Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-05-13
THE RIVER IMPROVEMENT.
Clearing Out the Channels and Build.
ing Up the Flats.

Col. P. c. Hains in his report to the chief of
engineers, just submitted, of the operations for
the Improvement of the Potomac river for the
month Of April, states that two hydraulic
dredges were kept at work deepening and
widening the Washington channel below Long
bridge. Fair progress was made, the amount of
material eXcavated and deposited on the flats
being 96,121 cubic yards measured in place,
equal to 125,oo0 CUBIC yards measured in
breakage due to imperfect machinery and
inexperienced employees. The defects are grad
ually being ~ remedied, and better progress is
expected. The many wrecks, logs, &c, encoun-
tered in the Washington channel is another
source of delay; The total number Of hours both
cubic yards. The machines make a cut cut
so feet wide, and leave behind them a compar-
embank ment along the outer margin Of the ill
below Long bridge was continued by f. Z.
pleted on the 9th. and since then his dredee has
been at work on the Washington channel side
The D. T. Culver company succeeded in work
the northwest margin Of the tidal reservoir,
forming cmbankment. The cmbankrent
along the north side OF the sewer canal has been
raised by hired labor so as to retain the water
and material pumped by the hydraulic dredges
The present condition of the entire work of I'M
provemcnt is as follows: About $500 linear
the sewer canal has been finished, and about
two,thirds of the entire area OF that
scClioii ut's USSA Aa!seu apo'e oNeIuoW ny OIuI-
nary high tides. On the area between Long
bridge and the sewer canal the embankment OF
the small tidal reservoir has been partly built:
about 1900 linear feet of cmbankment along
the northeast margi OF the large tidal reservoir
has been finished. and about 1900 linear feet
along the northwest margin nearly finished.
On section III about 800 linear feet OF en-
bankment on the Virginia channel side has
been finished; on the Washington channel side
abOot ), 400 linear feet finished and 3,40O feet
partly finished, and an area OF about 55 acres
raised above overflow at high tide. The Vir-
ginia channel between Easby's point and Gies-
boro' point has been dredged a. least 800 feet
wide and 20 feet deep. and short section of
the Washington channel has been widcned and
deepened In the same way.
OPERATIONS DURING MAY.
Dredging with hydraulic dredge No. will b.
continued in the Washington channel, and
with dredge No. on the second contract in the
Virginia channel, near Easbys point during
May. The ID. f. Culver company will continue
northwest margin Of the tidal reservoir. Dredg-
ing and enlbankment along the southeast mar
gin of the tidal reservoir, and along the line Of
wall between the site of the inlet gates and
Long bridge, will be in progress by q dredge
hired by the hour Dredging will be continued
along the margin of section III. near the
Washington channel. under the second Contract
with + G. Somers. The delivery of stone by the
Potomac Red Sandstone company will also be
continued.
Progress upon the work of improving the
Washington and Georgetown harbOrs, by re-
moving rocks, Is reported. The contract of the
American Dredging company will be completed
during May, aud the work continued under
contract with NJ. Lowe.