Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-07

Anacoseia river from the Anacostia
lhigh-water lines and the 1O-foot con-
tour lines and all land in the river
bed between these limits and between
high-water lines the title TO which Is
not in the United States. Condemna-
| ton proceedings in connection with
| this project are now in progress
The District appropriation act for the
| fiscal year 1915 also provided for an
assessment of benefits for this improve
measure of benefits being one-half the
increased value added to abutting and
| adjacent property by reason of such
| improvements.
| Harbor Front.
| The total amount received from the
rental of wharves and river frontage
placed by law under the direction of
the Commissioners during the year was
! $26,342.20. divided as follows:
Potomac river front. .$23, 1O6 20
James Creek canal. .................... 1.541.75
| The actual water frontage in the Dis
merce. with the exception of canals, Is
| about two miles. The total available
water frontage Is about eighteen miles,
| of which about eight miles is set aside
lOF PARKS ana purposes OIL Tie Cuiteu
States. The largest amount of wharf
property under the control of the Com
missioners is that along the Washing
| ton channel. The total frontage along
this channel is 9,275 linear feet, of
which 4,675 linear feet between the
| grounds of the War College and the
south curb line of N street is under the
control of the United States, and the
remaining 1900 linear feet is under the
control of the Commissioners. Along
this frontage are located the harbor
police station. dock of the harbor boat,
house and dock of the fire boat, the
District morsue, two District property
yards and the municipal fish wharf
frontage is used for river excursion
traffic and steamboat traffic between
Washington, Baltimore, Norfolk and
points along the lower river, and the
yards. etc. The leases for the wharves
on the Potomac river front are gener-
ally for a period of five years. most of
them expiring March 10, 1918. The
basis of rental is a net return of per
cent on the estimated value of the
wharf property, with the requirement
that the lessees shall make all improve
ments and repairs. The leases along
canal are generally for lesser periods.
The property along the Anacostia
river is largely undeveloped, owing to
the uncertainty of ownership of abut-
ting land and riparian rights, and steps
are being taken by legal proceedings
under the direction of the Attorney
General to settle the question of title.
The wbarves along the Georgetown
channel of the river are privately
owned, except the foot of streets. Two
vate parties. one for the foot of 33d
street and one for the foot of G street.
The portion of James Creek canal
from street to P street. distance
Anf low.
mercial purposes. From P street to the
outlet of the canal on the Anacostia
| river. distance of about 5000 feet, the
canal extends along the grounds of the
War College and Engineer School.
| Improvement of the Harbor Front.
J 1t will soon become necessary to re-
Washington channel. and when this is
| done it should be along some definite
plan. The Commissioners believe they
should be authorized to prepare such a
plan and submit it to Congress, and
they have included in their estimates to
Congress this year an item for this
purpose. The District appropriation
act for the fiscal year 1915 contained an
appropriation of $4,000 for reconstruct
| ing the wharves operated in connec-
| ton with the municipal fish wharf and
market. and plans and specifications
therefor are in course of preparation
The market buildings on this wharf are
| of weights, measures and markets.
Sewers
| The length of main and pipe sewers
, constructed during the year was about
| 17h miles. The total length of main
/ and pipe sewers in the District Of Co
] lumbia June 80, 1914, was 661.57 miles,
of which 1887 miles are main sewers
and 528 miles pipe sewers. The total
cost of the sewerage system to June
! 80, 1914. was s12,470,940.74. The total
| cost Of the sewage -disposal system
was s4,495. s3O.13, making the total cost
of the complete system to June 30,
| 1914. s16,966,770.S7.
! Twenty-Five billion six hundred and
| ffty-two million gallons of sewage
and 417,OOO,000 gallons of storm water
were pumped during the year through
| the sewerage pumping station. The
pumping plant was continuously in
operation without interruption of serv-
! ice, and received the sewage from
practically the entire District of Co
| lunbia, delivering it at the outfall on
! the Potomac river. Nine million three
hundred and eight thousand pounds of
| coal were consumed in operating the
| pumps.
: Inc OulIdll Oh lHe StWdSc-OiSpOSdl
system on the Potomac river near Shep-
| herds point was under constant OBJ
servation during the year. and the gen.
| eral condition of the waters in the
vicinity continued excellent. Examina-
f, ton of the river bottom showed no evil
! dence of sludge deposits for distance
: of sixty miles below the sewage out
! let's and the shores and beaches were
free from any Objectionable condition
as to odor or deposits. The surface
of the river was substantially free
| from oil or other Objectionable floating
during the year as a sanitary survey
| is being made of the Potomac river by
the United States public health service,
and this survey included oxygen tests.
1t is understood that this survey has
| been substantially completed and the
| report thereof is in preparation. The
results of this survey will be important
in determining the question of the
publication of river waters and assist
| the District of Columbia in dealing
! with the problem of sewage purifica-
ton
Stream Pollution.
Work was continued during the year
on the study of streams flowing into
and through the District of Columbia
as to the extent of their pollution by
the discharge of sewage therein from
neighboring Maryland towns. The pol
luton of these streams is now very ap-
parent, and is steadily increasing. The
subject was made the matter of a spe-