Evening star., 1932-12-06
WATER TERMINALS
HELD INADEQUATE
Improvement Urged in An
nuaI Report of District
Engineer.

Washington's water terminals and
transfer facilities, as well as those in
the Virginia channel of the Potomac at
Georgetown, are inadequate and should
be improved and extended, Maj j. D.
Arthur, jr, district engineer, recon-
mends in his annual report to the Riv-
ers and Harbors Board of the War De-
partment, made public today.
Maj. Arthur, who is the Army engi-
neer assigned to the entire Washington
district, devoted scant space in his re-
port to these conditions, as the whole
subject of Washington Harbor improve
ments is specifically covered by recon-
mendations he has made in response to
request from Congress and the Dis
trict Commissioners. This report, sub
mitted to the Rivers and Harbors Com
mittee Of the House, has not yet been
made public.
"As a rule" he said in his annual
report. "the wharves are in very poor
condition except those operated by the
municipal and Federal governments
Maj. Arthur recommends that $60000
can be expended proftably during the
fiscal year 1884 on improvements in the
Washington and Virginia channels. OF
this amount he suggests that $45 900
be expended for redredging the chan
nels. $4,000 for maintaining and re-
pairing the tidal gates and $4,000 for
maintaining Government property.
Anacostia River Facilities.
Terminal facilities in the Anacostia
River at Washington are considered
ntA f0t- hn ont fraf n 6n
report said, but will not be sufficient
for any increase In commerce.
Commerce for the 1881 calendar year
totaled 1,683,522 tons, valued at ST.
300, ,728, exclusive of 635, $50 tons of
cargo in transit, valued at $32 ,249, OCT
Commerce increased about 81 900 tons
more than the previous year, but the
value was slightly reduced on all items
Commerce on the Anacostia River, it
was reported, totaled 1862 ,220 tons, val
ued at $2,860,127. In all Washington
commerce the principal items are sand
and gravel and petroleum products.
The channels are in good condition,
The controlling depth at mean low
water is 1875 feet in the Virginia chan
mel and 21.4 in the Washington channel.
River Improvements in the Washing
| ton district to date have cost S4, ,548, ,080,
of which s1.919,425 was for new work
and S1.628, ,655 for maintenance since
the project was first begun.
During the present fiscal year, which
ends June 80 next, a total of S2l7,62l
will be applied to improvements. In
cluded in this amount Is $4,000 for
the purchase of new district boat 1t
is expected that the funds will be prac-
tically exhausted at the end of the
fiscal year.
No new recommendations for modifl-
cation of the existing project in the
Washington district is contained in the
report.
Adequate at Alexandria.
At Alexandria, Va. which has 16
regular shipping wharves in fair con-
| dition, it was Said the terminal and
transfer facilities are adequate for ex-
isting commerce. No sum is available
for operations this fiscal year. For the
fiscal year 1884, however, Maj. Arthur
recommends $4,000 for redredging the
channel. This amount exceeds the
average amount expended for mainte-
nance during the preceding five years
and is due to the fact that there have
been no maintenance operations since
the fiscal year 1896" he reported.
In connection with the lower Poto-
mac. the report suggests that 10000
can be expended in redredging the
naval magazine, Marshall Hall, Malta
woman and Smith Point Shoals during
the period July to November, 1888.
Only the four shoals mentioned of the
seven that have required maintenance
in former years will require redredging.
On Occoquan Greek, Va, the only re-
naming work to be done is the con-
struction of dixie at Upper Mud Bar,
which is not at present considered
necessary. Expenditures totaling s114.-
$50, chiefly for stone dikes to control
the channel, were made during the past
fiscal year. No new operations are con-
templated this year.