Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-11
ON RIVER AND HARBOR
Maj. Spencer Cosby's Report
on Washington River Front.
TOTAL ANNUAL EXPENDITURE
Aggregate of 277,S26 Cubic Yards Of
Material Used.
TOTAL ANNUAL EXPENDITURE
DREDGING AND GRADING WORK
Channel 345 Feet Wide and 81 Feet
Deep Almost Through Bar.
Estimates Submitted.

tons on the river and harbor works In this
vicinity are contained in the annual report
of Maj. Spencer Cosby. Corps OF Engineers,
made public today 10y Gen. Mackenzie. chief
of engineers. From this report IL appears
that dredging In the Potomac river at
Washington was begun July ~, 1906. and
carried on continuously until October 3
last. when the limit OF work which could
be done with the Sunds available was
reached and the dredging discontinued.
At the completion OF the work channel
345 feet wide and II feet deep had been
dredged entirely through the bar of the
Washington channel, except for a distance
of about l. 100 feet, where the width is 21O
feet for 2l-foot depth. The undrcdged
portion of the channel has a depth of about
is feet, and is situated In front OF the
steamboat wharves, where greater depth.
Maj. Cosby says, is not essential at present.
The total amount OF material eXcavated
under this contract was 2Ii,S2S cubic yards,
all of which was deposited upon section
Ill of Potomac Park. On the completion
of the dredging the range piles were re-
moved from the river and "A small amount
of grading VS. done back of the seawall.
The cost OF the dredging was l4.6 cents per
cubic yard. About thrtyiive cubic yards
of stone removed from the old Long bridge
were stored on Potomac Park for use in
repairing the seawall. During the past
fiscal year about 10000 cubic yards OF
good earth, free from Objectionable mat
ter were dumped upon Potomac Park and
gradeu by private parties. without cost TO
the United States. That material was
mainly deposited TO MI low areas on
section Ill of the park and 10 form en-
banments along the river front, which.
Mai. Cosby says, Will later be useful Tor
retaining dredge spoil.
Total Expenditure.
The total expenditure during the past
fiscal year was $i5,311.42, all of which was
applied to maintenance and divided fol-
lows: Dredging in Washington channel,
$43i12.75; survey of river and park, 1917. %.
repairing wharf at Easby's Point, s5s2; re-
moving sunken piles, $40; inspection OF
dumping. $3.50. and care of engineer prop
erty, $4S0.GS
Maj. Cosby says that the adopted project
for the Washington channel Improvement
does not specify the depth to be obtained in
feet, but provides that the channels shall
be of sufficient depth to accommodate the
deepest draft vessels that can be brought
to them. At the time of the adoption OF
the project the ruling depth of the Potomac
river below Washington was twenty feet,
and all estimates for the Improvement at
Washington have been based upon that
depth. The least depth of channel In the
lower Potomac has now been increased by
dredging to twenty-four feet at low tide,
which, Maj. Crosby says, makes that the
present projected depth for the improve
the present estimates, he says, do not
make provision, and no work with that
depth in view will be undertaken until II Is
authorized by Congress. THE desirabiity
of extending the advantages of increased
depth in the lower Potomac river at an
early date" says Mai Cosby, so that deep
draft vessels may reach the navy yard and
wharves at Washington Is obvious. Incl
dental to the deposit of the additional ma
terial thus excavated from the channel
there would result the great advantage or
% Dot n a
all possibility of injury by the highest
known freshets. The estimated additional
cost of this important modification or the
project which, it is hoped. Will soon be
authorized by Congress, was stated in the
annual report of the chief OF engineers Tor
1905 Congress. by act of March 8, 1871
declared the reclaimed flats public park.
This extensive tract. amounting TO oZi
acres of land and lis acres OF 1ncloseo
water area is capable of being Transformed
into one of the finest parks In the country.
The material to be dredged from the chan-
mel and tidal reservoir with funds now on
hand will be deposited upon the park,
considerable area of which will thus be
made available for park development.
Recommendation Submitted.
TT is strongly recommended that. In re-
Spouse to the popular demand Tor better
navigation facilities and for additional park
space the appropriation for this work De
made on a scale which will insure the COM
pleton of the entire project Qncluding the
increased channel depth recommended)
within few years considerable ap-
propriation is now necessary for mainte-
nance and for the removal of freshet de-
posts alone.
The amount estimated required for the
completion of the existing project Is stated
at SIg0, $685., the amount can lie
profitably expended during the fiscal year
lima 1.ttl stated at
of which $4,000 is for works of improve
ment and S21Oooo Is for maintenance. rms
estimate is in addition to an available pal
ance of S2GOO1411 There is also an avail
able balance of 81 .1Gi for the Improvement
of the Potomac river below Washington,
and no estimates are submitted for that
project.
Regarding the Improvement of the Ana
costa river Maj. Cosby says that the total
expenditure during the past year was
81 S7T.35 which was applied to dredging
trench for the deposit of rp-rap stone
along the margin Of the fill. and to hilins
behind the rp-rap wall. Most of the stone
used in this wall obtained from the
piers of the old Long bridge.
For the successful and economical pros
ecution Of this Improvement says MAJ.
Cosby. large and continuous appropria-
tons should be made. as was stated IN
presenting the original estimate Tor the
work. Upon this assumption was based
the estimated unit price for dredging, which
have usually been paid for sucn Work on
the Potomac, and If the appropriations are
small and made at Irregular Intervals the
actual cost of the Work Will eHceeo 'He eS
timated cost.
plete the existing project for the improve
ment of the Anacostia river Is stated at
S0lO.O Gl 81. and the amount that can DE
probably expended during the hscai year
ending July l. 1889. Is stated at slS,Uop.
That is in addition to the balance available
I of