Evening star., 1941-03-03
.S1,700,00O Sum
Sought TO Insure
Water Supply
Potomac Projects
Urged by Chief of
Army Engineers

nldICAy 81, iOO,OOO W l1lou4C Oil dNC~
quate water supply for Washington
and Improvements and maintenance
of the channel and Potomac River
during the 1912 fiscal year were
recommended today by Mai. Gen.
Julian L. Schley, chief Of Army
Engineers, in his annual report to
Congress.
AS a precautionary measure
against possible sabotage, the re-
port called for the erection of a
S65.000 fence around Washington's
water works and construction of
$4,000 emergency pumping station.
Flood Control Funds Urged.
Recommendations 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 ,444,6 A large share Of
the proposed expenditures-sle0,-
615,700 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,O00-
ton battleships the Navy is building.
Also recommended was the con-
struction of a $4,000 underground
reservoir in Mcmillan Park. This
would have capacity of 100000
gallons of filtered water, represent
ing an increase of almost 25 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
tricts 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 S400, 900
| having been included in the 1912
budget to begin work on the Nc
MILAN reservoir.
Col. William ]. Barden, the dis
trict engineer for the Washington
district, said the emergency pump
ing station would be helpful if acei-
dents occurred to the conduits lead
1 fy,rY he fV9fn lyn "a pnfO -
River at Great Falls to the Dale
/ carlia reservoir. The report calls
| for the conversion of the 'Dalecarlia
| hydroelectric station into a raw
water pumping station for lifting
unfiltered water from the Chesa-
peake g. o. o 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 chestnuts
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 trafhc.
The report covered all work &C
complished in the Washington Dis
trict during the fiscal year ended
June 80, 1910. An additional $144, 600
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, $4,000.
| 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:
So 900 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 5000 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 $l1 900 was
asked for dredging the channel OF
Occoquan Greek and removing wa
ter chestnuts during the 1912 fiscal
year. An unexpended balance OF
$3.50 will be used until June 80.
1941, for the latter purpose.
No further appropriation was rec
|. commended for flood control work
in the Washington area. Available
funds amounting to $35,436 will
complete work of this kind by next
June. Present work on the Boiling
Field levee is costing $15,464. The
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