Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-11
WORK OF THE DREDGES
DEEPENING POTOMAC CHANNEL
TO BEGIN ABOUT MARCH 1.

The officials of the United States engi-
neer's office. who have the improvements
to the river In this vicinity in charge. are
looking for the arrival of the big pump
dredging machine of the Atlantic, Gulf and
Pacific Dredging Company, which has the
contract for the deepening of the water
In the channel about the city, and unless
bad weather prevents, the dredging work
Will be started about the first of the month
The work as mapped out by the engineers
Will be confined to the Washington channel
proper, and this will be deepened in front
of the city wharves, from the junction of
the channel of the Potomac with that of
the Eastern branch to the railway bridge
over the tidal basin outlet at the foot of
18th street.
1t is proposed to deepen the channei to
twenty-one feet at low water and to make
1t 800 feet wide the entire distance. The
material excavated from the bottom of the
channel is to be deposited on section three
of the Potomac Park, opposite the city
wharves, which will be raised to grade
not higher than thirteen feet above the low
water mark, ana If the engineers deem If
advisable about 10000 cubic yards of the
excavated material may be deposited
around the new army war college build
ing, at Washington barracks
The engineers have had a force of men
working for several weeks past throwing
up the earthen entertainments and arranp
ing the ponds into which the liouid mud
pumped from the river bottom will he
forced through pipes. 1t is expected to
settle before the water runs back into the
river. In settling the liquid mud runs from
one pond into another. then into a third
and a fourth until the solid matter has set
tied to the bottom.
Thousands of Cubic Yards.
At the lower end of the last pond into
which the water flows in the process of
settling is an outlet through which the wa
ter returns back to the river Under the
terms of the contract the dredging COM
pany is required to excavate and denosit
not less than 1900 cubic yards of material
during each calendar month, and at this
rate OF progress 1t Is estimated that about
four months and half will be REQUIRED
to complete 1t, but no work can be done
on Sundays or on legal holidays II ia es-
timated by the engineers that about 34o.-
600 cubic yards of material will have to
be taken from the bed in order to give the
channel the depth and width proposed. and
the length of the channel to be drrdead
is about mile and a half
1t has been about fourteen years since
the channel In the harbor was last dredged
and the Improvement comes 1t Is stated
when 1t Is badly needed. The channel was
originally 800 feet wide and twenty feet
deep. but freshets and other causes have
shoaIed the watersuntil only about eighteen
feet can be found in the deepest spots ali
low water, and the width of the channe, is
now but a little over 200 feet Steamers
backing out from the wharves to turn and
go down the river find shoal water con-
siderable distance from the wall about the
Potomac Park, and II the wind is blowing 1t
is often difficult for them to turn around
In the confined area in which they have to
be worked.
Two big side-wheei steamers. larger than
any heretofore on the river. will be In
service during the coming summer and
the additional room to be given in the
channel win be great advantage In
handling them in going In and cut Of their
docks.
for the deepening OF the Washington cham
rel the engineers may have similar work
done on the other channels about the eity,
out that. II is understoo4 win be considered
later.