Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-02-23

points within a very short distance of
the other shore, and these narrow places
were to be spanned by bridges Of suitable de-
sign. This idea was discarded on account of
the unnecessary expense of building the bridges
and also for the more important reason that the
water taken I'm at the inlet gates upon the rising
OF the tide would have to follow a circuitOus
course before reaching the outlet gates. thus
taking too long before being discharged into the
channel. The lake at first thought of would
doubtless b" the more picturesque but the de-
sign shown i'll the map Is evidently more prac-
teal.
The gates spoken of can be seen opening
into the lake from the Virginia channel and into
the Washington channel. The small lake TO the
left of the large one is expected to per-
form valuable service i'm flushing the 18th
street sewer canal in the same way
that the large one will flush the Wash
iigton channel These two lakes will cover
about l21 acres. the larger one 11S acres
and the smaller 9. and will contain So. 900 600
cubic feet of water. About 16 500. 900 more
cubic Feet of water will be taken i'm at every rise
of the tide of which amount II. 500 900 cubic
feet Will be discharged into the Washington
channel and the remaining 100000 into the
sewer canal CT. respectively. about 155 0C0 0C0
gallons and 10000. 000 gallons.
The sewer canal can be seen as it is extended
across the fats to the Virginia channel into
which it will empty. The Washington channel
Will be noticed as beginning at the present site
OF the long bridge and answering all purposes of
navigation for Washington as the Virginia
channc! VIII for Georgetown. The dotted line
OFF AleXanGer's island at the end of Long
bridge. indicates that portion of the island to be
cut oil TO depth of six feet in order to increase
the sectional area of the channel at that point
so that its dscharGing capacity may be large
enough in time of freshets. The whole of the
reclaimed area is to be protected from the river
by slope wall or revetment. about 1000 feet
OF the foundation Ofw which has already been laid
The three diagrams below the map represent
cross sections of the Improvement at various
points the location of which can be readily seen
by comparing them with the dotted lines on the
map. which are lettered to correspond. The
first, marked b, shows a cross section of the
reclaimed flats between the lakes and Easby's
point. and OF the Virginia channel; the second
&C. ID cross section of the reclaimed land the
lakes and the Virginia channel; and the third
o. Fl cross section, just below the bridge, of
the Washington channel, the reclaimed land and
the Virginia channel By comparing the three
diagrams the relative depth of the two channels
and the lakes and the height of the reclaimed
land can he readily ascertained. The small cut
to the right represents the slope wall which is
TO protect the reclaimed land from the river
About one hundred acres of the flats have been
covered up, not to the full height proposed,
however. as that will be three feet above the
freshet line. but high enough to prevent over
flow by high tide. Six acres have been filled i'm
Close proximity to Easbys point, fifty acres near
me foot OF 18th street and forty acres lust
below the bridge. Fifteen acres of this latter
flling, however. was done by the National
Dredging company several years ago the material
for which was dredged from the Washington
channe.. The remaining eighty-liye acres were
filled by Sanford Ross. the contractor. under the
present plan. The material was drecged from
the Virginia channel which it is Intended Tn
keep open, by both widening and deepennp By
the dredging thus far done clear channel of a
depth of over 20 feet, and a width VARYING from
l2o to 300 feet has been obtained from GiesborO'
point to Georgetown. Any vessel able to pass
through the long bridge, and drawing not over
twenty-three feet of water. can now be brought
from tine ocean to Georgetown without any
difficulty
WHY TIE PRESENT PLAN SHOULD NOT BE
CHANGED
1t is thought not only practicable, but indeed
necessary. that the different branches of the i'm
prOvemcnt should be carried on simultaneously,
and this is an urgent reason for ample appro-
priations. The dredging of the channel and the
hllng OF the flats are. of course, dependent upon
each other. AS this branch of the work pro-
crosses the slope wall should be constructed in
order that the material may be properly con-.
lined. Retaining walls for the sewer canal must
be constructed at an early day. In filling the flats
above It 1t has been found necessary to keep the
edge OF the fill at least one hundred feet from
the canal, and as the filling progresses the diff
hculty OF preventing the canal from being
hiled by material washed into 1t will increase
it Is estimated that the cost of completing
the existing plan of Improvement will be
nearly S2.75O.OOO. This amount does not
include the cost of building the sewer canal
retaining walls which is estimated at S2OS. IA.
turing the fiscal year ending June 80 1885.
Sl.OoOOO0 can be prOfitably expended on the
Improvement. exclusive of the retaining walls
above referred to. The main features of the
present carefully studied plan are generally
conceded To be the most advisable and practi.
cable, but ever since the operations were COM
nenced suggestions Of improvements and
changes have from time to time been made II
VIII be remembered that Major Thos. p Morgan
was quoted In THE STAR some time ago as BEING
oil the opinion that the health of the CITY and
the security OF property demand some change
In ana extension OF the scope of the present
operations. and his reasons therefor and recon-
mendations were given at length.
lArhACIlCAbLE NATURE OF PROPOSED ALTERA-
TONS.
With view of learning how Major Morgan,s
opinions on the matter agreed with those of Col.
Hams. STAR reportertouchedu upon the subject
the other day while in conversation with that
officer and learned that they differed widely.
''When MAJOR Morgan's criticisms were made
public" said Colonel Hams, Il declined to he
drawn into newspaper controversy on the sub
jcct, and simply expressed surprise that man
of Major Morgans experience aud opportuni-
ties for learning the details of the work should
be so ignorant of the course to be pursued and
the results to be obtained. Thinking that per.
hapS the public may be led to believe that the
recommendations made b. him are, as be said,