Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-14
IMPROVING THE POTOMAC
Major Davis Report of Operations During
the Month of January.
Work Was Delayed by Ice-Rcpnirs to
the Long Bridge by the Rail-
road Company.

Major Davis of the engineer corps has
made a report to Gen. Casey of operations
for the Improvement of the Potomac river
curing the month of January. Dredging
operations in the Washington channel were
suspended during the month on account Of
ice and unfavorable weather. On the list
of January the ice was about three inches
in thickness. On the 18th it had disappear
ed and the river was entirely clear. On the
18th, however, Ice again formed on the
river and continued until the 18th, when
the weather became warmer, and the river
cleared again. The contractors then made
preparations to resume work, but before
the channel could be laid out and the piles
driven, ice formed for the third time so
that nothing could be done except the driv-
ing of a few piles for the support of the
discharge pipe. The maximum thickness OF
ice during the month was four inches and
up to January 81 ferry boats and steamers
were able to make their regular trips.
During the month 235 cubic yards of rip
zap stone were put in place on the training
dixie in the Virginia channel. The tidal
reservoir remained closed by ice, so that
no building stone could be delivered. Major
Davis says that dredging and other active
operations will be resumed as soon as the
river is opened to navigation.
The Aqucsluct Bridge.
In a chapter in regard to the Aqueduct
Gam for the repair of pier No. was con-
tinued whenever the weather permitted
The sheet piling has been driven entirely
around the crib, except for space OF
about four feet on the north side, Which
will be closed when the dam Is ready to be
pumped out. Some Snoring has been done
by the diver under the Overhanging part
Of the ice breaker of the pier. The north
side of the crib has also been blocked up
from the bed of the river, so as to give a
firm support for the trestle piers OF the
false work. The north trestle tower Of the
false work, which is to support the ends
the repairs, has been erected. Work was
delayed five days during the month by
storms and q freshet, which, however, did
no damage to the Golfer dam.
Repairs to the Long Bridge.
Maj. Davis made special reference to the
repairs made to the Long bridge by the
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company.
ION January =, 1875" he says, 1.-The Secre-
tary Of War granted permission to the Bal
timore and Potomac Railroad Company to
close the draw of the Long bridge for re-
pairs on the following days: Northeast
opening, January Z; southwest opening
January II and 13, and again on January
- and 70. with the condition that the rail
road company would release the United
states of all liability to damages due to de-
murrage, or for any other cause, on the
part of those interested in the navigation
of the river, and that the company would
cause a notice to be inserted in the news
papers stating that the draw would be
closed on the days mentioned, and also en-
deavor to notify Georgetown shippers Of
the intended interruption of navigation.
Due notice was given by advertisement, as
required by the permit. The repairs We're
made to the trusses of the draw span, and
necessitated the driving of piles under the
same for false work to support them while
new chords and truss members We're being
put in. The work was commenced on the
specified dates. but during the repair of the
down stream truss the upper chord was
broken, delaying the opening of the draw
under this truss in the southwest draw
opening they were broken off near the bed
Of the river. instead of being drawn as
specified in the application for the permit
AS this opening is used by deep-draught
vessels, the broken ends of piles in the
channel might be dangerous to navigation,
as well as accumulate drift AMI cause de-
terioration of the channel. The attention
of the chief engineer of the railroad COM
pany was therefore called to this matter
and he has made arrangements to have the
broken piles drawn as soon as the weather
will permit The repairs to the upstream
truss were commenced January 49, but the
breaking of a tension rod caused a delay
in reopening the draw until January -, so
that navigation was closed in all about
seven and one-half days. The false work
piles in the southwest draw, opening under
this truss, as well as all of those in the
northeast draw opening, were drawn as re-
uuired by the conditions of the permit"