Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-01
government Printing Office.
Potomac Ricer at Washington.

| lows.
Potomac Ricer at Washington
>t'rhe present project has for it's object the
| improvement of the navigation of the river
by widening and deepening its channels
I reclamation Of the fats by depositing on
them the material dredged from the chan
nels, the freeing Of the Washington chan
| mel, so far as 1t can be done, of sewage, and
the establishment Of harbor lines beyond
which no wharves shall be built To effect
these the project provides for twenty feet
depth In the channels at low water, for fill
ing In the flats to a height of three feet
above the flood" plane of 1877 and for a tidal
reservoir or basin above Long bridge, to
be provided with inlet and outlet gates OF
ample dimensions, to work automa tcally
and so arranged as to, admit of the basin
being filled from the Virginia channel on
the flood tide and discharged into the
Washington channel on the ebb. An ample
system Of drainage for the reclaimed area
was also contemplated.
The amount expended to the close OF the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1902, was
| 81, 346 All. rs.
1.-The area of land reclaimed by these OPP
voirs, 739. 40 acres. which, by act of March
8, 1897 was declared to be a public park,
under the name Of Potomac Park.
The maXin6unnS draft that could be car
ried through the Washington channs on
June 80. 1902 al mean low tide was twenty
feet; for the Virginia channel it was: 1875.
THE benefts4tS naviga ton from the Inn.
proveInents Havei been marked. Vessels
:can come to Washington loaded more heav-
lily than was formerly the case. J
e The items:Qf work remaining to be COM
prefed are the dredging to full width or the
the channels, (Washingtonr and Virginia.
the TaisingS H tha incomplete1y raised ipor-
tions of the area to the fun height contem-
plated by thaprajAet,the completion Of the
rryat Of fha dot voir fhn cfr,te
siion Of the reservoir inlet gates and COM
pletion of the training dixie the right of
the Virginia ehannsf aboveiLong bridge.
Potomac River. Below Washington
The desirability of extending the advan-
tages Of increased depth in the lower Po-
tomac river at-an early date, so that deep
draft vessels may reach the navy yard and
wharves at Washington, is obvious and
need not be dwelt upon here.
The project contemplates the improve
ment of the waterway by dredging chan
nels twenty -four feet deep and 200 feet
wide through all distractions to twenty
four-foot navigation below Washington, D.
c.. at an estimated cost of S15S. 400.
The work done has resulted in dredging
channels 200 feet wide and twenty-four feet
deep entirely through Smiths Point upper
shoal, Smiths Point lower shoal and Mary
land Point shoal. and through Mattawo-
man shoal, except for length of about
$500 feet, where two ridges of hard ma
terial were encountered. The everything soft
material has been removed from both of
these ridges and a channel eighty feet wide
and twenty-fodr feet deep has been cut
through the upper ridge.
The maximum draft that could be carried
over the shoals in the Potomac river below
Washington, D. c., on June 90 1902, at low
tide was about PIP feet and the mean range
of tides is, about 1 g feet. 49,. ,... =.
The total tonnage annually passing
through these channels Is estimated al from
800, GOO to 100000 tons.
For the completion Of the work provided
ton of March 3, 1901. appears sufficient. A
channel only 800 wide is. however, regarded
as rather contracted for a river of the
width and importance of the Potomac. and
especially In view of the location of the
Washington navy yard upon It's shores
During the ensuing years so much Of the
| unexpended balance as Is required will be
| applied in completing the channels provided
for by the existing project by dredging and
rock excavation.
1t Is hoped that an increase in width of
| these channels to 400 feet may soon be au-
thorized by Congress.
Anacostia River.
Congress by act approved June 10, 1902.
appropriated the sum of $4,000 for i'm
! proving Anacostia river, with a view to the
interests of commerce and navigation
The project provides for channel twenty
| Ietl Oeep At low Tue ana 4OU 1eet
wide from the mouth of the river to the
navy yard. including sufficient turning room
| In front of the yard.
The last work done upon the Anacostia
| by the engineer department for improve
ment of the navigation of the stream was
under an allotment of $4,000 included In
| the, item in the act of September 10, 1890,
for improving the Potomac river at Wash
| tngton. Under this allotment channels
twenty feet deep ahd' about 200 feet wide
were dredgedothrough shoals near the foot
| of South Capitol street, and off GreenIeaf
or Arsenal Point. Sbfhis dredging was com
| pleted in May. 1892, at a cost Of $1S. $50 "A.
1t is proposed to begin the work provided
for in the act of Time Is. 1902. at an early
day. s'hfiu5a -
The Washington Aqueduct.
Measurements of the daily and hourly
consumption sod waste of water by the Dis
trict of Columbia Rere made during nine
| months, and gave "a daily average Of 3d.
921,367 gaIleps- The consumption and
waste, measured on June "a, 1902, were
found to be, a7.47A 100 gallons, per diem.
This Is the largest June measurement ever
taken. and, estimating the population OF the
District of Columbia as 279S78 gives .
daily per capita consumption and waste of
40 gallons. 4 1sssto sal
| Careful and trustworthy Investigations
made in various cities In the United States
show clearly that a daily per capita. con-
sumption Of 100 gallons Is ample for all do.
nestle, business and public purposes. and
that any considerable Increase above this