Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-07-17

Major Aliens Report On the Work of
Its Improvement.
SUMMARY OF THE RECLAIMED AREAS
The Work Done So Far, and the
Result Obtained.
ITEMS TO BE COMPLETED


who relieved Major c. E. L. B. Davis of his
duties in charge Of river and harbor i'm
provements and fertilization works in this
vicinity, submitted his first annual report
of operations on those works to General
Craighill, chief of engineers. today.
After giving general description of the
original condition Of the Potomac river at
Washington, Major Allen says:
Object of the Improvement.
''The present, which is also the original
project or plan of improvement adopted by
the act of Congress of August 2, 1882. has
for its object the Improvement of the navi-
CATION of the river by widening and deepen
ing its channels, the reclamation of the
flats by deposting them the material
dredged from the channels. the puriiicaton
of the water in the Washington channel,
and the establishment of harbor lines, be-
yond which no wharves or Instructions
shall be built.
ITO accomplish these purposes such depths
of channels are to be provided as will &C
cOmmodate the largest vessels that can
reach Arsenal Point. with such depths at
the wharves as will allow vessels to receive
full cargoes without grounding at low wa
Ter. The depth of these channels has been
established at 20 feet at low water. The
flats above Long bridge are to be filled in
TO height of three feet above the flood
line of 1877, below Long bridge the middle
line of the flats is to be filled up to the
same height. but the fats are to slope eac n
way to a height of six feet above low tide
at the margin of the fill. In order to purify
the water in the Washington channel cut
off at its upper end from the Virginia or
main channel, a tidal reservoir or BASH
vas to be established above Long bridge
not less than eight feet deep and provided
With inlet and outlet gates OF ample dimen-
sions, automatically arranged, for filling
the reservoir on the flood tide from the
Georgetown channel to the level of high
water. and emptying it into the Washing
ton channel to the level of low water dur
ing each oscillation of the tide; an ample
system of drainage for the reclaimed area
vas to be provided.
To Rebuild the Long Bridge
The project also provides for the re-
building of Long bridge at an early period
during the progress Of the Improvement
with wide spans upon piers Offering the
cast possible obstruction to the flow of wa
ter and the interrogation of all sewage now
discharged into the Washington channel!
and its conveyance TO the James creek
sewer canal but neither of these two works
was Included in the estimated cost of the
Improvement, which is S21lG,3t;.
FOR the convenience OF designation and
reference the area to be reclaimed under
the above project of improvement has been
divided INTO three sections. as follows:
section L comprises the rec iamed area
between Easbys Point and the sewer canal
at the foot OF 18th street northwest Section
comprises the reclaimed area and the
tidal reservoirs lying between the sewer
canal and the Long bridge. Section 3 com
2rises ali of the reclaimed area below the
Long bridge lying between the Washington
and Virginia channels
Areas.
The following is a summary of the areas
OF the several portions Of the reclaimed
area OF the Potomac river Improvement:
Area of Potomac Flats