National Republican., 1886-07-30
THE uARBoR IMPROVEMENT.
what Has Been Accomplished During
the Past Year.

What Has Been Accomplished During
the Past Year.
Col. P. c. Hams has Just submitted his an-
nnal report to the chief Of engineers of the
army on the improvement Of Washington
and Georgetown harbors. Rocks have been
removed from the harbor Of Georgetown
go as to make the harbor safe for vessels
drawing twenty feet of water. The report
gives in detail the object Of the improve
ment OF the river front. The condition of
the river front at the time the first appropn-
alton was made had become so bad IN
sanitary point Of view that certain parts Of
the city had become almost uninhabltable.
This was caused by deposits on the city
front OF sediment from the river, and the
solid matter from the sewers, which had
formed flats or marshes, covering an area
OF several hundred acres. The fatswere
ffEe,, hu HuJSstfGu e Tie o8tHeqrt o8tHeqtd dRnff. dRnf hiH the
latter condition they were exposed for a
| time each day to the rays Of the sun, which,
| in summer, produced favorable conditions
for malarious diseases. The channels had
| not the depth required for navigation, aud
| from 1S7C TO 1881 inclusive, there had been
appropriated S29O,OOO, most Of which was
| expended in trying TO maintain narrow
| channel Of sixteen feet at low tide, which
Immediately shOaled up after freshet.
At the present time the condition OF the
work Is as follows The Washington chau-
| mel has a depth OF 90 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 20 feet (oXcept where shoaled by
| recent freshets), and width ranging from
S00to 500 feet. Nearly the entire portion
OF the flats lying northwest Of the sewer
canal, section l, has been filled up to
height of about six feet or more. On section
2, that portion between the sewer canal aud
Long bridge, about 6,700 linear feet OF en-
bankment, forming the margin of the tidal
reservoir, has been built, aud the excava.
tion OF the tidal reservoir itself has been
| commenced. On section 3, the part below
Long bridge, about 2l2 acres have been
| filled to height above overflow at high
tide. The total amount filed to a hsight
above overflow at ordinary high tide Is 375
| acres. OF the contract for dredging and
| deposi;ing 100000 cubic yards from the
| Washington channel there only remains a
| few days work to be done, when the con-
tract will be closed. The contract for
dredging like amount from the Virginia
| channel is about half completed. This work
was retarded by the material being more
difficult to be dredged than was anticipated.
The necessity Tor congressional action
relative to the sewer canal at the foot of
| seventeenth htreet is becoming more anu
more imperative each year.
The attention of Congress Is again called
TO the necessity Of action In regard to the
Long bridge. The bridge ought to be re-
built without unnecessary delay.
The financial statement shows a balance
OF Sl22, ,237.O6 as apparently available, but,
in fact, there is nothing available. All the
money on hand is needed to meet payments
| under existing contracts. The report
| recommends that one lar0a n
be made at once, in order that the work
may be put in safer condition, as 1t is
now subject TO damage by freshets, ice, and
even high winds.