Evening star., 1895-07-12
A RIVERSIDE PARK
Maj Davis Idea of the Destiny of
the Reclaimed Lands.
WASHINGTON'S HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS
What Has Been Accomplished by
an Expenditure of Two Millions.
THE DEEpENED CHANNELS

In bis snnual report. submitted to the
chief of engineers today, Major c. E. L. B.
Davis gives a complete history of the steps
taken for the improvement of the Potomac
river at this city Before the commence
ment of the project of Improvement he
says, the channel to Georgetown was mar
row and crooked and had not a sufficient
cepth to meet the needs of commerce.
Vessels drawing sixteen feet frequently
grounded at high tide above Long bridge,
and frequent dredging was necessary to
maintain even this depth. The channel
was of insufficient width, as the appropria-
tions for dredging We're too small to pro-
vide for more than narrow cut through
the bar. The Washington channel was
narrow and shoal, and inadequate to the
wants OF commerce. Extensive mud flats
existed along the city front from Obserya-
tory Hill to a point opposite the arsenal.
oeiow Long bridge these flats were sep
arated from the city front by the WASH
ington channel. The greater portion of
these fats was exposed at low tide. and
covered at ldgh tide with water polluted by
the sewage of the city. At the foot of 18th
street northwest large sewer DISCHARGED
directly upon the flats. These conditions
rendered portion of the city almost un-
inhabitable.
BY act passed August 2, 1882, Congress
adopted project which has for its object
the Improvement Of the navigation of the
river by widening and deepening its chan
nels, the reclamation or filling Of the
marshes on the city front by depositing on
them the material dredged from the chan
nels, and the establishment Of harbor lines
beyond which no wharves or distractions
should be built. The project provided in
detail for ouch depth of channels as will
accommodate the largest vessels that can.
reach Arsenal Point, with such depth at
the wharves as will allow vessels to receive
full cargoes without grounding at low
water; for filling the fats above Long
bridge to height of 'hree feet above the
Hood line of 1877, and the middle part of
the flats below Long bridge to the same
height but sloping each way to a height Of
SIX feet above low tide at the margin Of
the fill; that i'll order to purify the water
in the Washington channel, which will De
cut Off at Its upper end from the Virginia
or main channel, a tidal reservoir or basin
be established above Long bridge, 10 be
filled with water from the Virginia channel
en- the flood tide and discharged into the
Washington channel on the ehb The esti-
mated cost of the improvement is S2,71G,-
365.
The Work Up to Date.
At the close of the fiscal year ended June
30 last the total expenditures on ac-
count of this improvement were 1885,
46I.6S. The Virginia channel was found by
examination made last year to have shoal-
cd in that portion dredged through the up
per bar in 1892 from two to three feet the
result of ordinary freshets during the inter-
vening period, SO that the ruling depth
was reduced to seventeen and one-half
feet. 1t therefore became necessary to re-
dredge part of this channel, as well as to
widen 1t on the westerly side. Dredging
was interrupted by two freshets in May Of
last year. The navigation channel has
been dredged to depth of twenty feet at
low tide from the turn of the channel near
the upper end of the arsenal grounds to
the foot of 1919 street, just below the Long
a distance he VIII
Of the dredged channel is 400 feet. except
for length of 100 feet at the upper end,
where it is gradually diminished to 800
feet, and for a length of COO feet at the
lower end, where 1t connects with the un-
finished channel below
In order to contract the waterway and
prevent the reformation of the bar in the
Virginia. channel above the Long bridge a
training dyke has been projected, ,commenc-
ing at the lower end of Analostan Island
and extending down stream on the right
side of the channel. the dyke being partly
an earthen embankment and partly of rip
rap stone. In order to retain the material
deposited on the flats and protect 1t from
erosion by waves and currents. the project
provides for the construction of sea wall
around the exterior margin of reclaimed
area and the margin of the tidal reservoir.
Dredging in the Virginia channel was
completed in October last, and the chan
mel now has a width of 400 feet and a
depth of twenty feet at low tide.
Operations during the winter were sus-
peuUeO on account OF Ice In the river, but
the progress Of the work was not material
ly affected. The Washington channel has
been widened to 400 feet from the upper
end of the arsenal grounds to Giesboro'
depth being twenty feet at low tide.
To Preserve the Flats.
In a special chapter in regard to the
flats, Major Davis says:
1.-THE rich and fertile soil Of which the re-
claimed area is composed has induced q
rapid and dense growth Of vegetation In
the summer a large variety of weeds
spring up and rapidly attain a height of
six or eight feet. while the willow not here
has grown from seed dormant in the al
luvial deposits which have been dredged
from the river, covering several hur2red
acres. This dense growth has ben a
source of much difficulty in carrying on the
various operations of the improvement, and
during the past fiscal year a considerable
part of the reclaimed area has been cleared
up, chiefly where material was to be de-
posted under the contract Of dredging.
The improvement has now reached a
stage where some attention needs to be
given the maintenance and preservation of
the reservation. The growth of weeds,
willows and other trees and underbrush,
which, In the summer season especially,
render access to the various parts of the
work quite difficult, should be cleared up
each year, until the reservation is ready to
be laid out, graded and sown with grass
seed. The proper police supervision of this
extensive area of 621 acres has also become
matter of Importance. In order to pre-
vent infractions of the law, trespasses. etc,
the reservation should be patroled by
mounted police or watchmen, and IL is
recommended that annual provision be
made for two watchmen. 1t is estimated
that $1,000 per annum win be required for
maintenance"
Major Davis says that the items of work
remaining to be completed are as follows:
Dredging in the Washington and Virginia
channels, construction of the sea wall, con-
struction of inlet gates to prevent shoaltng
of basin, etc. AN inspection of the appro-
priations," Major Davis says, will show
that there has been constant tendency to
diminish the allotment in each successive
river and harbor act. and IL no greater al
,otment is hereafter made than that Of
1891, 1t will be 1902 before the total esti-
mated amount is appropriated, as, since
1882, the river and harbor act is only pass
ed in alternate years, and this custom
seems to be now well established.
Should BE Set Aside as a Park.
1.-THE preliminary report Of the board Of
| engineers of February 1S 1882 in accord
ance with whose recommendations the first
appropriation was made, makes no definite
recommendation as to the ultimate use to
| which the reclaimed land shall be put, but