Evening star., 1913-10-11
District Wharf Committee
Asks for ST, 900 in Budget to
Cover Cost of Same.
HAVE A BETTER SCHEME
IN IMPROVEMENT PLAN
Will Fit in With Conditions as They
Exist and Reduce by About
Half Original Estimate.

A new survey of Washington's water
front with a view to preparing a plan
for the improvement and beautifying Of
this approach to the capital at cost Of
about a million and a half dollars, or
half the amount that was recommended
I'm a. report on the subject transmitted
TO Congress five years ago, Is contem-
plated by the wharf committee of the
District government The Commissioners
hate been asked to include i'm the esti-
mates an item of $1,000 for the survey.
The committee, consisting of Daniel +.
(farges, chief clerk to the engineer de-
partment, chairman: D. E. McComb, en-
gineer of bridges. and Harbormaster
Russell Dean, believes that 2 water
front Improvement scheme which will fit
in with conditions as they exist ather
than attempting to change them will be
much cheaper than the former plan
recommended and more likely to receive
the approval of Congress.
In accordance with provision in the
1907 District appropriation act. the
wharf committee prepared plan for
the Improvement of the harbor front,
the cost of carrying out the recon-
mendations made being estimated at ap
proximately $3,000,000. This report was
transmitted to Congress May 23 1908
but no action has been taken in regard
to it.
May Eliminate Recommendations.
The principal recommendations at that
time were that the Potomac Park re-
tanning wall be moved back distance
of about 400 feet, so that the total width
between bulkhead walls along the Wash
ington channel would be not less than
!. 400 feet excepting in the upper portion
of the channel. where only small shipping
is handled, and that the channel be
dredged to a greater depth
1t is understood that the committee
probably would eliminate these recon-
mendations should it make a new survey,
and favor the building of wharves to
extend down stream,, as this plan would,
in effect increase the width of the
channel.
In its annual report. submitted to the
Commissioners today. the committee
states that it will soon be necessary to
rebuild all the wharf structures along
the harbor frontage. and that when
this is done it should be along some
definite plan. AS Congress has not ap-
proved the former scheme. the. commit
tee expresses the opinion that it should
be modified so as to reduce the cost
While no estimates are given as to the
probable cost OF the Improvement, the
committee, 1T is understood, will endeavor
to reduce its former figures BY at least
half, so that the total expense of the i'm
provement of the harbor front may not
exceed a million and a half dollars.
Water Frontage Figures.
The actual water frontage in the Dis
trict of Columbia, with the exception of
canals devoted to commerce. is about two
miles. and the total available water 'front.'
age which is practicable of commercial
development is about eighteen miles, the
report states. The largest amount of
wharf property owned by the government
which, according to the committee, soon
must be rebuilt, is along Washington
channel This has total frontage on
the city side of 1916 feet, of which 4.675
feet, between the grounds of the War
College and the south curb Of n street, are
under the jurisdiction of the chief of
engineers of the army. and the remain
ing 1900 feet, between N and 18th streets,
are under the Jurisdiction of the Com
missioners
The report shows that the total amount
of rentals received from the various
wharves last year was $25, 5,612.A Rentals
from the Potomac river wharves amount
ed to $22, ,9G6. "a; from the Anacostia river
wharves. s1,110.75 and from the James
Creek canal frontage. 81, 533 23.
The committee favors the dredging of
the James Creek canal from p street to
the outlet of the canal, as shipping can
enter 1t only at time of high tide the re-
port states. 1t is believed that revenue
derived from leases along this frontage
would be greatly increased if the canal
were dredged and made available for
commercial purposes.