Year: 1870




The work Of re-surveying the Potomac chan
mel, between the Long Bridge and Georgetown,
for its improvement, under the recent act of
Congress, appropriating $4,000 for that pur-
pose, is progressing under the direction of Maj
Weyss, Of Gen. MichSer's Office. The freshet Of
last week swept away all of the buoys which
had been put down, and in many places changed
the depth of the water, but not enough, it is
believed, TO delay the improvement. The bids
which were opened last month have all been
examined, but several of the lowest bidders not
owning dredging machines, and being unable to
obtain them, had their bids thrown out, as it
was desirable to make the improvem ent imme-
diately. Stations have been fixed at many
to-day the work Of ascertaining the depth Of
water along the line was commenced.


FLATS TO BE RECLAIMED.


1t is proposed to remove from eighty to one
hundred thousand yards of deposit from the
channel, and place it on the fia.s between the
observatory and the mouth OF the canal. These
fats, now covered with grass, generate miasma,
making 1t unhealthy in that locality, which is
near the White House, and it is thought that
the deposit removed from the channel will do
much tow ards abating the evil. When the work
of cleaning out the canal shall begin, the deposit
from that source will also be placed there, which
will ill up the fats between the points above
named, and thus reclaim about twenty-nine
acres Of land, and make this malarious region
healthful one.


NRw AND UsKLEes CHANNEL.


When the survey Of the river was made about
three years since, there was no channel back Of
Mason's Island, and about one foot or eighteen
inches depth OF water was all to be found in
two break has been washed at the lower end
OF Analostan or MasOn's Island, and through
virginia side from the river channel. ON the
other side Of the island, where eighteen inches
Of water was formerly the greatest depth, there
is now q depth Of from six to nine feet, caused
by the break above mentioned hence IL will be
seen that large body OF water is taken from
the channel to the back of the island, where it
in The legitimate channel. The break LAX WILDE viii be-
filled, and the body Of water now passing
through it turned into the proper channel.


THE CHANNEL LEAVING Us.


1t is the opinion Of experienced engineers that
the river channel has a tendency to the yir-
gnia shore, as the current coming down strikes
Essby's Point, where it meets a resistance and
is diverted towards the Virginia side. Between
Easily . Point and the Long Bridge is spacious
basin, which cannot be kept dredged on ac-
count % or the current constantly bringing de.
the large space over which the water IS here
distributed, the force OF the current is lost,
causing this lodgment of deposit. The cause
way Of the Long Bridge is aaOther resistance,
10 say nothing of the tide which the current
meets at Easily Point; therefore it is held to be



clear, unless the entire flats from Easby's Point
be filed up, by which the width of the river
will be lessened. the current which comes down
maintained in force, thus keeping the channel
always clear. By filling up these flats several
hundred acres of land will be reclaimed be-
tween the Observatory and the mouth Of the
canal.


PERMANENT DRRDGRR.
As it is regarded impracticable to fill up
the flats entirely at present, Major Weyss pro-
poses to purchase a dredging machine out of
the recent appropriation, to be held for con.
slant use. as the best means Of keeping the
channel open. When this portion OF the river
was dredged several years ago. the deposit was
placed in the river a short distance from the
channel, and was soon washed back again leav-
ing the channel in the same condition as before
the dredging. The cost of removing the deposit
TO the flats will be greater than If it should be
placed in the river but 1t will be cheaper In the
end, as 1t cannot be washed back from the ats
where it is proposed TO deposit 1t.
THE CONTRACT FOR REMOVING THE DEPOSIT
The lowest bidder for cleaning out the chan
mel, who owDa the necessary machinery for the
work, is j. q. Dodge, of Ohio, and he ha. been
notified OF the acceptance Of his proposal. Some
other bids were lower than his, but dredging
machines In all or the northern cities were
found to be in use, and several bidders who con-
templated hiring machinery, found it impossible
TO do SO, hence they could not NIL the contract.
Mr.. Dodge proposes to remove the deposit from
the channel to the fats at 81 cents per cubic
yard and remove the rock at SO per cubic yard. |
The work will be commenced as soon as possible.


WILLOW DAMS.
The dams formed by planting willow trees
and filling up around them with earth, rock, |
&c, have been found to work well in some parts |
OF Europe, and the construction thereof costs |
nothing like as much as stone dams. The will |
lows soon take roet, and, while they do not Of |
fer that dead resistance to the water that stone
does, will stand freshets better. This plan will |
probably be adopted at the southern extremity |
of Analostan Island to turn the water now going !
to waste on the Virginia side into the proper |
& channel.