Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-07
Washington and Georgetown
River Conditions Termed
"NOt CreditabIe."
ARMY ENGINEERS REPORT
SLIPSHOD APPEARANCE
Col. Langftt Would Have Scheme
Devised for Future Traffic of
Water Front.

Conditions pronounced mot creditable''
on the Washington and Georgetown
water fronts are pointed out in report
by Lieut. Col. w. C. Langftt, Corps OF
Engineers. u. 8. A.. in charge Of the
Washington, D. c., district, presented to
Congress yesterday.
The report accompanies a huge colec-
ton of similar reports from other en-
gineer officers bearing on water front
and allied conditions in the various engi-
neering districts throughout the country.
These reports were made in accordance
with an act of Congress requesting de-
tailed Information regarding the wharf
conditions, channel conditions, terminal
facilities, etc.
Col. Langfitt as being the course along
which future traffic will run, as it is
shown that Washington channel js al
ready congested. The fact that no gen.
eral plan has been followed for erecting
wharves and wharf buildings in the Dis
trict of Columbia. the report states is
responsible for a slipshod appearance
along the river
In the introduction of the report 1t is
stated:
q
front upon waters improved by the United
States Of obout two miles and front
undevelOped for commerce of about six
teen miles. The latter includes that 'front.'
age set apart for parks and purposes Of
the United States, about eight miles.
Analysis of Conditions.
front consist of bulkhead landings or
-
yond bulkhead lines. On this section the
vessels berth parallel to the bulkhead
lines. On the Washington channel the
pier and slip system is used, and vessels
berth either parallel or perpendicular to
the bulkhead lines. Here We find pile
wharves. generally poor In condition and
very much in need of repairs.
THE buildings along the Washington
front are frame structures almost en-
tirely and are not creditable."
The report, going into details, says later:
There Is about 11,600 feet of water
front along the Virginia and Washing
ton channels which may be considered
as developed for commerce. The
wharves of the Georgetown channel
are for the most part bulkhead land,
ings. Such wooden pile wharves as
do exist are narrow structufeS extend
ing but little beyond the bullsheads
In this section all vessels berth paral-
lei to the bulkheads.
AS rule. the wharves and accom-
panying buildings along the Wash
ington water front are not in good
condition. and do not present a credit
age is used for storage in connection
with nearby wharves."
The report repeats some Of the con-
demnation written into an engineer
report of 1908:
Practically all Of the existing bulk
head walls. wharves and buildings
used for commercial purposes along
our entire river front have been built
by private individuals or corporations
without any general plans and with
result We have probably the most
unsightly river front of any capital
city in the world
such criticisms as above do not ap-
ply TO the following wharves. which
are well constructed, attractive and
emcient: Smoot's wharf. Georgetown;
~. -. =. sand and gravel yard; naval mi
iitia wharf; U. s. lighthouse wharf"
Freight Handling Methods.
The report gives a general descrip
tlon OF the methods of handling freight
on the river front. and calls attention
to the elevated industrial railway at
the plant of the Washington Gas Light
Company which is worthy of note on
account of it's long haul and of the
iact that it's trains are operated by
electricity" ~
Answering the question of connec-
tions with railroads. the report states
tnat no Washington wharves have any
physical contact with any roads. but
that on the Georgetown front the Bal
tlmOre and Ohio railroad connects with
the Columbia Granite and Dredging
Sand wharf, Capital Traction Company
and Smoots wharf. Spurs extend al
most to Waters wharf and Littlefield
and Alvord's 30th street wharf, and
the report states that connections
could be made easily.
Because OF mutual contracts for the
interchange of traffic between certain
rail and water lines. says the report,
there Is very little through traffic, ''as
Washington is almost entirely an in.
dustrial port"
The lines having mutual contracts
are given as the Norfolk and WASH
ington Steamboat Company, Pennsyl-
vania railroad. Southern railroad and
Washington Southern railroad and the
Potomac and Chesapeake Steamboat
Company.
OF the Anacostia river the report says:
The terminal facilities on the Ana
costa river are sufficient for the present
traffic, but are not sufficient for the traf-
fic which may be expected in the near
future. Any increase in the trade OF
Washington will naturally come into the
Anacostia river. as the Washington chan
mel has already reached a state of conges-
ton and the existence of bridges over
the Virginia channel operates against the
utilization of the Georgetown 'front.' AS
soon as the question of ownership Of the
water frontage Is determined a scheme
for the development Of the Anacostia
front should be devised and all future
construction Of terminals should be in