Evening star., 1894-04-12
OBJECTIONS ANSWERED
Capt Powell on the Location of the Pro-
posed Ferry Wharf
The Opposition of the Mt. Vernon
Railroad Company Shown Not to
Rest Upon Good Grounds.

The recommendation of the Commits
sioners for the location of ferry wharf
at the foot of 9th and Z streets, to be
used in common by the Washington and
Mt. Vernon and Washington and Falls
Church railroads, does not meet with favor
at the hands of the promoters of these
railroads. The representatives of the
Washington and Mt Vernon railroad have
offered strenuous objection to the recon-
mendation of the Commissioners and have
even gone so far to claim that the en-
gineering difficulties in the way make 1t
impossible for the company to construct
its road along f street and to build a ferry
landing at this point. This is denied by
Capt Powell the Engineer Commissioner
In conversation with a reporter of The
Star today supon this subject the captain
said:
Capt. Powell Answers Objections.
'The first supposed difficulty is the grade
on L street. Now the grade on Z street
from 9th or Water street east will not
exceed the grade which now exists on L4th
street above Boundary. This grade is less,
l understand, than grades already existing
on this Mount Vernon railroad between
Alexandria and Mount. Vernon. Their cars
should be able to climb that grade without
difficulty. OF course, cars going down
grade must have reasonable brake facilities
SO that the, cars won't run away. Another
objection urged by the promoters of the
railroad is that there is rock bottom at
the foot of 9th and f. streets. This is q
fact, but such condition of affairs is not
fatal to the enterprise, nor can 1t be con-
sidered very serious. 1t simply renders
necessary crib work construction or stone
walls faced with timber instead of piling.
The Ice Run Danger.
Another objection is that the bank of
the river at the foot of E street is exposed
to the full force of the current, and during
ice runs and freshets a ferry boat might be
damaged while lying at the slip, or have
difficulty in reaching it. The rock bottom
Is the very thing which affords a good
foundation for a crib work, and IL just hap
pens that there is ridge or rib of rock a
little above low tide on the upstream side
of the proposed landing, which could readi-
ly be transformed into a suitable break
water and form the upper side of the ferry
slip. The ice run will needs be encounter
ed by the ferry boat no matter where the
wharf is located. landing on the flats,
where the company desires ii, and where
1t can drive piles, is in shoal water, and
will always be- The construction of a
ferry slip at such a place would necessi-
tate continual dredging, unless, of course,
the slip is built out a con siderable distance
to reach deep water, or In advance of the
bulkhead line, which the War Department
would probably not permit. The bottom of
the river where the railroad company de-
sires to establish the ferry landing is bare
for several feet outside of the bulkhead
wall at low tide
As to Alleged Speed.
1T has also been claimed by the railroad
company that it must have straight tracks,
as the cars are so long they cannot turn
curves, and they are to be run at high
speed. If the railroad company is going to
have anything more than an ordinary street
railroad running at street railroad speed.
1t should be prohibited from occupying the
streets at ALL The L street line uses lorg
cars, probably as long as any cars used on
any street railroad in the country, and finds
no difficulty in making the turn at and
18th street, which is much sharper being
less than 20 degrees, than any curve re-
commended by the Commissioners for the
Mt. Vernon railroad"