Evening star., 1902-08-08
Depth of Twenty-Four Feet.


Depth of Twenty-Four Feet.
Since the report of 1898 was made land
undoubtedly since House document No 81
was printed) Improvement of Potomac river
below the city of Washington, to afford a
ruling depth of twenty-fOur feet at mean
low tide from the city to the mouth of the
Potomac, or. better said to Chesapes.ke
bay. has been authorized by Congress The
act so authorizing 1t is of the date March
s. 1879. and appropriated 100000 for the
completion of the Improvement of the river
below the city of Washington.
Dredging operations to secure the fore
gong depth from the city to Chesapeake
pay nave been under way since March,
1900, and II is expected that the work will
be completed by some time in October ne.t
when channel twenty-four feet deem at
low water by least width of 300 feet will
De available. II is hoped that an increase
OF this channel width for the lower Poto-
lied
The depth to be secured for the Ara
costa, however, from it's mouth to the
navy yard. appears to be limited at nres-
ent by the act of June 13 1892, to twenty
1eet' and the scope of the Improvement
sppsars sn also, to be limited by that act 20
measures bearing upon the interests of
commerce and navigation. AS to the last
named navigation Of the Anacostia) the
navy Is interested more or less An as
sured depth of twenty feet at mean lou,
tide up TO the navy yard would he tn its
advantage; an assured depth of twentvzfrnr
iect from Chesapeake bay to the same
PoI''' "ouId De OF still greater advantage
Limited to Section /.
ihere would be the benefit of an occa
sional fresh-water anchorage for csr+atr
classes of vessels The project for ;,,
provement of the Anacostia. ss adontod
by the act Of June 1S. 1902 limits improve
ment Tor the present. to section of the
river. from the mouth of the navy ward
bridge. '"'u
THE increase in depth and width o> ,ba
channel has to be effected by mesns of
dredging The disposition of the dredge
spoli is matter of importance In MAX
ing estimates, for the report of ISoS Gov
the double purpose of improving naviea
tion and reclamation of the flats the de-
post OF dredged material upon the fats
was an essential part Of the project and
IL may be said that the dredging OF ma
terlal from the river was equally essential
even to the possible extent of dredging 10
a much greater channel depth than twenty
ieet !, mat process would prove necessary
In order TO obtain material at reasonable
rates for the fills. But the question of req
lamation of the fats from a sanitary point
OF view or point of view other than that
OF commerce and navigation does moi
arise under the provisions of the act of
June 13 last II one dredged material can
be deposited at points comparatively near
to the hydraulic or other dredges the cost
reasonable. II 1t has to be TRANSPORTED in
scows for number Of miles and then
dumped, the cost per cubic yard will be
much greater.
Project of 1898.
THE propect Of 1895. and which. so far
as section No. 1 Is concerned, appears TO
be adopted by the act Of June 1902 In SO
far as measures and methods for the i'm
proyement are concerned, proposed to util-
lie, among other areas, for the deposit of
dredged material. the portion of the fats
directly in front of the Hospital for the In
sane, on the left bank of the Anacostfa
and about one mile above it's mouth where
about l2O acres of unhealthful flats can he
at once raised 10 height of about one foot
above ordinary high tide, and where II is
believed. there can be no question as 10
riparian rights or complications This fill
would be an Improvement upon existing
are made the fll can be Increased The flI
should be protected by embankment rip
rap, etc Great benefit, however, must not
be expected from one appropriation, or from
delayed appropriations. 1t has been nv ex-
pectatton TO consult with the authorities OF
the asylum before fully deciding upon lines
Of fill. etc. Some enlargement In width of
channel at and in the vicinity of the navy
yard may be of advantage to the authorf-
ties OF that station, and II so authorized 1
can confer with the proper officer of the
navy In regard to lines and depth of dredg-
ing at the yard, to the extent practicable
from the appropriation.
AN appropriation Of $50, 600 for improy-
Ing Anacostia river was made September
1Ss0 Under that allotment dredging was
done in the Anacostia through two shoals