Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-26

the wide action of Congress and the Score
tary of the Navy-Mr. Whitney-all of the
shops. appliances, tools and machinery sfor
the use of the bureaus of construction and
repair. steam engineering yards and docks.
and for the equipment and recruiting. were
turned over to the bureau of ordnance on
october l, 1856. From that day to the
present large appropriations have been
made for the Improvement of the naval gun
foundry grounds. buildings, machinery. etc.
Eighty Thousand square feet have been
added to the yard on the west side. All
the improvements have been made along
lines which have so improved and perfect
ed the naval gun factory rs to make 1t
one OF the best for gun-producing in the
world.
Commerce on the Anacostia.
THE Auacostia river prior to 1890 as has
peen SHOWN, was Il navigabe stream
throughout its whole length within the
boundaries of the District of Columbia.
subsequent to thats time. a bridge was
punt across the Anacostia at the foot!+of
fenhsyiNania avenue. east. This bridge was
out sisnt impeachment to the flow of The
river. Ii being built on wooden piles having
no causeWay abutment. Starting from the
eastern bank, the pile bridge extended to
the western bank. leaving a clear flow -of
wafer throughout the length of the bridge.
inns bridge was burned by the Britshzin
Isif. ana was never rebuilt. The building
OF orldse was subsequently authorized by
congress across the Anacostia at n place
called Benning, four miles from the month
of the river. I.
Effect of tie Causeway.
Elhe river at this point, prior to the
guiding on this bridge, was more than
nan mile wide. To lessen the cost of tho
building OF the bridge, authority was oh
tanned to build a causeway across the shall
10" waters OF the river. This causeway en-
bankment caused stagnation at all times
during the year to the northward of it,
causing silt to settle in the low waters
until, at the present day. except at very
high TIDE, the low water portion of the
river Is now exposed. This condition exists
also south Of Benning bridge to the cause
way of the Baltimore and Potomac rail-
road, which still further retards the flow
OF water. and then to the Pennsylvania
avenue bridge, and then to the navy yard
bridge.
The AnacOstfa Flats.
"All of these impediments to the flow. of
the waters of the river and to the outgoing
tide have produced more than 1900 acres
Of fats, which are exposed for a part of
each day at low tide, and then covered ut
hlgh tide. This process of filling has been
gong on since cauSeWays and bridges We're
built; has narrowed the channel and caused
1t to become so crooked that it is unfit for
use as a commercial waterway. This re-
mark applies not only to that portion of
the river north of Pennsylvania avenue
bridge, put also that portion now used
MIA avenue bridge, to its mouth. While
the depth of water in the very narrow
and tortuous channel is deep enough to
float large vessels at the present day, the
crookedness of the channe. prevents them
from being steered while under their steam
or sail Therefore. large vessels arriving
at the mouth of the Anacostia river ore
compelled to employ tugboats, and tHfn
only in clear weather and in the day TIME
can they be propelled to the wharf of their
destination.
The Experience of the LcOnidas.
This condition was fully illustrated dur
ing the past month by the arrival at the
Washington navy yard of the United states
transport Leondas. This vessel was loaded
at Norfolk with shitumaAous coal Tor me ne
Washington Mvartt0'She could not ne
loaded at Norfolk-tp herfull capacity. Cap
tain Hutchinson of this vessel informed the
writer that when he got into the Eastern
branch channel he, fouTd that his vesSel
would not mind her helm quickly enough to
make the turns in the stream. He slowed
down, abandoned his helm, slowly made
his way to the Washington navy YARD. slip
ping and sliding 70, the fnud banks ON ttie
east side of the river. 1hence SEWING 10
the mud banks on thee west SI4e Oh Inc
channel meauderiisg to 's,nd ffo., until ms
vessel arrived within 4 thousand feet OF her
destination, and tffefa sR stuck IN the mu1
He was eompelledte call uponzthe authorl-
ties at the navy yerd fug the tpG Triton to
help him out of his. difficulty, ana When
nulled through the soft bud bjittbm to the
wharf Of the navy yardt where he was TO
unload he was unable 2to place ibis vessel
alongside Of the wharf. lying fifteen feet
out III the stream When the tide went OUT
this large and valuable transport lay I'M
bedded In the mud of the An2cpstla to a
depth Of more than three lfet, w mall 10y
tons of coal were taken from her before she
could be moved 10 i point on the race OF
the wharf where she was intended TO be
placed.
Commerce at Private Wharves.
Now. concerning commerce on the Ana
&C sta going toepriNate wharves. There Is
not a day passes during the season that
sailing vessels and steamers. large and
small are not seen upon this river, going
to and from wharves The washington
Gas Light Company, located between the
navy ward bridge and Pennsylvania aVenu"
bridge, receives larg, quantities OF on, De
livered to this gas company wharf III tank
barees. | am informed by hrs gas hsh1
company that more than ffty thousand
tons of freight are landed at their wharf.
The lumber wharf of Thomas ". Smith,
foot of 18th street southeast Is one or the
most substantial within inc District. rive
large vessels can be unloaded at one time
or its front and in its docks, and many mil
lion feet of lumber, laths and shingles are
brought to it from al points On the At
lantic coast, the rivers "L frsilia Hi.,l
MARYLAND BIagdens. at rhe foot of ith
street is occupied by Carter S Clarke. who
keep there at all times hundreds of cords
of firewood, vessels being unioaded daily at
this wharf l.. +. Smeot Il Co, occupying
3d street wharf handled last year many
I thousands of tons of sand and gravel. and
will this year make it one of the most
active places along either the Potomac ar
Anacostia front and will handle over 1900
tons The American Ice Company, owners
of the wharf foot of Sd street. unload ice
from the largest size three. four and five
masters. This company also does large
lumber whar fage business. n large bust
ness is also done by Richards Co. at their
wharf foot Of 1st street southeast, where
the Standard Oil Company unload from
tank barges all the oil sold by them in this
District, except the oil sold to the gas
light company.
at Is a matter OF interest to all to
know that vessels loaded with Trinidad as
of the largest eagoing size
land their asphalt at the wharf of the
Washington Block and Tile Company, foot
of South Capitol street, where this company
"A lso receives its stone. The garbage of the
city is shipped from a nearby wharf
Extent of Anacostfa's Commerce.
THE mouth of the James Creek canal
opens into the Eastern branch and along
its wharyes are landed hundreds OF thou
sands of tons of sand, gravel, coal. wood.
railroad ties, brick, brick clay and many
other items of freight I am quite sure,
from observation and calculation, that
tbara no, baeY, 6uring he mast wear nearly