-
trio light, and is going on continuously.
The eight dredges and steam cars with all
the appurtenances are tho property of San
ford 81 Ross and were brought from Jersey
City. Three tramways of lG2 feet in length
each were built, tho cost being about s. n foot.
Tho effect of tho improvement is already
perceptiblo, and tho river men say that navi-
cation is much easier than it was two years
ago. Tho river is divided by tho embank-
ment, and in some places is forty and fifty
feet deep. Tho men employed on the boats
report that they live nicely, and the grocery
bills for the fleet average about $1,000 u
month.
The party on tho launch visited all of tho
dredgos, tramways, and other points, and
then steamed back to the wharf.
This committee OF citizens is tho first to
inspect tho flats, but the merchants ure all
manifesting interest in tho work, and it is
not improbable that the question will be
discussed ut meeting soon TO be held.