Evening star., 1934-02-04
Waterfront Improvement
Again Under Consideration.
-uE un,Ica Cnypn1ittoo m X

THE house ConiiiiI'lee o4 Hi'eis
i and Harbors has had under
consideration during the past
week improvement of the Wash
ington water front. 1t is under
stood that the committee is vir-
tually agreed improvement of the
north side Of the Washington
Channel should be authorized as
part of the Capitals Identification
program, at cost. estimated by the
District engineer, Of $l.6O0,000. In
this. as in all District improve
ments. the question Of distribution
of cost between the United States
and the District is important. The
District engineer recommends that
the District pay s3890OO and that
the remainder be paid by the
United States The Board of Engi-
neers for Rivers and HarbOrs has
recommended that the cost be di-
vided between the Federal and Dis
trict Governm ITS on $3.50 basis.
The Distri6 engineer reports
that title to the entire water front
lcSlS AL lllc OllllCo SldlcS dllo ~
seems proper that 1t should i'm
prove its own property" The IA
cilities proposed are for the benefit
of general commerce. but because
Identification in harmony with
other structures in the National
Capital is required the type Of
construction selected is more ex-
pensive than mere utility demands.
The cost OF the elements to be de-
voted solely to the District of CO.
lumbia activities amount to $685.
900 and this the District engineer
thinks should be borne by the Dis
trict. He adds this cost is per-
hapS somewhat greater than would
be the case were the structures de-
signed only for utility, but the
difference appears to be reason
able contribution on the part Of
the municipality for the use Of
property belonging to the Federal
Government
This project has for many years
been urged by the Washington
Board of Trade and the Chamber
Of Commerce. The present plan
Of the District engineer has the
approval Of both these bodies, rep
resentatives Of which appeared be-
fore the Committee on Rivers and
HarbOrS. The Board of Trade rep
resentative was Frank P. Leetch,
chairman of the boards Commit
tee on Rivers and Harbors, and
the Chamber Of Commerce was
represented by John H. Small. for
many years Representative in the
House from the first North Caro-
lima district and formerly chair
man OF the House Committee on
Rivers and Harbors.
The present plans, which have
the approval Of the District Com
missioners, the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
and the division engineer Of the
Army. contemplate schedule for
construction in eight years with an
annual appropriation averaging
about 100000. Three new COM
mercial piers and berths for
yachts and small boats are to
be constructed. 1t is proposed
to construct on the downstream
half of the frontage above the
War College grounds the harbor
master wharf for the joint use
of the harbor police and harbor
fire department station. A new
workhouse pier is to be built un-
less the District authorities decide
to build it on the Anacostia River.
Eventually, 1t Is proposed to
build a bridge over the upper end
of the Washington Channel to con-
meet East Potomac Park with the
water front boulevard, now ex-
pected to be 16O feet wide. In
determining the division Of cost
between the United States and the
District Government it should be
borne in mind that this proposed
bridge and this magnificent water
front boulevard. in keeping with
the Nations Identification plans
for its own Capital. will eventually
and undoubtedly add greatly to the
Districts expenditures for the wa
ter-front improvement.