Evening star., 1939-06-21
Five ANCHORAGE
Areas Urged
In Rivers Here
Shore-Line Changes
Also Suggested
At Hearings

Establishment of five anchorage
areas in the Potomac and Anacostia
Rivers and changes in the shore lines
on both banks of the Potomac be-
tween Arlington Memorial Bridge
and Key Bridge probably will be
recommended to the chief of Army
engineers soon as result of public
hearings held yesterday afternoon
by Col. R. S. Thomas, local district
engineer.
Possible slight notifications of
the anchorage areas as provided in
the draft of new harbor regula-
tions for the District, now nearing
PRONUNCIATION, may be recommended
as a result of yesterdays hearings.
Frank T. GartSide. acting super
intendent of National Capital Parks,
asked that cleared channels las wide
as practicable" be maintained be-
tween anchorage areas and sea
walls OF East Potomac and AnacoStia
Parks and around the shore line of
the boundary channel cove adjoin-
ing Washington Airport. He said
he favored 50-foot channel instead
of the 20-foot channel provided in
the regulations if this were possible
without too seriously restricting the
anchorage areas.
Discourage Sea Wall Landings.
Eve would like to discourage at
tempted landings on the park sea
walls Mr.. Gartside explained.
These are not intended as landing
areas and their use would be at
tended by risks. Many people go to
the park sea walls for a view of the
river and it would not add to the
beauty to have lot of boats jammed
up against the sea wall.
Edwin c. Schmidt, principal civil
engineer in Col Thomas Office, ex-
planned that bouys in the anchoage
areas would be so placed that no
boats would swing outside the limits
OF the anchorages as prescribed in
the regulations.
Roland M. Brennan, chairman of
the District Commissioners Harbor
Regulations Committee, protested
against any further restriction of
the size of the anchorage areas,
declaring that the 20-foot space
between the anchorage area and
sea walls is sufficient Increasing
the open water space, especially in
Washington Channel, would seri-
ously curtail the anchorage area, he
said.
George A. Herman, president of
the Potomac Boat Club, requested
that the proposed 1,40O by 400 foot
anchorage area in the Potomac
River below Three Sisters Islands
be so located as not to interfere
with the clubs rowing course.
Harbor Precincts Interest.
1t. w. H. Carlin of the harbor
police precinct, requested that assur-
ance be given that the anchorage
areas will not be so located as to
cut of turning room for the fire
boats.
The proposed anchorage areas,
IN addltlon to that near Three Sis
tiers, are along the Potomac Park
side of Washington Channel; along
the Anacostia side of the Anacostia
River on both sides of Pennsylvania
Avenue Bridge and between the
line of Massachusetts, avenue and
Benning Bridge; in the Boundary
Channel cove, and in Oxon Run,
opposite Alexandria, Va.
Principal changes in the harbor
lines proposed are just below Key
Bridge, on both sides of the river
where the lines would be moved out
even with the bridge piers nearest
the shore lines, and on Roosevelt
Island opposite the foot of Wiscon-
sin avenue, where the lines would
be moved back to prevent possi-
bility of construction which might
reduce the width of the river at this
narrow point.
Among the witnesses at the hear
Ing were John Nolen, jr, director
OF planning. and Thomas S. Settle,
secretary, of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission;
David P. Allen, Washington /noe
Club. and A. H. Gregory, Wash
ton Channel ship chandler.