Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-24


ington channel.
New masonry bukhead walls.
piers and wharves.
Widening of Water street.
Purchase of land for water park
way.
Reclamation Of Anacostia river.
Ownership of Analostan Island
Establishment of recreation pier.
Provision for fish market.
Erection of marine railway.
Referring to the shore line condtionS
of Washington. both antiquated and de-
plorable. and saying that no other large
city in the world with such admirable> (
river facilities has such an unsghtly and
impracticable main water front as that
of this city. the Commissioners yesterday
forwarded to Vice President Fairbanks a
report of the District wharf commission{
Plans. surveys and estimates for present
and future improvements accompany th(
report.
1t is recommended that s561 500 be ap-
proprated for immediate use in making
certain urgent improvements which should
be completed within six years.
The wharf commission created by Con-
gress two years ago for the purpose Of
| making plans and estimates for the i'm
provement of the harbor front consists
of Daniel Z. Garges, chief clerk of the
engineer department: w. j. Douglas.
engineer of bridges, and j. r. Sutton, har-
bormaSter.
Estimated Cost of improvements.
The total estimated cost of the inn
provements recommended is $2.ss0,o0O.
It is the plan of the commission that
s2.75. 900 be spent on work in the WASH
ington channel: S25 900 for improvements
at Shepherds landing and Giesboro point.
$4,000 for the purchase of land between
| Giesboro point and Massachusetts ave
nue.. and 5000 for plans and surveys for
the reclamation of the Anacostia river
from Massachusetts avenue to the District
line.
AS stated. only s56750O of the aggregate
estimate is asked at present. The re-
mainder. according to the commission.
should be forthcoming during the next
twenty-five years The specific present
needs are the purchase of land between
Shepherds landing and Giesboro point.
SO. .OOO improvements along the Washing
ton channel. $46o, 800 and for the purchase
of land between Gesboro Point and
Massa achusetts avenue. and for the plans
and surveys for the reclamation of the
Anacostia river from Massachusetts, ave-
nue. to the District line, $4,000
Regarded as Most Important.
| Regarded as the most important of the
proposed improvements are those along
| the Washington channel. 1t is suggested
that the channel be widened 400 feet so
to give 400 feet of channel width. and
| that it be dredged. new masonry bulk
head walls. piers and wharves be built,
and Water street widened to 16O feet.
The piers are to be of pile construction.
All existing structures on this frontage
are to be removed and new transit sheds
constructed by the lessees. recreation
pier, fish wharf. marine railway and pub
lie piers are urged
'.It is recommended that an appropria-
ton of s25 900 be made at once, the re-
port sets forth. for purchasing strip or
land along the left bank of the Potomac
river. having a width of about 100 feet.
from Shepherds Landing to Giesboro
point in order to control that portion or
the river frontage and Its riparian rights.
This recommendation of immediate ap-
preparation is made because II is oelieved
that the District of Columbia. as stated
before in this report. should own every
foot of its water frontage. and on account
of the proba bility OF factories developing
in this section at an early date 1t is ad-
visable that this purchase be made at
once while the land is of low value. Ii Is
thought that in few years the cost OF
purchasing this land will be very much
increased.
For Water Parkway.
1T is thought that it might be advisable
at some future time to develop this strip
into a water parkway, although for many
years this would not be advisable because
the use of such parkway would not be
commensurate with the necessary expen-
diture. This strip is situated at a consd-
cradle distance from the city proper. 1t
practically borders on the farming section
and is not at all accessible for park pur-
poses to the general public. AS stated
before this section of the river onerS
most excellent factory sites and is Wei
adapted to large shipping. because OF
the practicability of the construction or
long wharves into deep water and the
close proximity to steam railroadD IRE
construction of bulkhead wall is NOT
recommended at this time. When needed.
its alignment must necessarily follow the
shore line in A general way. eliminating.
however the small indentattons
1T is recommended that an appropra-
tion of $4,000 be made at once to pur-
chase a strip of land along the left bank
of the Anacostia river extending from
u .esboro point to Massachusetts avenue.
in order to gain control of this frontage
and its riparian rights. SO that the lana
which must eventually he reclaimed when
the buIkhead wall is built viii belong TO
the United States. 1t would manifestly be
a poor business transaction TO construct
this wall and reclaim the abutting land *
the land were to become the property OF
the abutters upon its reclamation.
Ownership of River Bank.
TT is recommended that the Attorney
General be urged to proceed at once to
determine the ownership of the water
front on the right bank of the Anacostia
river from the Washington barracks to
the city farm, as IT is believed that this
frontage belongs to the United States. al
though now largely in the hands OF squat.
tiers. If after judicial investigation Ii is
found that this frontage is not owned by
the United States. ii Is recommended that
the necessary land be purchased so as to
obtained control of this entire frontage,
with water street extending along the
shore line. AS soon as the United States
has control of both banks of the Anacos.
Continued on Tenth Page)