Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-29

Z
! the War Department for the Washingto
ment of the Washington channel water
Further details of the report, just re.
| leased by Maj. Gen. Lyle Brown, CHIEF
of Army Engineers. after it's transmits.
| sion to Congress, we're made available
| today. These specific recommends tons
were made by Maj. Somervell in his re-
port, which has received the indorse-
ment of Gen. Brown and the River and
Harbor Board without change:
l. That the waterfront on tn enorth
proved as outlined in this report on the
pier and slip system without direct
railway interchange facilities.
2. That Identification be secured
through development of boulevard
along Water street and regular and
harmonious treatment of pier and other
structures with a small amount of
parking or landscaping.
Cost to Be Divided.
3. That the cost of the entire project,
estimated at 1881 500, be divided be-
tween the Federal Government and the
District of Columbia. 1892 $50 for the
former and 81 .299 800 for the latter
4. That rentals from waterfront prop
erty be paid into special fund to pro-
vide for its maintenance. the surplus
being covered into the Treasury and
used to reimburse cost of construction.
5. That rentals be fixed by the Sec
rotary of War.
6. That the various holdings of the
Treasury Department. District of Co.
lumbia and the chief of engineers along
the channel be consolidated under the
Secretary of War and the improvements
intruSted to him, so that the plan can
fhrn1In1n h6
without break and in orderly econom-
ical sequence. provided, however that
the improvement of Water street itself
be under the jurisdiction of the Com
missioneTs of the District of Columbia
Z. That the Secretary of War modify
the harbor lines in the Washington
Channel to conform to this plan.
8. That in view of recent wharf fail
ures an initial appropriation of S533, 500
be made to become available July /,
1927 Fiscal year 1929, subsequent ap-
preparations being made in four INSTALL
mentS in order to complete the develop
ment in five years
The report was submitted to the chief
OF Army Engineers by Maj. Somervell
about three wars ago and in conclud-
ing, the District engineer said:
Concur on Recommendations.
The Commissioners of the District
of Columbia and the director of public
buildings and public parks of the Ma
tional Capital concur in the provisions
Of this report and the recommendations
made therein"
Pointing out that the report is sub
mitted in accordance with an item re-
lating to the Potomac River in a sec
ton of the river and harbor act. ap-
proved March 8. 1925, Mai. SomerveIl
sets forth this improvement that Is de-
sired:
"As a means Of ascertaining the COM
mercial requirements of the Washing
ton channel waterfront and the proper
steps to take toward its Identification.
numerous conferences were held with
waterfront concerns. property owners.
shippers. railroads, steamboat company
officials and navigatorS, and represent
tatives of citizens associations. Sew
eral semi-public hearings were held
which were attended by representa-
tives Of the Chamber of Commerce.
Board of Trade. Merchants and Manu-
facturers' Association. Pennsylvania
Railroad Co, Pilots Association, Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning Com
mission and the Engineer Department
of the District of Columbia. A prelim-
mary hearing was obtained before the
Commission of Fine Arts of the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission.
The first concern Of all was for
some plan which wuold eliminate the
heterogeneous aSsemblage of unsightly
and delapidated structures and provide
in its place an orderly arrangement OF
presentable wharf structures. No de-
mand for railroad connections was de-
veloped. The citizens association OF
the Washington Channel section in ad-
dition states that no recreation piers
are desired and request that vacant
ground be parked until future needs re-
quire its utilization. Steamboat in
| terests expressed the preference for
piers and slips and grouping together
of the steamer business. No demand
for the creation of seaport was de-
veloped. District Of Columbia officials
desired to retain their present facilities
on the Washington Channel. The
Commission of Fine Arts indicated pref
erence for a wide Water street with
Handicapped strips, but no paintings on
the channel side Partial plans were
tentatively approved. The National
Capital Park and Planning Commission
presented the position of Water street
as a link in the boulevard system in
| the plan of Washington and requested
adequate width for future development
1t gave its approval in general to the
plans presented in this report"
Consult Previous Reports.
Previous reports and plans are dealt
with, starting with that of the Board
Of Survey, submitted in 1872. and COW
ering all water fronts in the District
of Columbia. Other reports, previously
prepared, were those of 1879, submitted
by the Secretary of War, covering deep
ening river and improving sanitary
conditions of all water fronts of the
! District Of Columbia; that of the Secre-
! tary of War in 1882, covering the pres
, ent project for deepening and widening
| channels Of the Potomac River; the
/ Senate report of 1902, containing sug-
| gestions for treatment of the CONNER
cial water front; the 1908 report of the
| District Commissioners to the Senate
| relating to all water front in the Dis
trict; the 1916 unoficial plan by the
Once Of Public Buildings and Grounds
containing suggestions for the improve
ment OF the Washington Channe
whatves in connection with the plan,
for the development of Potomac Park
on the other side of the channel; the
unofflcial report of 1922 by the Board oi
Engineers, River and Harbor to the En-.
gineer Commissioner of the District
containing statistics as to aspects Of de.
/ velopment of Washington as a porr
with especial reference to the Washing.
ton Channel, and the 1923 unofficial re.
port prepared on plan by Capt. j. e
Wood suggesting plans for the develop.
ment Of Washington Channel.
Deals With Trade Future.