Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-23
NEW RIVERSIDE DRIVE
COMPLETED AND PROJECTED IN
PRovEMENTs IN LOCAL PARK.
Liberal Appropriations by Congress
for the Work-In Charge Of
Col. Bromwell.

People who have not visited that section
of the Potomac Park north and west of the
tidal reservoir within the past few months
do not realize the extensive improvements
in progress there. The principal feature
of these improvements Is broad macadam-
lied roadway skirting the west shore of
the tidal basin and the shore Of the Poto-
mac river from the inlet to a point near
the outlet of the sewer canal, opposite Doth
street.
Gen. Mackenzie. chief of engineers, has
just approved an arrangement made by Col
Cromwell. the engineer officer in charge of
public buildings and grounds, and Capt
Cosby, the engineer officer in charge of the
Potomac river improvement, whereby 1t Is
proposed to continue the Riverside drive
from its present western terminus to the
western extremity of the Potomac Park at
18th street, and make direct connection
with the existing roadway from 23d and B
streets to the sea wall of the river.
Congress provided $4,000 for the pro-
| jected extension of the Riverside drive, and
| has made $4,000 of that amount imme-
i diately available. 1t has therefore been de-
| cided to begin the improvement at once.
| with view to its completion during the
| summer. The sea wall along this portion Of
the river front is bordered with beautiful
| willow trees, and they Will form a most at
| tractive feature of the new driveway.
| Va Slu 0SWcI SdAd1s
| AS incident to the construction of the
Riverside drive. it has been decided to fill
| up the sewer canal. one of the relics of the
| old city sewer system. The canal has been
| abandoned for many years, and of late it
has been little more than a breeding place
| for mosquitoes and disease. This old sewer
canal extends in a southwesterly direction
| from 18th and B streets to the river, a dis
| lance of about $500 feet. and 1t is filled
| with stagnant water. Residents of that por-
| ton Of the city west of 18th street and
| south of Pennsylvania avenue have long
| been painfully aware of it's malodorous
| proximity, and will welcome the news that
1t is to be eliminated from the landscape
In bringing the matter to the attention Of
| Gen. Mackenzie, Col. Bromwell referred to
! the fact that Capt. Cosby in June, 1906,
| transferred jurisdiction over the portion of
| section of Potomac Park lying between
| the sewer canal and the tidal reservoir. on
| condition that the interior portion of the
area should remain available for the de-
| post of material dredged from the river
| channel.
Col. Bromwell's Statement.
During the present fiscal year." said Col.
Bromwell, II have improved the portion of
this transferred area bordering the tidal
reservoir by the construction of a macad-
amized roadway from near the bathing
beach to the inlet Of the Potomac river into
the reservoir and improved the grounds i'm
mediately bordering the same with the
funds provided by Congress for the pur-
pose in the sundry civil act approved June
80. 1906 In the sundry civil act approved
March 4. 1907 Congress has appropriated
$4,000 for further roadway and park i'm
provementS
For the purpose of carrying out the pro-
visions of this act have the honor to re-
quest that there be transferred to this office
at this time additional area in section 2
OF Potomac Park. described follows
From the mouth of the sewer canal north
westwardly to the mouth of the Easby's
point sewer at the foot of 23d street north
west. with a width of about 165 feet meas
ured from the sea wall The transfer of
this area will not interfere with the deposit
of dredged material by the officer in charge
OF the Potomac river Improvement
Approved by Can't Cosby