Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-01
THE RIVER 'FRONT.'

the past year under the SUPERVISION VI
the United States engineers office at this
city. Over a million cubic yards OF ma
terial were excavated from the channei
and pumped ashore On the flats. large
area of which near the mouth OF the
waterway has been reclaimed from the
water and will shortly be under Guilt
walton. To hold the excavated material
a stone sea wall was built from Gelsooro
point to the old sea wall abreast OF Buz-
zard point. These changes have not only
made the navy yard and the WharVes
along the Eastern branch easy of access,
but have added much to the appearance
of the approaches to the city by water
Several hundred feet have also been
added to the sea wall on the Virginia Sloe
Highway bridge and during 1913 it is the
intention of the authorities to extend the
wall to the Highway bridge.
Two Lives Lost.
Two lives were lost on the night OF
May 20, when the motorboat Lofts was
run down by the steamer Angler be-
tween this city and Alexandria. The in
vestigatiOn by the United States steam
boat inspection service officials that fol-
lowed the accident cleared the officers OF
the steamer from all blame in the case
To this accident is largely due the Wig
as applied to pleasure craft and caused
the purchase of a speedy power boat,
TarragOn. by the government, for the
purpose of seeing that the rules govern
Ing navigation on the Chesapeake and its
tributaries were observed. There were no
serious accidents or loss of life aboard
the steamboats, plying on the Potomac
in the past year.
Alexandria Ferry Stops.
The ferry line operating between this
city and Alexandria went out of bust
ness in the spring and the steamer Alex
andria was sold away from here. There
is now no communication between this
city and Alexandria by water, except by
the steamers operating to the lower Poto-
mac and to Chesapeake bay points. No
new steamers were added to the fleet in
service on the Potomac, and one, the City
OF Milford. which was in service here at
the beginning of the year, Is now operat-
ing elsewhere. The Milford has been sold
to Annapolis parties.
Potomac Park.
A new storage house for the United
States engineers was erected on Potomac
Park opposite the foot of 14th street, and
small boathouse erected near the foot
Of 9th street southwest were the only
new buildings erected on the river front
in the year. The District sand wharf at
the foot of 9th street was rebuilt and
made a new and larger structure. Minor
improvements were made at the harbor
police precinct wharf and at the morgue
wharf in the year.
For the first time in the history of the
city not coaSting schooner came here
with ice from Maine in the summer. and
only one cargo of ice was unlOaded at
the ice wharf, and that was brought here
in a barge, all the ice used in the city
having been supplied by the manufacture
ing plants
The steamship Zaandyk of the Holland
American line. the largest steamship that
has ever come up the Potomac, locked
at the 9th street wharf in the past year.
She brought cargo of paving block from
England. Another steamer flying a for
charged a cargo of asphalt at an East
ern branch wharf in September.
Pleasure Fleet Growing.
The rapid growth of the fleet of pleasure
craft owned in the city continued, and in
the year it is estimated that over fifty
launches, large and small, were added to
the already large fleet. 1t is estimated
that there are now over 300 power-equip-
ped pleasure boats owned here, among
them a number of large and handsome
yachts capable of ocean cruising II de-
sired.
The event in boating circles in the year
was the removal of the home Of the
Corinthian Yacht Club from restricted
quarters in the harbor at the foot of 9Th
street southwest to more rOOmy ones on
the Virginia side of the river between
the Highway and the railroad bridges.
1t is stated that the Capital Yacht
Club, now located at the foot of 9th
street southwest, will also locate anew
as soon as a desirable site for the club
house can be secured. The removal Of the
pleasure craft anchorage from the har-
Dor is much desired by the steamboat
and vessel owners.
Improvements Being Made.
improvements on Potomac Park, which
Is to be made the beauty spot of the city,
continue In the past few months broad
driveway has been laid out on the water
side of the portion of the park east of the
steam railroad tracks This, when COM
pleted, will add about three miles of at
tractive water front driveway to the al
ready large mileage existing in Potomac
Park. The last improvements made to
the Washington channel and the pumping
of the excavated material upon the park
raised it to the level desired by the engi-
neers, and extensive plans for the i'm
provement of the eastern section of the
reclaimed land have been made in the
office of the superintendent of public
buildings and grounds, and will be car
ried out in 1913.