Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-02
Interesting Statement Of the Work
Accomplished for Its Improvement.
OBJECT OF TEE ORIGINAL PROJECT
The Rebuilding Of the Long Bridge
Also Contemplated.
MARKED BENEFIT MANIFEST

Gen. Craighill, chief OF engineers, gives
an interesting statement of the work &C
complished for the improvement of the
Potomac river at Washington.
Before the commencement of this i'm
provement" he says, 1.-The channei 10
Georgetown, D. c., was narrow and crook
ed, and had not sufficient depth to meet
the needs of commerce. vessels drawing
16 feet frequently grounded at high tue
above Long bridge, and frequent dredging
was necessary to maintain even this depth.
The channel was of insufficient width, as
the appropriations for dredging were 100
small to provide for more than a narrow
cut through the bar. The Washington chan
mel was narrow and shoal and inadequate
to the wants OF commerce. Extensive mud
flats existed along the city front from
Observatory hill to a point opposite the
arsenal. Below Long bridge these fats
were separated from the city front by the
Washington channel. The greater portion
of these fats was exposed at low tide and
covered at high tide with water polluted
by the sewage of the city. At the foot or
18th street northwest large sewer dls-
charged directly upon the flats. These con-
ditions rendered. portion of the city al
most uninhabitable.
Object of the Plan.
THE present which is also the original
project or plan of Improvement adopted by
the act of Congress of August ,. 1882. has
for It's object of improvement of the navf-
CATION of the river by widening and deep
eninS its channels, the reclamation of the
flats by depoSiting them the material
drcdsed from the channels, the publication
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 depth
of channels are to be provided as will &C
commodate the largest vessels that can
reach arsenal point, with such depth at
the wharves as will allow vessels to re-
ceive full cargoes without grounding at low
water. 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 3 feet above the flood line
of 1917 below Long bridge the middle line
of the flats is to be filed up to the same
height but the flats are to slope each way
to height of q 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 basin was to
be established above Long bridge. not less
than feet deep, and provided with inlet
and outlet gates of ample dimensions auto
n,atically arranged for filling the reservoir
on the flood tide from the Georgetown
channel to the level of high water, and
eMptying it into the Washington channel
to the level of low water during each oscil-
lation of the tide: an ample system of
drainage for the reclaimed area was 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
least possible obstruction to the flow of
water and the interrogation of all sewage
new discharged into the Washington chan
nel and its conveyance to the James Creek
works was included in the estimated cost
of the Improvement. which is s., lie. 365
The total of appropriations for this
work, August 2. 1882, to include August II,
1894. is s2.1s5,0oo. The total amount ex-
pended to include June 80, 1885, was 81 0SS-
C4i-3'. The work done on this improve
ment at that date had resulted in the
dredging Of a channel twenty feet deep and
900 feet wide through the bar above the
Long bridge, and In restoring the standard
twenty-foot navigation by dredging shoals
formed by various freshets: in widening the
natural channel just below the Long bridge
from fifty to 500 feet, with depth of
twenty feet: in dredging channel $50 feet
wide and twenty feet deep through the bar
in the Virginia channel near Giesboro'
Point; in dredging in the Washington chan
mel a channel for navigation twenty feet
deep and 400 feet wide from Long bridge
to Giesboro Point: in dredging between the
naviga ton channel and section Ill to the
depth of twelve feet; in dredging the juno
ton of the Washington and Virginia chan
nelS to depths of from twelve to twenty
feet. in dredging the tidal reservoir Q11
acres) to a depth of about eight feet in
the construction Of the reservoir outlet,
81 G4J linear feet Of sea wall, 5175 linear
feet of training dixie, and in the reclama-
ton of 621 acres of land to heights of from
seven to twelve feet above low tide.
The work of the fiscal year ended June
led thn
6.24O linear feet of sea wall and the extern
SIGN of the training dixie the Virginia
side 100 feet. The expenditures of the
Year We're $4,000
Marked Benefits.
THE benefits to commerce and navigation
have been most marked. Vessels of the
draught now engaged in the coal trade
from Georgetown were formerly unable to
cross the bar in the Virginia channel The
increased draught now practicable has de-
creased freight rates materially. In the
Washington channel the increased depth
has enabled deeper draught vessels engaged
in the ice trade to reach the port, and
freights have decreased while increased
width has greatly facilitated the manage
ment of steamers navigating the river. All
of the coal shipped and most of the as
phalt received pass through the Virginia
channel. The greater part of the ice re-
ceived and all the freights received by
steamers come through the Washington
channel. Wood and ice also go up the An
acoStia river.
The Long bridge across the Virginia
channel was fully described, and the neces-
sity for its reconstruction was fully set
forth in appendix l to the annual report
frCm this office for the fiscal year ended
June 80, 1895.
THE officer in charge of this improve
ment refers to the desirability of setting
aside the areas reclaimed, by this improve
ment, for public park purposes.