Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-15
IMPROVING THE POTOMAC.

Maj. Davis Reports the Result of
Operations During November.
Maj. Davis has reported to the chief of
engineers in regard to the improvement
Of the Potomac river that excellent pro-
gress was made In dredging in the Vir-
ginia channel during the month of No
vember. A cut averaging about 100 feet
in width was made on the west side of
the channel for a distance Of about 8. 100
feet. During the month 162 651 cubic yards
Of material were dredged. Nest OF II was
deposited on section 2, between the sewer
canal and the reservoir inlet, and a small
portion on section I. The fill over the
greater part Of section Is now up to
grade. The channel is being widened from
depth made is full twenty-one feet at low
tide.
On the 18th ultimo a bad break occurred
In the sewer canal bank, causing a delay
of two days for repairs. About 600 yards
Of material were washed into the canal
and will have to be re-excavated. Work
has been continued with force of fifty
laborers on the embankments at section
for retaining the material at the proper
grade. These embankments are now near
ly completed. Good progress is reported
on the sea-wall in the tidal reservoir and
on the training dixie on the west side of
the Virginia channel
The Aqueduct Bridge.
Davis reports that the repairs to piers
numbers 2, 3. 8. 6. Z and We're completed
by the end of the month. These repairs
were made by means of concrete in bags
put in place by divers. The largest cavity
found was at pier No. 3, which had evil
IDENTIFY increased ir size since the exar,ina-
ton of 1893. 1t required S9.1 cubic yards
of concrete to AXE this pier secure. AT
pier No. 8. in addition to the cavity found
In 1898, the masonry at the southwest COR
<.f hA rlfa hn6 hAav rf<.1
probably by the action of masses of ice.
Extensive repairs were also required on
this pier, ST. cubic yards of concrete being
laid. The total amount of concrete put In
place In these six piers was 1o+6 cubic
yards, distributed as follows: Pier No. 2,
1S.9; pier No. 3. SOL; pier No. g. 3.6; pier
No. g. 57.7; pier No. Z. 1915; pier No. s.,
81 cubic yards.
snags Against the Piers.
On the 18th ultimo the eight cribs form
ing the lower part of the cofferdam were
towed to pier No. 4 and put in position
around it. The cribs were next secured
together by everything courses of timber.
drift bolted and framed, and the floor
put in place In the pockets, which are to
be filled with riprap. At the close Of the
the crib had been built. This branch of
the work is delayed by the non-arrival Of
the necessary timber At pier No. 8 sew
eral large trees and snags were found
across the upstream end of the pier. They
have been removed. At pier No. TIM
her was found belonging to the cofferdam
in which the pier was built in 1899. The
timber was partly afloat, being held at one
end 1t was twenty-seven feet long and
sixteen inches square. 1t was sawn off
by the diver. The sides are water-worn,
but the timber Is in a perfect state of
preservation, after having been under
water for ffty-fve years. During Decem-
ber 1t is proposed to complete the Golfer
dam and to protect with riprap the piers
already repaired.