Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-11-17

~-AA|
HOW THE WASHINGTON CHANNEL WILL BE
FLUsHED-THE TREES ON THE RECLAIMED
LAND-AN APPROPRIATION OF HALF MIL
LION WANTED.
II would like an appropriation Of half mil
non dollars this winter for the Potomac fats
improvement" said Col. Hams to a STAR re-
porter. "And need all of $4,000 If I
could get hold of that amount things would
look pretty well down there in year from now.
IL Will soon be necessary to construct the gates
1or the reservoir, and expect to give out thel
contracts for them next summer, and there viii
be lots more channel dredging to be done.
With comfortable supply of money the work
can be pushed rapidly "No," he said, in reply
to a question Of the reporter, ''there will be no
need OF touching that part of the flats about
which there is conflict of title, although 1
time."
gates or the tidal reservoir have just been COM
pleted, he continued, spreading them out ON
the table to THE STAR mans view.
THE OUTLET GATES
were represented by six openings ten feet wide,
In wall of masonry extending to the bottom
OF the river. These openings were very close
together. and extended from high-water mark
ana were arched at the top These outlet gates
VIII be located at the upper extremity of the
Washington, channel. Each opening will have
q double gate, which will open only in one
way-outward from the reservoir into the
channel-and will be the means of flushing the
Washington channel twice a day by the action
OF the tides. The inlet gates will be located in
tne reservoir wall where the main channel OF
the river flows by, SO that they may reap the
full benefit Of the change of tides. They differ
from the outlet gates in opening into the reser-
volr from the river, instead OF outward from
the reservoir, and there will be seven openings
instead OF six. There will be no machinery
connected with the gates, which will be worked
entirely by tidal action.
THE INLET GATES.
1--WE have seven inlet gates, because the flood
tide does not last as long as the ebb tide said
Col. Hains, land we have calculated that as
much water Will enter through the seven as will
oe emptled by the six outlet gates during the
change OF tides
inlet gates will be forced open and the water
Will pour In. 1t can't enter the other gates be-
cause they won't open inward, and pressure OF
The rising water in the Washington channel
Will only hold them shut the tighter The
water will rise in the reservoir as long as it
rises In the river. When it begins to drop it
can't get out the way it came in because the
pressure OF the water on the inside will hold
those gates shut. The only outlet will be
through the Washington channel. The pres
sure OF the water in the reservoir will open the
Inlet gates to get out just the rising water did
the inlet gates TO gain admission. AS the water
pOurs through the outlet gates it will flush the
WashlnStOn channel and serve to keep 1t fresh
and clean. This performance will pe gone
through with twice u day.
"HOw much water will the Washington chan
mel receive by the operation" asked the re-
porter.
One hundred million gallons at every tide
as near AS can be estimated" was the reply.
How much comparatively speaking?'
"Let me see" he said, taking out a pencil and
making lightning calculation on a slip of
paper, "enOugh to cover a hundred and tw snty
acres OF ground three feet deep; Or enough to
MI Pennsylvania avenue up to the top OF the
houses from 10th street u distance of two thou
sand feet eastward. The inlet gate Tor the
small reservoir near the sewer canal will work
on the same principle as the other gates, but
some additional force will be used at tue outlet
gate In order 10 flush the sewer cal al thorough
ly. The details Of that matter have not been
prepared Yet. The most difficult task connect
cd Win building the reservoir gates will be to
secure good iounuation. We Will have to .so
down seventy-four feet to get good bottom,
aud that Is . good depth 10 drive piles but it
will have to be done.
THE RECLAIMED LAND
"AS the land ON the flats is reclaimed will
vegetation be cOulaged on ite" asked the re.
porter.
''ies, to a certain extent" was the reply: "but
no provisions have been made in that direction
l suppose we will plant some trees We have
already planted some that were furnished BY
the District, but fear some OF them will not
live long. Next year some more will doubtless
be set out, although there is no pressing neceS-
slty Tor II. OF course they are an advantage
Their roots serve to hold the reclaimed land
well together, and they also suck up the moist
ure and assist in the drying-out process But
had The first trees planted more in self-delense
than any thing else. a great many people were
after permission to use the reclaimed land to
put In crop OF corn or potatoes. They only
wanted the use OF the land for the season, but
the fear OF complications In the future made
me nfm IN refusing them, and in seli-deiense
put In crop OF my OWn-SOme NAPLES pOplurs
DC, kindly furnished by the District. New
grounds will not be laid out until the work is
much further advanced than ii is now At any
rate, no one is authorized TO set out trees in any
number. will lake the responsibility for the
few that have planted or may plant.''
Interior Department Changes,
The following changes have occurred in the
Interior Department.:
James T. Callahan, of New Mexico, a special
agent OF the general land office, has resigned
Harrison =. Harrell, of Indiana, q clerk OF class
one in the pension office, has resigned. Aaron
s. Coleman, OF New York, has resigned as Chief
OF the special examination division OF the pen
sion office, on account OF i'll health and has been
appointed 10 a clerkship of class four. James B.
Colt, OF Connecticut, has been appointed cheif
$1,000, vice A. >. Coleman, resigned. Albert f.
Kingsley, OF Illinois, principal examiner at
$4,000. in the pension office, has resigned on
OccOunt OF ill health, alter fifteen years OF ser.
vice. Z. b. Thornton, jr., has been appointed q
messenger for the congressional library COM
mission.
A Cold Wave Coming.
There is a cold wave extending over the en-
tire country west of the Mississippi river. This
will probably reach Washington within the
next SO OF 4S nOurS. Inc cola wave flag has
not been hOisted in this city.
TREASURY WATCHMEN WANT MORE Pay
The watch force OF the Treasury department
have petitioned the Secretary to recommend to
Congress an Increase of their pay. They ask
that the captains salary be Increased from
81 400 to 81, 800; the lieutenant's from 5000
to 81, 200 and privates from $500 to $500 per
annum. II Is likely that these recommends.
lions Will be included in the estimates sent to
Congress this winter,
DEMOCRATIC GAINS IN MONTANA.-A STAR
reporter met Delegate Toole on the avenue this
morning. He says the democrats have made
great gains in Montana. His majority two
years ago was only u little over 200 This time
he Is elected by majority OF 1000.
NAVAL COURT MARTIAL has been ordered
to convene at the Norfolk navy yard on No
vember 23d for the trial of Captain John H.
Higbee, OF the marine corp, who is stationed
there, on charges OF drunkenness on duty The
following Is the detail ior the court: Captain F.
y. MeNair, Captain A. V. Reed, Captain n. H.
Farquhar, Commander NicOll Ludlow Conn
mander Francis ". Dickens, Lieut.. Col. John
l. Broome, NJ. G.; Lieut.. Col. G. d. Hebb, NJ. C.:
MAJOR charles AeywoOu. NJ. Co. and MAYOR q. r
Houston, NJ. c., with Lieut.. s. c. Lelniy, Judge
advocate.
PEksoNAL.-Admiral Porter, who was ser.
ousiy Ill at Newport this summer, returned to
Washington several days ago much improved
ther is pieasant-Mr. Salmon, Chief of the
Bureau Of Animal Industry, is in Chicago at
tending the Veterinarians convention-
Fred. w. Crocker, oi Charleston, Is at Welck-
view with the President yesterday and will
leave for Bismarck tOday.-tien John M.
COrse recently appointed postmaster OF Boston
6y the fresident, is In the city, the guest Of Mr.