Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-24

by act of Congress of March 3, 1899 which
act further provided for prosecuting the
work under a continuing contract. This
project contempiates the Improvement Of
the waterway by dredging channels tweny
tyfour feet deep and 200 feet wide through
all Instructions to twenty fourfoot navi-
cation below Washington, D. c.. at an esti-
mated cost Of $15S 400.
The total amount of material removed
from the different shoals in the lower Po-
tomac river during the past fiscal year, I'M
der the two existing contracts, was 397 ,SS0.5
cubic yards, making a total of 1.072, 267 5
cubic yards of material dredged to June 80.
1902. OF this amount 697, 531.2 cubic yards
have been removed from Mattawoman
shoal, 92,S7S from Smiths Point upper
shoal, 120.312,1 from Smiths Point lower
shoal. and 161 1892 from Maryland Point
shoal.
During the progress of dredging opera
tions on the lower Potomac the wreck Of a
schooner (name unknown) about eighty feet
long and thirty feet beam, was encountered
in the cut at Maryland Point shoaL This
wreck was party removed by the contractor
during November 1901, and it's removal was
completed by him during May following.
At Mattawoman ShoaL.
An examination of the beds Of hard ma
terial crossing the channel at MattawomaE
shoal was made during September. 1901. and
supplemented by a further examination in
November, 1901 by hired labor and the use
of the United States boring plant. The
material was found to consist mainly Of
hard and compact gravel and sand, over
laid by thin layer Of mud. The SUISSE
quent dredging operations have shown these
observations to be correct and have reveal
ed the presence OF a few loose stones, the
largest about forty-eight cubic feet in size
The available balance will be applied to
the dredging required for the completion Of
the original project early in the ensuing rs
cal year
Amount Expended 49,, 2O6.27.
The amount expended to June 80, 1902
was SS5, 2O6.27, none of which was applied
to maintenance. The work done has re-
suited in dredging channels 200 feet wide
and "a feet deep entirely through Smiths
Point upper shoal, Smiths Point lower
shoal and Maryland Point shoal, and
through Mattawoman shoai, except for
length Of about 800 feet, where two RIDGES
Of hard material were encountered. Tbs
everything soft material. has been removed
from both Of these ridges and a channel
50 feet wide and "a feet deep has been cut
through the upper ridge.
The maximum draught that could be car
ried over the shoals in the Potomac river
below WASHINGTON, D. c., on June 80, 1902,
at low tide was about PIP feet and the
mean range of tides Is about 1.8 feet.
The total tonnage annually passing
through these channels is estimated at
from 900 900 to 100000 tons.
For the completion of the work provided
for under the present project the appropria-
ton of March 8, 1901, appears sufficient;
therefore no further appropriation ts asked
Col. Allen says a channel only 200 feet
wide is. however, regarded as rather con-
! tracted for river Of the width and i'm
portance Of the Potomac and especially In
view of the location Of the Washington
navy yard upon its shores.
During the ensuing year so much Of the
unexpended balance as Is required will be
applied in completing the channels pro-
vided for by the existing project by dreds-
ing and rock excavation.
at Is hoped" says Col. Allen. that an
increase In width Of these channels to no
feet may be soon authorized by Congress"