Evening star., 1941-03-03
S1,7OO,OO0 Sum
Sought 10 Insure
Water Supply
Potomac Projects
Urged by Chief of
Army Engineers

Expenditures totaling approx.
mately $1,700,000 to insure an ade-
quate water supply for Washington
and improvements and maintenance
of the channel and Potomac River
during the 1912 fiscal year were
recommended today by Maj. Gen
Julian l.. Schley, chief of Army
Engineers, in his annual report to
Congress.
AS precautionary measure
against possible sabotage, the re-
port called for the erection of
S65,000 fence around Washington's
water works and construction OF
$4,000 emergency pumping station
Flood Control Funds Urged.
Recommendation for the ma
tional program totaled 1857 ,793, ,925
with deferment of non-defense con-
struction accounting for most OF
the reduction from last years total
of $401 ,444, $50. A large share of
the proposed eXpenditures-$l9O,-
615,7OO would go for flood control
works in the Northeast, the Mis-
sissippi and Ohio valleys, the Los
Angeles drainage area and else
where
Among waterway improvements
suggested was provision of 40
foot channel from the Philadelphia
Navy Yard to the sea, at a cost
of S3,770,000. This is necessary, it
was said, to float the new 45,000-
ton battleships the Navy is building.
Also recommended was the con-
struction of a s49O,OO0 underground
reservoir in Mcmillan Park. This
would have a capacity of 100000
gallons of filtered water, represent
ing an increase of almost Is per
cent in the storage capacity for the
ctiy's emergency needs.
Early Start Is Urged.
These improvements, including
the reserve reservoir, should be be-
gun at once as a national defense
measure and to protect the Dis
trict's water supply, the report
stressed. Gen. Schley's plan was to
build the new reservoir and related
improvements in one year. The
Commissioners, however, decided to
do it in two years, only 100000
having been included in the 1912
budget to begin work on the Nc
MILAN reservoir.
Col. William J. Barden, the dis
trict engineer for the Washington
district, said the emergency pump
ing station would be helpful if acci-
dents occurred to the conduits lead
ing from the intake on the Potomac
River at Great Falls to the Dale
carlia reservoir. The report calls
for the conversion of the Dalecarlia
hydroelectric station into raw
water pumping station for lifting
unfiltered water from the Chesa-
peake g. Ohio Canal into the res
ervoir.
The proposed fencing would in
close the intake at Great Falls, the
Dalecarlia reservoir and filter plant,
the Mcmillan filter plant and sew
eral others.
Passenger Pier Proposed.
Largest project proposed here was
construction of a passenger pier to
extend the terminal facilities of the
harbor. An appropriation of $276,-
900 was asked for the new pier,
exclusive of a $4,000 contribution
sought from the District Govern
ment. The work would be done by
private contract.
Eradication of water cnestnutS
down stream should be continued
next year, the report stated. Vari-
GUS small sums were recommended
to help remove the growth which
interfereS seriously with river traftlc.
The report covered all work ac-
complished in the Washington Dis
trict during the fiscal year ended
June 80, 1910. An additional $144,000
can be profitably expended in the
1912 fiscal year, it said, for new work
and maintenance of existing prof.
ects.
$4,000 for Rock Removal.
The sum of $4,000 was recon-
mended for the removal of rock
from the Virginia Channel between
the Arlington Memorial Bridge and
Easbys Point-a new project. Main
tenance work would include 100000
for dredging the Virginia Channel
down stream from the railroad
bridge and between the Memorial
and Francis Scott Key Bridges.
Maintenance and repair of the Tidal
Basin gates calls for $4,000 and
eradication of chestnuts, $1,000.
There was on hand $111,813 from
unexpended channel funds at the
end of the 1910 fiscal year. OF that
amount, 100000 is being expended
on dredging the Virginia Channel;
$4,000 for eradicating chestnuts, and
$1,000 on the Tidal gates.
For work in the river at Alex
andria. Va, $45,000 was recon-
mended during the next fiscal year.
OF this sum, $4,000 is necessary
to dredge in front of the wharves
and $4,000 for eradication of water
chestnuts. An unexpended balance
of $500 is being used now, it was
reported, in removing this growth
from the Alexandria channel.
An additional $4,000 was recon-
mended for work in the Potomac
below Washington for next year
This also includes $4,000 for the
war on chestnuts. The remainder
is for dredging at Upper and Lower
Smith Point Bars and at Maryland
Point Bar.
No Flood Control Item.
At Mount Vernon it was proposed
to spend $4,000 for continued eradi-
cation of cheStnutS, an unexpended
balance of $4,000 being used now for
that purpose.
An additional sum of $1,000 was
asked for dredging the channel of
Occouuan Greek and removing wa
ter chestnuts during the 1912 fiscal
year. An unexpended balance OF
S3850 will be used until June 80