Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-08-03
Important Recommendations OF Col.
HainS.

In his annual report on the Improvement of
the Potomac river, Col. c. p. Hams says tn t the
progress made during the past fiscal year has
not been as rapid it might have been had
higher prices been paid for the work. The in
PRODUCTION of a new plant and new processes of
doing the work has somewhat retarded it, but
the cost, as compared with the first work done,
has been reduced at least 33 per cent, and q
demonstration has been made of the entire
practca bility of the new method of dredging
In the future the work can be carried on more
rapidly i,l Y ;, . , o,o, s,o.o,,on. chow.
hand available for the present fiscal year of
S35S, o. 49, nearly all of which Is to be paid
out on contracts already made and now in pro-
CESS OF execution. Practically there is nothing
available ,, III t for new work These contracts are
hundred thousand dollars could be iudiciousIy
expended during the next fiscal year 1t is
proposed to apply this sum in the continuation
of the Improvement by dredging in the Vir-
ginia channel and filling section :, by the con-
struction OF the fioodgates. by building a part
Virginia and Washington channels below Io.e
bridge. 1t is plain that this entire improve
ment Will be completed within the original
estimates II liberal appropriations be made at
once, and when completed the value of the land
reclaimed will be equal to the cost.
Col. Hams reviews the contracts which have
been awarded during the year, and reterates
all that he has previously said regarding the
Long bridge and the necessity of its removal.
He says that when the upper end of the Wash
ington channel is closed, as it is undoubtedly to
be, provision must be made in the Virginia
channel for carrying off the water that now
creasing the cross-sectional area of the Virginia
channel both above and below the bridge. Some
increase of cross-section, it is thought might be
piers, but this could not be done without en-
dangering the bridge itself. The discharging
area OF the washington channel during the
freshet Of 1877 was 10000 square feet, or one
fourth that of the entire river at the site of the
Long bridge. When this large area of discharge
mel should be increased by about the same
amount. This cannot be done at the Long
bridge, particularly while that structure runs
are filled in with stone, reaching in many cases
from one span to another:
The Washington and Virginia channels will
be made deep enough and wide enough to ac-
commodate the largest class OF vessels that can
reach , Gies6oro' Point, the latter channel to
charge the highest freshets without overlooking
its banks.
The flats above the Long bridge are to be
the freshet OF 1877. The flats below the bridge
will have the same height at the middle and
slope toward each channel at the margin,
Wnere IL Will be SIX feet above low tide A large
tidal reservoir, not less than eight feet deep
will be used between Long bridge and the sewer
Channel simiiar ~ raser 70 Inc washington
near tho foot Of 18th street for the purpose of
flushing the sewer canal.
THE 18TH STREET SEWER
Major Hams calls special attention to the
large sewer at the foot Of 18th street. which for
merly emptied its contents on the flats, SO that
a canal had to be dug through them. The
banks OF the canal were too low, however and
the sew erage continued to spread out over the
essary to raise the embankment at its present
height TO prevent the sewerage from flowing
over the flats on either side, but this relief IS
that the general government take this improve.
ment In hand, although it is not decided
pay for the work. He estimates the cost of re-
tanning walls for the canal of concrete, built on
a pile and grillage foundation, to be sos, 144.
would cost more and be less satiiactory. The
sewer is already too low, and to extend it three
quarters Of a mile on its present level would be
very objectionable. The most eflectuai means
OF aDatlng this nuisance will be, Major Hams
says, 70 use large steam pump at the foot OF
the deep water Of the river. This plan, he saws
has met with the approval of Capt. F, "
Greene, late assistant TO the Engineer Commits
GEORGETOWN HAnBoR.
With the removal Of the rocks in the harbor
OF Georgetown, upon which work is now being
pushed, Major Hams says that harbor will be
navigable for the largest class of vessels that
can reach the port and as the funds on hand
are sumcient for attaining that object, no fur
ther appropriation Is asked.
10 snow the importance of Georgetown haf-
PEr ana "a the channels leading thereto Major
OF the receipts and shipments at the harbor
during during the last year: Asphalt $194, $40; beef
cite oo sass Stuminaas
coal, .S715,7 100; fertilizers, $287 900; fish,
PA .S5O -four, $s07 800; grain, s67 $40; hay
board measure, S4s7. 2O4; iaths, shingles and
cedar posts $61 200; crude OIL, 81, 500 oysters,
SiiS92o.5o; paving blocks, $1O,24s; sweet
stone. go. Tea; water and gas pipe, $269.2sO;
Wwsanaearmeions $22, 424.1O; Oak and pine wood,
5000; total, 81 ,075, 1886. go. There was also
232, s34 tons Of miscellaneous freight, value
not known. The trade of the harbOr requires
Tue active work of 1850 steamers, drawing
10 TONS; go vessels, drawing from 3 to 10 toms,
a T9 d,VoS vessels, drawing from to tons.
local passenger steamboats, are not included i'm
this enumeration.