Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-04-10
Maj. Judson's Opinion After In
SpeCti0n.
1ARBOR FACILITIES POOR
No Encouragement, He Finds, to
Bring Merchant Shipping.
HAS PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENT
New Engineer Commissioner Finds
Much to Criticise on Tour Of
the River Front.

The harbor facilities of Washington
are pretty poor. disgrace to the city to
the extent that poor wharyes can be
disgrace TO IA city"
That Is the opinion Of Engineer Com
missioner Maj. William v. Judson, after
an inspection of the Washington harbor
front yesterday afternoon. In company
with Lieut. J. r. Sutton, harborlnaster.
and Daniel F.. Garges, chief clerk of the
engineer department Of the District, both
of whom are members of the wharf com
mittee, Maj. Judson made trip around
the harbOr yesterday afternoon on the
fireboat Firefighter. The party looked over
all the docks along the Washington chan
mel from the barracks to the 14th street
bridge, which is at the head of the Wash
ington channel, and then ran along the
Eastern branch to the sewage disposal
station and to Anacostia. Maj. Judson
has been engaged in harbor Improvement
work for many years as q member Of the
Engineer Corps OF tine Army. and he
looked at the local conditions as an ex-
pert.
ting some improvements for the harbor.
and he announced today that he will
urge some steps to that end at the next
session of Congress. when the District
That the revenues from the wharves
leased by the District government be
used for improving them or replacing
them with new ones will be one Of the
at that time. While those revenues
amount to only about $4,000 year, Maj.
Judson declared that after several years
the expenditure Of this money will mean
a decided Improvement in the wharf IA
cilities.
Some Needed improvements.
An extensive improvement of the
wharveS of the city. such as Is required,
Maj. Judson declared. will mean much
for the development of the city. If any
big freight steamboat line ran to this city
at present he said. it would be almost
in the position of a railroad line running
into a city where 1t had no freight sta
ton or yards.
The present wharves, he said, must be
discouraging to any steamboat line man
ayers who contemplate running boats or
any size to this city. What are needed
for proper steamboat terminal facilities,
he added, are we'll built wharveS equipped
with machinery by which the cargoes can
be unloaded economically. and with sheds
and other structures where the freight
can be kept until 1t can be disposed of.
If wharves were provided in this city. he
declared, at which freight could be han
died economically. there would be a big
addition to the commercial activity OF the
harbor. and prices of many articles which
could be brought here by boat would be
reduced. Where there are poor wharves.
he said, the cost of handling the freight
at the dock is often larger than the cost
of transporting 1t: and that means an in
creased price for the article.
Maj. Judson said that there is room
enough in the present harbor for the con-
struction of large wharves that will &C.
commodate big steamers. and that IL such
ern appliances a greatly increased water
trade to Washington would probably re-
suit.
Probably Cost Millions.
AS to specific methods of improvement,
Maj. Judson would not talk for publica-
ton. He said that he has read the rec
concentrations of the wharf commission.
which outlines a plan for improvements
that will cost between two and three mil
lion dollars, and that he approved them
in general way. AS a step to carry out
those PLANS. the Commissioners asked
Congress at the last session to appro-
pirate Sss0O.OO0: but the recommendation
was turned down by the men at the Cap
itol.
1t is certain that Engineer Commission
er Judson Will make strong recommended
tons to Congress at the next session for
some money with which to improve the
harbor facilities. The least that Con-
gress can do. he declared. is to allow
the Commissioners to expend the income
from the wharves for their betterment
while that money will not do much
at any one time" said the Engineer
Commissioner, lit will act like a SNOWFALL
that is kept rolling. In few years
many improvements will be shown as a
result
AS Maj. Judson has had much ex-
perence In the construction of harbor
improvements 1t is regarded as certain
w
Will be made to accomplish a maximum
of results for minimum of expenditure.