Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-24
THE POTOMAC FLATS WORK,
A Statement or III Condition. etc., Sent
BY Gen. Benot 70 Senator Edmunds.

Gen. Benet, chief Of ordnance, United States
arIly, has addressed Senator Edmunds letter
in response to the Senator'S request for state
ment OF work done on the Potomac fats Inn
between the United States and Benson & McNee
showing the amount "of work done hereunder
to date, amount retained under work already
done, amount to be earned under the existing
contracts, and such full statement of the facts
connected with this Improvement and these
contracts as will enable the judiciary commit
tee to fully understand the practical situation
OF AFFAIRS" Such q statement as was requested,
together with q map Of the work and other
papers. was sent to Senator Edmunds who, TO-
ment
MAJOR HAMS LETTER OF EXPLANATION
Is very long. He explains that the fats are
divided for convenience Of reference, In con-
tracts. etc., into three sections.
Section extends from the northerly limit Of
the improvement, at Easbys Point to the sewer
from the intersection OF 18th and b streets
northwest. The area Of this section is about
100 acres: In this section are included all
known claims for land or riparian rights, the
kidwell patent of Al 71-lOO acres, as shown on
the accompanying map. The SO called water
OHIO canal on the northern boundary of this
section, between 18th and 26th streets west.
Before Ssi4re the impTovement was commenced this
overhowed at high tide-a fact which can be
proven by official maps and SURVEYS and which,
IL IS believed, tnvalidates the patent.
Section extends from the sewer canal At
I1th street to the Long bridge, and includes
tidal reservoir for flushing the Washington
small amount of work has been done on this
section. Before It was commenced, however,
the entire area was covered with water at high
Lloe, ana nearly all Of 1t at low tide. The water
front consists of the Monument grounds freser.
walton No. 81 and the wharves between this
reservation and the northerly end OF Long
bridge. The title to this water front. IL appears
is vested In the United States and it is believed
there are no claims In TIE section adverse
Section 8 extends from and below Long
bridge to the southerly end of the flats near
Giesboro point and comprises about 325 acres
and was below low tide before any dredgings
were placed in it, and the title of the United
states ,a Is oeieved to be undisputed. This sec
tion lies between the Washington channel and
the Virginia channel (sometimes called the
georgetown channeD OF the Potomac river
made up of the wharves along the washington
channel ION Water street southwest which, bv
recent decision OF the Supreme Court, belong
10 the United States. The entire flats com prise
an area OF TAO acres and are about three miles
| in length.
THE THREE CONTRACTS
with Messrs. Benson and McNee are for dredging
the channels of the river and depositing the
dredged material on the above described sec
lions OF the Hats. The work done under each
contract is as follows: First contract, August
2Sth, 1884. for dredging the Washington cham
mel ana depositing the material on section 8,
below Loug bridge, at IL 37-1OO cents per cubic
ya YARD; tot total dredging called for by contract,
LOO, 200 cubic yards dredging done to April
18th. 1885, 99s, 775 cubic yards; remaining to
te Her 1.i e ssa yards
centages. So, 2S1 AZ; total earned to April ist.
1886, 49,, S14.44; value of work to be done
subsequent to April 1, 1886, $50, $500: total
four-hfths of the work under the first contract
has been done, and it should be completed
about July LIST, 1886.
Second contract September Doth 1Sad-For
oLseaglng IN the Virginia channel of the river
above se, Long bridge and depositins the material
DredgingaTotal dredging called for by con-
tract, !, 200, 600 cubic yards; dredging done to
Atprli 1856, 305, 523 cubic yards; remaining
Payments-To April LIST, 1856, S3s, 81. O4;
reserved ;f percentages, 4,242 90; total earned
for ], DOC, 900 cubic yards, 1854 500.
About three-tenths of the work under the
ably be completed by September 1886.
Third contract, March 18th, 1ss5-For
bridge, and depositing the dredged material in
dredging about 200, 900 cubic yards from the
tidal reservoir in section 2, and deposting the
material on the flats adjacert to the Monument
grounds. The price per cubic yard is Is cents
Dredging1Total dredging called for by con-
tract, TOO, 900 cubic yards; dredging done 10
to be dredged, soo.i55 cubic yards Remaining
Paymenls-To April 1, 1855, $50, 1868 10;
reserved percentages, $5,682.O1; total earned
s4s.s5s.so. Total for Soo,oo5b cubic YARDS yards
S1O5, 900.
and the remaining work can be done by July,
1886.
The work covered by these contracts has been
made by the act of July s, 1884, and only after
the opinion of the Attorney General that there
was no legal obstable to the prosecution of the
work.
A similar opinion was rendered by the
Attorney General with reference to the
made by the act e Of August np 3. assa
The contracts were let in the manner prescribed
by law, after due public advertisement, to the
Benson McNee were the lowest bidders,
at prices varying from 1887 to 12.45 cents per
te e the
kind Of dredge, called the Hydraulic" The
contracts were duly entered into in good
amount Of work therein specified would
be done and paid for by the United
should estimate, about $500, 1000 in dredgers and
other plants: The suspensions of the contracts,
a o b % s
work great injustice and financial injury to the
contractors, and, it is thought, would be a
breach g. Of health on the part of the
these contracts as exceedingly advantageous to
the government
The letter, after further explaining the con-
tracts, points out the fact that the
impression that the work is being done
on the portion of the fats covered by
the Kidwell patent is erroneous. The dredging
now in progress is in the Virginia channel below
Long bridge. Should operations be suspended
great damage to the work In its incomplete
attention. also, to the fact that the
House amendment would require the immedi-
ate suspension Of work under existing con-
tracts.
Interior Department Changes.
Promotions in the pension Office: James B.
Albright of D. c., 81 200 to 81 400; Miss Mary
e. Weeks Of La, William F. Woolard OF ILL., and
Samuel M. Cutie OF Kans 5000 to 81 900.