Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-13

Maj. c. E. L. B. Davis, corps Of engineers.
today made his report to the chief of engineers
In regard to the operations for the month Of
April for the improvement of the Potomac
river. He says the present project
was adopted by act of Congress passed
August 2, 1882, and has for its object the inl-
provement Of navigation. the enlargement of
harbor lines and the raising Of the flats on the
city front. The method Of improvement is
to dredge the material from the river
and deposit 1t the fats, thereby
improving navigation and raising the flats at
the same time. The project is estimated to
cost about S2.716,3 65. The amount expended
on project to end of last fiscal year was
Of April last was s74,95l.
PROGRESS OF THE WORK.
When the present project was adopted the
Georgetown channel was narrow and crooked,
and had not sufficient depth to accommodate
commerce. and the Washington channel was
shOsl and narrow. The flats in front Of the
city were alternately exposed and covered by
the tide
In execution OF the project aimed at there
has been dredged a channel $50 to $50 feet
wide and 20 feet deep between Georgetown
and Giesboro Point. On account of this channel
filling up on the upstream side of Long bridge
1t has been redredged several times and train
ing dixie has been built with a view OF reducing
the deposit. The Washington channel
was dredged to depth of twenty feet (Which
was decreased to ruling depth Of about
10 feet by the freshet of June 2, 1880 for a
width Of $50 feet; for a width of $50 and $50
feet west Of the 20-foot depth this channel has
been partly dredged to a depth Of II feet, the
work being now about three-fourths done. The
completion of the twelve-foot depth and re-
dredging the navigation channel comprise all
that Is proposed for the Washington channel.
The reservoir outlet has been completed ex-
cept the railing. All the material il being de-
posted on the flats, and practically the
entire area to be reclaimed has been
raised above the overflow at ordi-
nary high tide. or the IL, 900. 900 cubic yards
estimated to fill the fats to the required heights,
there has been deposited on them about o.
437 500 cubic yards.
DETAILS OF THE WORK.
Under the contract of the San Francisco
Bridge Company for dredging, the con-
struction Of embankments on section Ill
has been continued. The construction Of
the sea wall on the Virginia channel
front Of section Ill has been continued
greatly DELAYED by high tides and stormy
weather. The construction Of the training
dixie on the right Of the Virginia channel,
above Long bridge, has been con-
tinued and 66S2 cubic yards of
stone put in place. The clearing
Of brush on section Ill on the area to be filled
this season has been continued. One hundred
and seventeen acres have been cleared at cost
of S3.6 per acre. The rapid and prolific growth
of willows, underbrush and trees on the re-
claimed area is a source of some difficulty and
expense in the prosecution of the work.
During the month of Nav the construction of
entertainments on section Ill will be continued
and dredging in the Washington channel be
commenced. The construction of the sea wall
by hired labor will also be continued.
Maj. Davis says that the work Of examining
the piers of the Aqueduct bridge has begun and
that it will probably be completed during the
present month. That is practically all he says
on the subject.