Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-14
THE RIVER FROM T
Maj. Davis Report on Last Months
80 Operations.
WORK TO Be DONE ON THE CHANNEL
Progress Of the Repairs on the
Aqueduct Bridge.
CONTINUING THE SEA WALL

Maj. Davis has made report to the chief
of engineers of operations for the improve
ment of the Potomac river during the
month of July. The construc ton of the
sea wall in the tidal reservoir was con-
tinued. The weather being favorable, good
progress was made, $50 linear feet being
completed during the month. The wall on
the northeast side was completed up to the
bathing beach and work was commenced
on the southeast side at the outlet. The
total length of wall now constructed along
the northeast side of the reservoir is 2,OIe
linear feet
The Training Dixie.
The construction of the training dixie on
the west side of the Virginia channel was
continued, and 2,062 cubic yards of riprap
stone were put in place. The dixie has now
been extended 1000 feet and built to a
height of about four feet above low tide.
The remainder of the stone to be delivered
under the present contract-about $50 cubic
yards-will be used In raising the dixie,
which is now from one to two feet below
the required height of six feet. During the
month the survey of the river front for the
purpose of locating the harbor line along
the Washington channel was completed.
With this work the entire water front
along the Washington channel has been
located and connected with the system OF
d
officials of the District of Columbia.
Work to Be Done ON the Channel.
Maj Davis says that the redredging of
the navigation channel between the Long
bridge and the upper end of the arsenal
grounds has been completed but that the
remainder Of this channel from the upper
end of the arsenal grounds to its junction
with the Virginia channel is still to be
widened to 400 feet and made 90 feet deep.
The widening and deepening of the Virginia
channel below the Long bridge. so as to
facilitate the discharge Of freshets and
prevent overflow in the city. is still incom-
plete. All dredged material is being depos-
tied on the flats and practically the entire
area to be reclaimed has been raised over
the overflow at, ordinary high tide.
Repairs to the Aqueduct Bridge.
In a special report in regard to the re-
pairs to the Aqueduct bridge. Maj. Davis
says that the repairs to piers Nos. 2, 3. 5.
6, and 8. by means of concrete put in
place by a diver, have been completed. The
concrete has teen protected from the action
of freshets by means of riprap stone The
cofferdam about pier No. has been put in
place and pumped out, and the repairs of
that pier have been practically completed.
The small inner dam, described in the re-
port for June as having been successfully
driven to solid rock and pumped out was
cleared thoroughly of all debris during
July and filed in with concrete, so as to
form a footing course for the masonry.
This was considered the best method Of
levellng up the irregularities of the bed
rock. the elevations ard depressions of
which. formed of nodules and pot-holes.
varied in depth from 22.7 to 81 feet The
concrete filling was leveled off at "a feet
and the projecting spurs of rock were cut
off level at this elevation. The first course
of masonry was laid on the 18th, and after
the 22d progress was fastened by the en-
ployment of two shifts of masons. All of
the new work was practically completed by
the end of the month, and the three
courses of the overhanging ice breaker re-
moved to facilitate the work were replaced.
The new masonry was toothed into the old,
and the projecting courses of the old work
at its junction with the new were under
ton was made to determine the character
Of the foundation Of the pier along that
part not repaired, and the same state of
affairs was revealed as at the west, or up
stream, end of the pier. viz, that the
original masonry Is built upon a foundation
of small ripran. very loose and apparently
thfOwn in without any attempt at clearing
OF the bed rock. The depths to bed rock
in these pits varied from "a to 2S.5 feet be-
low low water. r'"'''''1"
Eastern Branch Bridge.
the District of Columbia act approved
March 2, 1895, for a survey, plan and esti-
mate Of cost Of a bridge across the East
ern branch of the Potomac river az or be-
low the foot of South Capitol street Major
Davis says that the, survey was begun in
the field July "a, and a part Of the
on this survey will be continued during the
present month