Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-21
COMMERCE OF ANACOSTIA
WHY THE NAVIGATION OF THE
RIVER SHOULD BE IMPROVED.
An Effort to BE Made to Obtain an APP
prOpriatiOn-Mr. Thomas w.
Smiths Letter.

An effort is to be made during the present
session Of Congress to have an approprid-
ton made for improving the navigation oi
the Anacostia river, which Will Involve the
reclamation of the flats of that stream.
With this object in view Mr.. Thomas w.
Smith, chairman of the board OF trade
committee on river and harbor improve
ment. has sent out letters to a number OF
members of the board of trade and others
asking them to use their influence In prop
cry presenting the needs of the Anacostl@
river before the House committee in order
to obtain provision in the river and harbor
bill similar to the one placed in the bill
In the Senate in the last Congress.
Commerce of the River.
LAS to commerce on the Anacostia river,
says Mr. Smith in his letter, Il call your
attention to the Washington Gas Light
Company, whose wharf is above the Navy
Yard bridge, and where they receive coal,
naphtha, gasoline and lime IN large quail
titles, as we'll as other articles necessary
to be used in the manufacture OF gas; the
Washington navy yard, otherwise known
as the gun factory, which receives daily
large quantities of freight of all descr!p-
tions by water, and which manufactures
large guns used in the navy. These guns
are transported on large barges from the
Washington navy yard on the Anacostla
river to Indian Head. The large lumber
wharf of Thomas w Smith. foot of Attn
street southeast; Carter & Clark's receiv-
ing and distributing yard, for wood toot
of 4th street southeast; L. E. Smoots
receiving and distributing yard. for all
kinds of sand and gravel; the American
Ice Company's wharf for the receipt and
delivery of Ice, lumber, cord wood. ETC.;
w. A. Richards wharf. at which are re-
ceived nearly all of the gasoline, coal oil
and lubricating oils sold here by the
rd This W iS a1Sn
used for other commercial purposes. The
wharf of the Washington Asphalt, Block
and lie Company; the wharfs OF the Gar
bage Company and Of P. Mann. More than
80 per cent of all the sand and gravel used
in the city OF Washington is carried on the
Anacostia river, to the mouth of the James
creek canal. and landed on the banks of
the canal from barges and scows. There are
also received in this canal from the An
acostia river large quantities of clay
which is manufactured into brick, by John
Miller & Co.: large quantities of wood,
railroad ties, and lumber by Carter &
Clark and others.
'.On the east side Of the river the ST.
Ehzabeths Asylum receives large quanti-
ties of coal, wood, iron, brick. sand. etc.
Besides these wharves which l have
noted, and frem which are shipped a large
quantity of items of commercial value,
there are other smaller Wharves, where
many tons of material are received and
shipped. A careful calculation of the num-
Der of tons carried to and from the wharves
above noted foots up very nearly, if not
over, two million tons. Vessels of all
sizes, from small salboats to three ami
four and five-masters. have been unloaded
a. the wharves above noted. Steamers
from small launches TO large vessels the
size Of the Dolphin, and some even larger,
have piled on its waters. l am quite sure
that from careful inquiry made by one
Who has more time to devote to 1t than /
have, there would be discovered other items
of commerce which have been carried on
the Anacostia river.
Need of Improvement.
This showing however, ought to con-
vince any person interested in commerce
to and from the city of Washington that
the Anacostia river is of some Importance,
and that its crooked lines should be
Strengthened, and that 1t ought to be deep
ened and widened SO as to make Its condi
ton somewhat commensurate with the
amount of traffic that is at present carried
by it.
Comparison between the amount OF
freight handled to and from the wharves
on the Anacostia river and the amount OF
freight handed to and from the wharve5
on the Potomac river will be favorable to
the Anacosua river. In fact, l believe
that a fair showing the number of
tons handled on the Anacostia Will equa.,
if not be greater, than the amount handled
on the Washington front"
Mr.. Smith, CHAIRMAN of the committee
has invited Messrs. Theodore w. Noyes
Eeriah Wilkins. John Joy Edison, George
Il. Harres. Tracy L. Jeftords. v. Baldwin
Johnson, John w. Babson, A. F. Sperry
W. A. Wimsatt, Thos. B. Jewell, Henry
L BLscoe, NJ. l. Weller, Corcoran Thorn,
Henry K. Simpson, o. B. Hallam, B. W.
Cox and William f. Hart to serve as q
committee to interview members of the -ub-
committee of the House. Each of these
gentlemen is requested to member Of
the committee and invite him to be a party
aboard the U. S. S. Dolphin tomorrow at
O'Clock, with the purpose in view OF in
vestigating the needs Of the harbor as far
as the Pennsylvania avenue bridge.