The Washington times., 1908-08-02
PLAN TO IMPROVE
THE WATER FRONT
Appropriations Recommend
ed at Present Amount
to So, $4,000.
AID TO COMMERCE
THE FIRST OBJECT
Commissioners Also Hope TO Per-
feet the Scheme to Beautify
the District.

One of the most important and far
reaching plans formulated in behalf OF
the District Of Columbia in years Is the
p liect by which il is intended to i'm
pT 20 the entire river front Of the Dis
tr -. The purpose in view is not only
10 Oeautify the city still further. but
80 TO enable Washington TO become
tae important port OF commerce which
Il was intended 10 be.
This plan has been prepared BY a
committee OF District officials appoint
ed BY the Commissioners, consisting of
the harbOr master, the engineer Of
bridges. and the chief clerk Of the en-
Eineer department. designated the har-
Dor committee. In the words Of Henry
p. p Mcfarland, president OF the
Board of Commissioners. the present
condition OF the water front is depIor-
able. and it is believed that the exist
ing structures should be replaced in the
Nations Capital by a water mont that
would be a model to other cities"
Members of Committee.
Comprising the committee that has
drawn up the report and the plans fer
the improvement OF the river front are
John r, Sutton. W. J. Douglas, and
Daniel r. Garges. It is the Judgment
Of these men that the Improvement Of
the harbor front could not properly be
considered independently Of the general
Upbuildilg OF the entire District of Co
lumbia.
In this connection the committee calls
attention 70 the fact that In the early
part of the last century IL was thought
that Washington would become one Of
the most important ports of this coun-
try, aad on account of the great pos
sibnIties OF transshipment the Chesa-
peake and Ohio canal was projected. 1t
Is now thought that II the riEer 'front.'
age of the city were properly improved
there would develop a large commerce
at Tansshipment. because Of the eX-
CelIenI railroad facilities here.
II is thought by the committee that
no other large city in the world with
such admirable water facilities has such
an unsightly and impracticabe water
front as presents itself in the Wash
ingtOn channel. The buIkheads,
wharves. and buildings we're built by
individuals. under the assumption that
this frontage did not belong TO the
United States
Taken 20 Court
Tn 1SS6 the matter was taken into
court. and it was decided in 1898 that
this entire water front which was oc-
cupied by private enterprise belonged TO
the United States. since which time the
Government has assumed entire control
rg-fr
The existing wharves are not only un-
slightly. but are a menace from a SAM
tary standpoint, and the dangers from
A disastrous fire are conceded to be
great.
The appropriations recommended at
the present time are.
I. An appropriation of sf62,50O toward
the Improvement OF the Washington
the total estimated cost or the
work bein~ s2775,OGO.
., An appropriation of S15,00O for the
purchase of a strip OF the Potomac
river water front from Shepherds Land |
ing to GlesbOro Point.
;. An appropriation of $4,000 for tie
OF a strip Of land along the
Anacostia river from Giesboro Point to !
Massachusetts avenue
and surveys for reclamation of the An /
acostia river from Massachusetts ave-
nue. to the District line
The total estimated cost o. the i'm
provements recommended is s. $4,000.
Total Frontage.
The al available water frontage OF /
the District is eighteen miles, of which /
about eight miles has been withdrawn /
from commercial use by the United |
States for its own use. The actual /
used for commerce Is about
two miles. The net available frontage
for commercial use is about seven and
rwo-thtIds miles. The plan recommend
ed b! the committee includes the en-
Tire river frontage of the District or
Columbia, but the above recommended
lions are urged for the immediate Inn
Drovement OF the places mentioned.
The report OF the aHrDor committee
Includes details for the improvement Of
Washington channel. This improve
ment calls for the widening of the
channel the most important. by 100
feet. so as to give 1.410 feet Of channel
width; also the dredging Of the chan
mel. the construction of new masonry
walls. piers and wharves. and
.he widening OF Water street 10 100
feet. The piers are 10 be of pie con-
struCtion.
All existing structures on this 'front.'
,se are 10 be removed. according to the
plan, and new transit sheds are to be
by the lessees. A recrea-
Ion pier. fish wharf. marine railway,
lnd public piers ara provided for. The
could be completed In six
ears time.
The Potomac and Anacostia rivers
Ire primarily used for commercial and
sanitary purposes. yet they are high
Ways as much as our streets are high
Ways, says the committee, and they
IRE parks as much as Il they were a
'art Of Washington's park system.
Their development must be sanitary and
sthetic as well as commercial. ffi
is to be a healthfuI and
leautiful city
Must Own Land.
II is assumed primarily in the report
hat to attain the best results from
very point Of view the United States
aust eventually own and control every
cot of river frontage within the Dis