Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-07-29

THE ROCKS REMOVED FROM GEORGETOWN HAR-
BOR-wHAT HAS BEEN DONE ON THE WASH
INGroN RIVER FRONT AND WHAT IT Is PRO
POSED TO DO.
Col. p. c. Hains has submitted to the chief of
engineers his annual report on the improve
ment of Washington and Georgetown harbors.
The work of excavating rocks in Georgetown
harbor that obstructed navigation was COM
pleted, he says, in November. 1885. The re-
moval of these rocks makes the harbor of
Georgetown safe for vessels drawing 20 feet Of
water There are other rocks close in to the
wharf at street, and another ledge that
reaches out so feet or more from the wharves
between the mill race to the foot of High
street. They are an obstruction only to vessels
that tie up near these wharves. Their removal
We, would benefit the owners of wharf property in
the vicinity. but at present would be OF little
use 10 general commerce. In the future ii may
become necessary to remove them in order
the harbor, or or to regulate harbor
lines, but 1t was thought better to leave
their removal to be provided for by special act
OF rocks there remained a balance OF IL ,316.11,
which was reallotted to the dredging OF George
town channel and applied in deepening aud
widening IL above Long bridge. The amounts
appropriated for the work reached total of
s29O,OOO. The revenue collected in the district
OF Georgetown for the year ended June 80,
1886, amounted to $21 ,364.3O.
SKETCH OF THE IMPROVEMENT.
The report gives in detail the object of the
improvement of the river front, and states that
the plan contemplates the removal or rebuild
ing of Long bridge, on fewer piers with wider
spans, and also that the sewage now discharged
and to Saes creek Gs The eendPen
OF the river front at the time the first apprO-
priatton was made, Col Hams says, had be-
that certain parts of the city had become
almost uninhabitabie. This was caused
by deposits on the city front OF sedi:
matter from the sewers, which had formed flats
or marshes, covering III area OF several hundred
acres. The flats were covered by water for
about one-halt the time, and uncovered the
other halt In the latter condition they were
exposed for time each day to the rays OF the
in he
neis had not the depth required for navigation,
and from $40 10 1881 inclusive there had been
appropriated $29U,UOO, most of which was
expended in trying to maintain narrow chan.
mel of l6 leet at low tide, which immediately
shoaled up after freshet.
THE wOhK ACCOMPLISHED.
At the present time the condition of the work
is as follows: The Washington channel has a
depth of 20 feet at low tide along the city front
up to Long bridge, the width being from 200 to
$50 feet. The Virginia channel up to West
Washington has depth OF about 10 feet, (eX-
cept where shoaled by recent freshets), and a
width ranging from 800 to 500 feet. Nearly
the entire portion of the flats lying northwest
OF the sewer canal, section 1, has been filled up
to height OF about six feet or more. On sec
ton 2, that portion between the sewer canal
and Long bridge, about o. 700 linear feet OF EN-
bankment, forming the margin OF the tidal res
the tidal reservoir itself has been commenced.
On section 3, the part below Long bridge, about
212 acres have been filled to height above
overflow at high tide. The total amount filled
to height above overflow at ordinary high
tide is 3. ) acres. OF the contract for dredging
and depositing 100000 cubic yards from the
Washington channel there only remains a few
days work to be done, when the contract will be
closed. The contract for dredging u like amount
from the Virginia channel is about half COM
pleted. This work was retarded by the material
being more difficult to be dredged than was An.
ticipated
A SEASON OF FRESHETS.
The past winter and spring have been noted
for the great number of freshets. Though none
of them caused a rise in the river at this place
higher than about 61a feet above mean low tide,
their frequent recurrence kept up a swift down
stream current, which retarded work and
caused an Injurious deposit of sediment in the
there was u fill OF no less than four feet short
distance below Long bridge, and in the Virginia
channel above the bridge there was NIL OF
nea ly the same amount. 1t has been neces-
sary, SO far, to keep the Washington channel
open to aid in the discharge OF freshets ana
until the cross section OF the Virginia channel
had been increased it was thought unsafe to do
work on section 2. The work has now reached
that stage when it is not only desirable but i'm
portant to close the upper end of the Washing
ton channel In order TO prevent these 1reShet
deposits. AS soon as the embankment along
the outer margin OF section is up TO a height
OF six Ieet or more it is thought the width
OF the river will be sufficiently contracted TO
prevent injurious deposits above Long bridge,
and as the Washington channel will be closed
at the upper end, no appreciabie amount OF sedi-
ment will he swept into it. II must be expected
that the work will be damaged by every freshet
until il has progressed further toward compile
tion. Taken altogether the damage done by
the freshets and ice during the past year Was
comparatively small, and most Of it could have
been avoided had AN adequate appropriation
been made in 1885.
MARSH GAS
Borings for the sluice gates of the tidal reser-
voir, about 200 feet from the Long bridge,
showed concusively that a pile foundation will
be necessary for the inlet gates. An unexpected
feature was the discovery of gas, under consid-
cradle pressure 1t is supposed to be marsh gas,
but further examination will be made.
SEWER CANAL.
The necessity for Congressional action relative
to the sewer canal at the foot of 18th street
becomes more and more Imperative each year.
Formerly the sewage was discharged on the
flats, but within q few years a canal has been
cut across the flats. and its banks from time to
time raised, and the flats on each side are
now being filled. The canal is not q proper
receptacle Tor it, as there is no current except
that caused by tidal action. As consequence,
the head of the canal (and sometimes Its entire
length OF $500 Ieet) is covered 10y a sickening
mass of focal matter. the odors from which are
far from pleasant. A single visit at such a time
will suffice to give fair idea Of its present
ditiOn.
1t is sometimes suggested that the sewer be
extended over the flats into the river. This
Col. Hains considers Objectionable. 1t would
not remove the nuisance, but simply hide it
from view. The gases that now emanate from
this mass OF corruption would be retained in
the sewers, to be distributed through veutila-
tors into the city and perhaps largely into
dwelling houses The most satisfactory solu-
tiOn OF the problem would seem To be, he says,
to close the present end of the sewer and estab-
lish a large steam pump there to pump the
sewage out into the river, the closure of the
sewer to be made by gates to open automatic
ally or otherwise during a rainfall, the waters
of which would be discharged into the canal,
which would only receive rainwater contami.
mated by little sewage This is substantially
while assistant to the Engineer Commissioned
III some sucn plan should Ue carried out by the
District authorities II would appear but proper
and right for the government 10 take care Of
the canal itself, build retaining walls to It's
Sides and establish flushing sluices from the
small reservoir near its head. Their cost will
be about $2OS, 144, and an appropriation of
100000 is recommended TO begin their work
of construction.
LONG BRIDGE.
The attention Of Congress is again called to
the necessity of action in regard to Long bridge
The plan recommended by the board of engi-
neers for thes improvement of the river front
contemplates the rebuilding of the bridge at an
early period during the progress OF the i'm
prOvelnent, with wide spans. upon piers afford
Ing the least possible obstruction TO the flow Of
water. No plan of improvement can lie made
satisfactory while the bridge remains as it is-a
serious obstruction TO the dow OF water beneath
it, The dredging In the Virginia channel above
some distance from II for fear of injuring the
foundation of the piers. The bridge ought 10