The Washington herald., 1908-07-12

The first steps have been taken toward
the Improvement OF the harbOr facilities
Of Washington, on a scale which will add
materially to the citys Importance as a
deep-water port An elaborate report on
the subject has been prepared by a spe-
ciaI commission. under the direction OF
the District Commissioners, giving the
present condition Of the harbor from ac-
Curate surveys and making recommends
tions, which, II carried out, Will give
Washington in the end one Of the finest
harbors on the Atlantic coast. The re-
port. submitted several months ago, was
printed and made public last week.
IN the District appropriations act for
the fiscal year Of 1907 an item was en-
braced authorizing the appointment Of a
special commission for the purpose. and
providing $500 to pay the expenses Of
the survey and the preparation and pub
lication Of the report The act of Con-
gress provided for surveys plans. and
estimates foi improving the harbor fronG
of the city Of Washington
Special Commission Named.
In carrying eut Ire beAest Of Con-
gress the District Commissi9 9ners appoint-
ed John r Sutton. harbor master; W.
J. Douglass, engineer Of bridges, and
Daniel r. Garges. chief clerk OF The en-
gineer department upon the commission.
which worked under the supervision OF
the Engineer Commissloner.
/ The report Of this commission embodie5
a comprehensive plan Of improving the
harbor. which viii naturally take many
/ years for fun realization. Il also in
! cludes some specific recommendations for
! immediate Improvement which are Ur-
gent, and which can be carried out with
out great outlay, and which VIII probably
first occupy the attention of the gov
eEnmenL
The commission found that the avail
able water frontage of the District IS
eighteen miles of which eight miles have
been Withdrawn from commercial and
public use 10y the United States for IFS
own use The actual frontage now in
use for commercial purposes is about
two miles. The net available water
frontage for Improvement and CONNER
cial use is now a little less than eight
miles
would Cost S2-715, 600.
The entire cost Of improving the har-
Dor and making this water frontage avail
able for public use is S2,775.00O As part
Of the general plan. it is proposed 10 pur-
| chase land along the water front, now
owned by private parties. from Giesboro
Point TO Shepherds Landing. which would
| cost $500 The land from GiesborO
! Daf-f L. ,f.-
be purchased at a cost Of $1,000 Il Is
also proposed that Congress shall author
ize plans and surveys Of the Anacostia
River from Massachusetts avenue 10 the
/ District line. which are estimated 10 cost
5000. 1t is recommended in the report
that these items aforementioned shall be
made available AZ once, that the land
may be purchased and the title thereto
I placed in the United States.
! It is further recommended that S462,O0O
be appropriated for the beginning OF
work upon the widening and deepening
Of the Washington channel The plan
of Improvement Tor the Washington chan
mel is to create a channel 1,i0O feet
/ broad, which involves widening the pres
ent channel by 400 feet, and its dredging
10 a depth Of p feet 1t is further pro-
posed that the government shall acquire
the ground necessary for the widening oE
| Water street 10 160 feet
Part of Growth of City.
The commission states that in develop-
ing its plan Of harbor Improvement it has
been considered in connection with the
general Upbuilding OF the city. and that
the carrying out OF the complete plan
viii take fifty years. The commission Is
Of the opinion that the United States
must eventually own and control every
foot of the river frontage within the Dis
trict lines, and it is suggested that under
the plans set forth that portion OF the
water front given over TO public use VIII
! earn a monetary return. The report also
suggests that the government should pur-
chase and control the water front on the
Virginia side OF the Potomac opposite
the District Of Columbia as a measure
Of precaution against its improper use in
the future.
| In brief, the report contemplates the
purchase and control Of the water front
as indicated, the deepening of the Wash
ington Channel, and the construction OF
wharves and port facilities therein, the
Improvement of the Georgetown Channel
with the building of wharves and port
facilities, the opening Of the AnacOstia
to Massachusetts, avenue and the I'M
prOvement of both its banks for harbor
purposes, and finally the Improvement
of the East Potomac shore. from Gies-
bOro Point to the District line.
City's Commercial Advantages.
Speaking Of the commercial advantages
OF Washington, which would be greatly
enhanced by the proposed Improvement
the report says:
THE District Of Columbia was located
at 1he head Of practicable navigation be-
cause OF the great apparent commercial
advantage Of such a position for general
/ commerce.
IN the early part Of the last century
ii was thought that Washington would
become one Of the most important ports
Of this country. and on account OF tha
great possibilities of transshipment the
Chesapeake and Ohio canal was project
ed. This canal was 70 extend from
Washington TO the Ohio River, through
Cumberland. thus connecting the Atlantic
Ocean, at the mouth OF Chesapeake Bay,
| Continued on Page 3, Column o.