Evening star., 1932-04-11
PORT EXPANSION
QUESTION TO FACE
PARLEY NEXT WEEK
Studies Made of Dredging
Required to Accommodate
Sea-Going Vessels.
TENTATIVE FIGURES
CALL FOR 100000
Engineer Declares Main River
Channel Would Have to Be
So Feet Deep.

Expansion of Washington as a sea-
going port will be considered by the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission, at its meeting next week,
to whip into final shape the measure
which will be introduced in Congress
to create a Port of Washington Au-
thOrity. The United States engineer
office, it was revealed today. has been
making studies on the dredging opera-
tions necessary to make Washington
available for large sea-going vessels.
Tentative figures compiled by E. ].
Merrick, jr., engineer in the office of
Mai. Joseph D. Arthur, jr., district
engineer for the War Department for
the Washington area, show that a pro-
gram OF 100000 would be necessary.
AT present, Mr.. Merrick explained.
there Is a navigation depth in the
POTOMAC River from it mouth up to the
City of Washington of "a feet. In the
Georgetown and Washington channels.
however, there is a depth of only 20
feet. This would have to be rectifed.
If Washington is to be developed to its
fullest extent as port. under plans of
the National Capital Park and Planning
Commission. Congress and the Arling-
ton Memorial Bridge Commission have
provided that the new bridge makes
provision for sea-going traffic. for the
bascule draw span permits the passage
OF sizeable craft, to and from George
town.
Depth of 36 Feet Necessary.
A main river channel depth of SO
feet would be necessary to accommo-
date seagoing vessels, Mr.. Merrick as
serted. If this is decided upon as an
authorized project 1t would mean some
so miles OF dredging There are some
seven or eight bars between Washing
ton and the mouth of the Potomac
River, Mr.. Merrick asserted, and they
would have to be removed. He sand
they are from l to 10 miles long
The engineers could dredge some of
the main channel by means of hy-
draulic pipeline work, such as was en-
ployed to pump up sand and gravel
from the bottom of the Potomac River
to form the roadbed of the Mount Ver-
non Memorial Highway, across marshy
and other watery areas. Much of the
work, however, would have to be
through ordinary dredging operations.
A Washington waterfront improve
ment program, contemplating expendi-
ture of some $4,000. 600, particularly in
lllC w doIllIlSlOll CIldlllltI dlcd, HAS It
Gently been prepared by the United
States Engineer Office here and is now
pending before Congress.
Military Argument Recalled.
Mr. Merrick recalled that one of the
main arguments advanced against
improving the Potomac River naviga-
tional depth beyond "a feet is that en-
emy Warships would then be able to
come up the river and shell the Ma
tional Capital. With aviation developed
materially, Mr.. Merrick said he has been
advised by opponents of this view that
airplanes from carriers at Hampton
Roads, Va, or Annapolis, Md could
easily fly over Washington, dropping
bombs upon the city. The proponents
of deeper dredging likewise say, Mr.
Merrick asserted. that with long-range
guns. such as were used in the World
War, the City of Washington could
be shelled from as far away as go
miles. if necessary.
A special committee has been en-
gagged in considering all phases of the
proposed Port of Washington authority
measure
This committee, consisting of Lieut.
Col. U. S. Grant, Sd, vice chairman
and executive officer of the commits
sion; Lieut.. Col. Virgil L. Peterson, who
is representing Maj Gen. Lytle Brown,
chief of Army Engineers, and Maj.
Donald A. Dawson, Acting Engineer
Commissioner, has revised the original
draft of the measure. In revamping
the proposed bill for introduction in
Congress, they have been assisted by
Thomas S. Settle. secretary of the Ma
tlonal Capital Park and Planning Com
mission, which meets the latter part
of next week
The measure, designed to create the
Port of Washington Authority. is eX-
pected to be introduced in Congress the
latter part OF the month. Chairman
Capper of Kansas, of the Senate Dis
trict Committee. and Chairman Norton
of New Jersey, of the House District
Committee, are members of the COM
mission and may be asked to sponsor
the measure in Congress.