Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-07-01
THE NEEDS INCREASING
HARBoR MASTER sUTToN.s EsTI-
MATES FOR ENSUING YEAR.
Condition of James Creek Canal
~
Strong Appeal for an ApprOpria-
ton for NtKht Force.


The annual report of Harbor Master J. r.
Sutton, for the fiscaIS year ended June 30
1901. was submitte ed etofthe District Com
missioners today. The harbor masters ex-
penses during the Year have been 81, COO
The estimate for the'icoming year, how
ever, for the regular service. exceed this
amount by $500. Several recommended
lions Of importance are made in the re-
port. The necessity Of a night crew is
strongly urged for the harbormaster's
boat, to consist of pilot engineer, fireman
and four deck hands. The necessity Of
constructing a suitable fish wharf Is also
set forth. The condition of James Creek
canal is commented on forcefully and the
recommendation made that it be arched
over.
At the opening of his report the harbor-
master recapitulates the appropriations
for the past year, and makes estimates
for the ensuing year, as follows:
I'm my report of last year." he says, lat
tention was invited to lne urgent necessity
that existed for night crew for the police
harbor boat, and an estimate for the same
was then submitted. The conditions which
| impelled me at that time to ask for the
proposed addition to the force are not only
still in existence, but have become more
apparent. The utter inadequacy Of the
force, as at present constituted, to cope
with the increased business connected with
the large territory assigned to 1t has been
demonstrated again and again, and only
the greatest effort and sacrifice on the part
OF the harbor master and the crew of the
proach to that efficiency which should
characterize this important branch of the
service. A night crew is, therefore. not
only desirability, but an absolute necessi-
Of the harbor force Is required to be per
formed at night, or after o'clock in the
evening, at which hour the boat is at pres
ent laid up
Vfgilant's New Equipment.
The new and larger boiler for the police
harbor boat, for which provision was made
IN the appropriation act for the past fiscal
year, was successfully put in place on the
18th Of June last
In this connection attention Is in
vited to the estimate hereinbefore submit
ted for a fireman at $50 per month. The
installation of the larger boiler makes this
increase absolutely necessary, rs it will be
impossible for one man to act as both en-
gineer and fireman, as was done hereto
1ore 1T Is of the utmost Importance that
THIS additional man be provided
The appropriation act for the year end
ing June 30 1902 contains a provision for
new engine for the Vigilant and on AnrtI
g of this year the contract for furnishing
the same was awarded. Work under this
contract has progressed satisf ctorily and
expect by the LIST of August te have the
new engine In place and the Vigilant again
In commission.
Wants n Launch.
THE dragging Of the river for dead bod
les. which is an important item In the work
Of this department. Is at present performed
by the crew in rowboat. and is conse-
quently very arduous and exhausting as
well as time-consuming. I therefore rec
ommend that an appropriation be submit
ted for the purchase Of a naphtha launch
or it's equivalent to be used for dragging
This launch could also be used as sub
stitute for the Vigilant when the latter is
laid up for repairs.
THE maintenance Of a suitable fish wharf
for handling the large quantities of fish
brought to the harbor Is q matter to which
l wish to invite your attention. Under the
present practice the fish wharf privilege is
annually auctioned off to the highest bid
der, and for various reasons, one of which
has been the lack of definite and specific
agreement concerning the removal Of the
ofal, no one seems inclined to bid for the
privilege. l recommend that commo-
dious wharf be secured by purchase, to
be designated a fish wharf the same
to be leased to responsible party for a
term Of years. said lessee to be required to
concrete the entire surface Of the wharf
to erect theron suitable fish houses and to
provide proper sewerage therefor. The
offal resulting from handling the fish has
been removed during the past season In q
more satisfactory manner than ever before
by the wagons of the contractor for the re-
moVal of garbage, and l recommend that
arrangements be made with him for the
continuance Of the service.
An Unprotected Sewer.
THE James Creek canal in its present un-
protected condition is constant menace
to life. Furthermore, the exhalations
arising from the mass Of decaying and pu-
trid matter which marks its entire length
is the direct cause of much of the disease
which exists in that section of the city
lying near it. 1t is a veritable death trap.
Its banks being unprotected in any man
ner, there are numerous deaths by drown
ing of people who have fallen into its wa
tiers, and the bottom of the canal is a
deep layer of soft filth and sewerage a
body reaching the bottom rarely, if ever,
comes to the surface. l earnestly recon-
mend that provision be made to arch over
the canal. thus preventing fatal accidents
and blotting out an eyesore the most I'M
slightly of any in the District Of Columbia.
Owing to the fact that the past winter
was an unusually mild one, this department
was not called upon to break up ice in the
channel OF the Potomac river. 1t is recon-
mended, however that for this purpose an
appropriation of $1,000 be asked for, with
the view OF having an emergency fund i'm
mediately available should 1t become nee
essary during the coming winter to per-
form this duty"
An increase of $500 in the salary of the