Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-14
Problems Before Commissioners and
War Department.
SUGGESTIONS BY COL. C. G. ALLEN
Communication Forwarded by Gen.
Wilson With His Approval.
WHARVES AND CHANNEL

| of Congress of March g. 1899 They In
| formed Gen. Wilson of their consideration
of rules and regulations relative to the
wharves on the river in front of the city,
stating they would be glad to receive any
statements or suggestions as to pertinent
regulations, and also as to whether such
rules and regulations should be the same
over the wharf property under the control
of the chief of engineers as over that under
the control of the District Commissioner
| Gen. Wilson referred the Commissioner
communication TO Lieut.. Col. Chas. ]. Allen
| corps of engineers, in charge of the Poto-
mac river improvements, who submitted a
report to Gen Wilson. This report has
| been forwarded to the District Commission
ers with Gen. Wilson's approval.
Col. Aliens Report.
The report is now receiving the considera-
| ton of the Commissioners, and is as fol-
| lows:
| Section of the above mentioned act OF
March 3. 1893. authorizes the Commission
| ers of the District OF Columbia to establish
| regulations for the construction OF certain
wharves. As the charge Of Improvement
| of the channels at Washington, well as
| of the questions of harbor lines, pertain to
this office through assignment of the same
| by the chief of engineers, il is thought that
suggestions herein relating to matters OF
| wharf and bulkhead construction, may not
be aIniss, though the said construction IL
not in charge of this office.
THE wharf front of the Washington
channel being limited in extent, il is i'm
| portant both for economy of space, as well
| for economy of outlay in wharf con-
struction, that the frontage be utilized to
| the maximum extent possible To this
| End the regulations should provide that,
| wherever wharves are constructed project
! ing from the 1buikhead line toward the
| channel, or TO the wharf line vessels
| shall be prohibited from lying along thu
| ends of wharves and be required to lie
along the sides of the same, in the slips be-
tween adjacent whsrves, excepting when Il
may be impossible or impracticable to re-
| quire such disposition of vessels. Some OF
| the slips may not be long enough to &C
commodate large vess Els; and, in addition,
| 1t would not do to allow long bowsprits to
project beyond the wharf heads (wharf
ends) enough to obstruct movements of YES
sells in the navigation channel To such
regulation, or general rule, exception might
be made in the case of tugs or small craft
whose length would not exceed the width of
the wharf. This regulation would apply to
the Washington channel and Anacostia
river. The wharf line has been established
for the Washington channel, but the bulk
head line for this channel has not yet been
settled upon. Both bulkhead and wharf
lines have been established for thu Anacos-
tia river from its mouth to Pennsylvania
avenue bridge. The regulation, however,
would not apply to the water front of
Georgetown and Immediately below Rock
creek, where the wharf front is practically
all bulkhead, and where the construction
of wharves projecting from the bulkheads
| Is not feasible, at present at least.
Custom of Vessels.
| 1T is the almost invariable custom in
Washington for vessels to lie along the
outer ends of wharves, partly no doubt. be-
| cause the slips have an insufficient depth of
water, so that the practical effect of such a
regulation as is here suggested would be to
1 n rsralNr fva.ar H..
| the port.
This method of docking vessels would
require the width OF slips between wharves
to be sufficient TO permit two vessels to lie
on the sides of any two adjacent wharves
with sufficient water space between to al
low a barge to be brought alongside of
either or to allow one vessel to be warped
INTO the sip while one is lying at the next
wharf. The determination of The width OF
slips would require some Investigation of
the beam of vessels and steamers coming
to this port, but 100 feet might be stated as
probable minimum.
1t is also suggested that the slips he
oreGged 10 the standard depth in the har-
Dor. This is now 20 feet at low tide
1t is suggested that the bulkhead walls
be OF substantial granite masonry laid On
pile and grillage foundations filed IN SO
lar as needed with riprap. in order that
the dredged depth of slips may be carried
back so that practically the full I, Myth Of
the wharves may be utilized. the ionnda-
lions of the bulkhead walls should be deep
IL
sumed, vary with the uses to which they
are to be adapted. AS to construction OF
WharNes, IL is suggested that the present
dllapidated structures will need to be re-
placed at an early day by more substantial
constructions The Virginia pine now quite
commonly used for piles has short life
Georgia pine has longer life, but is perish
able. W harves constructed entirely of
lumber are not up to modern requirements
for harbors OF large cities. 1t is suggested
that hollow cast-iron piles be used 20 sup
port moor system of steel beams. with
oak or Georgia pine joists and plankng,
the wharves to be provided with suitable
tenders of oak Georgia pine piles and
timber. Steel can be used Instead of Tim
Der for joists, though the latter has a bet
ter cushion effect.
Construction of Sheds.
1T is suggested, in order to avoid or
lessen damage from fire, that the sheds
built on wharves be of corrugated iron,
with steel posts and roof trusses The solid
wharves now existing on the Washington
channel and Anacostia river should be re-
moved and replaced by wharves built on
piles, so as 10 allow the free and full flow
of tidal water beneath them. The piles
should be OF iron, as already mentioned.
THE Anacostia river may be regarded as
hardly coming within the scope of the sug-
gestions decired, but its wharves are
Washington city wharves the way did not
seem clear to leave them out.
In reply to the question as to the appli-
cation OF the regulations TO the wharves
under the charge of the chief of engineers,
1t is suggested that the only wharves under
the control of this office are a section OF
the wall of the tidal reservoir near the foot
of 18th street, designated in the act above
mentioned, and a construction wharf on
section 1 of Potomac Park, near Easby's
Point both of which ere Intimately con-
nected with work in charge of this office.
1t Is therefore recommended that they be
not included under the proposed regula-
tons.
Referring to the present standard depth
of twenty feet at Washington, the river
and harbor act of March 3, 1899, provides
for securing a depth of twenty-four feet In
the channel of the Potomac river below
the city of Washington. in accordance with
the project of 1891. The report containing
this project also presents an estimate or
the cost of deepening the channels at the
city of Washington from the present STAN
dard of twenty feet to a depth of twenty
four feet. In case Congress should order
the latter depth to be obtained at Wash.
ington, vessels loaded to that draught
would come here, and corresponding wharf
accommodations would be required"