Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-01


most difficult pieces of engineering ever at
tempted, is to be found in the reservoir outlet
and gate, which work is now about done. Col.
Hams considers this the gem of the whole
plan and he feels justly proud of its very sue
cessful completion. 1t was necessary at this
point, which may be located by referring to
the map at the upper end Of the long bridge,
where the shading of the fats starts next to
the shore, to put in a heavy masonry gate,
which should serve as a retaining wall during
some periods of the tide and as a fume at
others. Under the best Of circumstances this
would be difficult work, for the pressure of
the water will be enormous and there is urgent
necessity for extra strong masonry. But the
engineers found that at this point-in fact, at
any point in the vicinity of the fats-it was
impossible to reach any sort of hard bottom
for u foundation. and SO it was decided to drive
piling, to the depth of fully IS feet, whereon
to rest the enormous load of stone and timbers.
This has been done in way that has brought
forth the praises as we'll as the wonder Of the
whole engineering fraternity.
THE RECLAIMED FLATS
The flats proper are all marked out on the
Potomac just as they will be when they are
covered with waving trees and interlaced with
winding paths. They are not yet filed in to
mains about third OF the material 10 be put
on them that was calculated would be re-
CURED This is, as Col Hams monthly reports
for the last two or three months have been
stating, the situation: "Of the $4,000, 600 cubic
yards of material requisite to fill the flats to
! the necessary height above tide water about
5000, 900 cubic yards have been deposited on
them. The map shows the condition of the
work last July and there is practically no
change as far as the bird's-eye view of it goes
4hntr III
upon the works at the reservoir outlet, while
there has been but little dredging going on
The large hydraulic dredges-those great sue
ton pumps that used to draw the mud out of
the bottom of the river and blow it over upon
the surface of the hats-have been all taken
away or Will be in a few days. There are one
or two small "clam-shell' dredges at work in
the Virginia channel which will probably find
work enough to do until there is another ap-
preparation IL there ever is one. There is now
at Col. Hams credit in the Treasury about
$1,000. which he can easily use in the work of
keeping up the embellishments around the flats
In order to prevent washing. If there is not
another appropriation OF generous sum the
government will be the loser of good deal of
money through the deterioration OF the work
incident to the influence of the treacherous
element with which it is surrounded.
THE FINANCIAL SITUATION.
Col. Hams last annual report contains the
following money statement relative to the work
on the flats: July l, 1883, amount available,
s23, l2i7O; amount appropriated by act of
August II. 1893, 800, 900; total, 1925, 124. 10;
July /, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year
exclusive OF liabilities outstanding July !, 1885,
STA 298 July /, 1889, outstanding liabilities
Sl7, 1887; July /, 1889, amount covered by
existing contracts, SSl, 1889; July 1889. bal
ance available. S5z,303 "a; amount (estmated)
required for completion of existing project.
q. l4I ,365; amount that can be protitabiy ex-
pended in fiscal year ending June 80, 1891,
$500 600
He says in that table that he can proitably
expend the sum of 5000, 900 the coming year.
but he does not expect that he is going to have
that sum tospend. He says that if he had all
the money that he could use, without stint, he
would have the work actually completed inside
OF two years ana save a margin Oh the appro-
priations. That is to say, if he was not de-
pendent upon the doling-out plan of the source
of the money supply he could save at least q
year of time and several thousand if not sew
eral hundred thousand dollars.
THE RETAINING WALL
Besides the actual filing of the fats up to
their required height there is still to be built
| a revetment wall around the whole to keep it
from washing away in the spring. This wall is
designed to be built Of tolerably smooth
masonry, rising from the water at an angle Of
As degrees and falling back to the level
of the surface of the fats, which are
| to be feet above low tide and
about IL feet above the bottom of the river at
its edge at this point The wall will rest upon
| a half-round bed of masonry placed on the
river bottom at the boundary line of the FIJI of