Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-04-11

Ierience has shown that the malaria from
ulht aiihy rivers frequently affects those on the
first titT CT hills back more seriously than those
residing Immediately ON the margin eli the river
BY Mr.. Craut:-Thinks the sewer along the
line OF the canal will DE more effect1al in carry
iEg II The offensive sewage than the open ca
nal. be cause il can be flushed more effectua,ly
than the wide canal. anu because there will De
less gravel and sand to choke il up. A long
course OF t!nkeIing with the eEal nuisance by
foodgates and causewsys hssshOwn that il cam
not he successfully flushed.
Mr.. Crane.-Have you not expressed the
opinion That too MANY Offices had been created
& by the District government?
Mr. M thought at one time that rather
TOO many bureaus bad been created. but these
have since been abolished and believe now
! mat no more officers are employed than is ne
/ etssary Ter the amount OF work TO be done.
Q-Do you believe all the officers are compe-
( tent men?
Al never knew a government where all the
/ CfCeTs were competent. j believe the off cers
employed by tie District government win COM
/ laTe favOrably with those in any other city.
Mr.. Crane here asked the witness If he enter
/ tanned the same opinion OF VIM. A. Cook AttOr-
| few years ago, but Judge Poland ruled the
/ question ont of order.
ADOLF CLUss ON THE CANAL QUESTION.
4Ct.F Ciass was examined, and testified that
| he had Investigated the condition of the canal,
| and made report OF it in 1S6S. (He submitted
| copy OF has repOrt) No practical engineer
| would object TO filing up the canal on the
| ground that il would injure the health of the
| city; had thought the canal might be made OF
! some commercial importance, but may be mis-
taken; thinks il might be best TO clean it out.
BY Mr.. Cbipman:-Witness' idea had been 70
connect The canal with the Chesapeake and Ohio
canal.
THE SEVENTH sTREET ROAD.
]chH SGEi was sworn, ard testified that he has
lived III the county, on the 9TH street road since
| lS74; that road, since the time mentioned, has
| been in q depiOTable condition: during the war
| there was much travel on it; the read was posi-
| lively dangerous iii places; if anything. the
BoaIu OF Public Works has not gone far enough
| In response 10 questions by Mr.. Crane wit
ness indicated the dangerous points on the road
| which existed during the war, and mentioned
several accidents which occurred.
| BY Mr. Roosevelt Witness does not think
| all the labOrers employed by the Board Of Pub
| lie Works earn their money; the board was COM
10 such labor; witness wants good road beyond
IN street, and is willing to pay his part Of the
| assessment for itsimprOvement.
| CoNGKkssMAN DAWES THOUGHT THE CANAL
OUGHT TO BE FILLED UP.
Hun. H. L. IGUeS was examined:-He testified
| mat when he was on the Committee oil ApprO-
| lriations he was taken over the route of the
can al, and came to the conclusion it oHght to be
| 1llled up; advised the Board OF Public Works to
| MI IT Gp; has not since changed his opinion.
In response TO question by Mr. Crane. the
| witness stated that he don't see the use of the
canal, except to relieve the merchants from the
expense OF truckage; If the canal was navigable
| the merchants goods might be brought little
nearer Pennsylvania avenue; it was with a view
TO improving the health OF the city that witness
recommended the filing up of the canal; when
warm day, ard they saw large number OF dead
dogs, cats, and horses in the water.
a DEMOCRATIC WITNESS OK sEvENTH-sTREET
ROAD.
Mr.. B. n. SUart, sworn and examined:-Re-
sides In the county. between 9TH street and Ten
nallytown; the eth street road has been in a
horribie condition, and number of accidents
nave occurred; II the Board of Public Works
has ever done ANYTHING valuable it is the i'm
IroNement OF that street; too much cant be
done to II; the labor was inferior, but Mr.. Shop
nero made some discharges and in proved It,
BY MIR. Eldfidge:-Witness is a democrat
" clean through had some idea OF rlEuiny TO,
Congress, but finally concluded to let AIr. Ner-
TICK run; there was no politics in the 9TH street
Improvement; the men - the cOlOred gentle
inen.tried to make il a political matter, but
Mr.. Shepherd made 10 political discri minatiOn
ia appointing or discharging men, all he q sired
was TO get good men to do the work as it should
be done; the 9TH street road should be imDroyed
since 1t is worth more as thoroughfare than
passable.
By Mr.. ROosevelt:-Mr. Shepherd made the
discharges referred TO a lew weeks before the
election last year.
By Mr.. Harmer:-Don't think too much work
mas been done on the 9TH street road; a. t.
money expended, witness knows nothing
BY Mr. Crane:-There were no printed tickets
against the loan at Tennallytowu at the last
Siecuon; there were six votes cast against the
loan; the tickets were written, and not printed
THE NAEuE OF REAL ESTATE ENHANCED by
THE IMPROVEMENTS.
James M. LdHd, sworn, and testified that he is
real estate broker in Washington; there was
quite an advance in the prices OF real estate
after the Passage OF the organic act, which con
tlnued until this investigation began: from
about the middle OF last December to the middle,
Of March Of the present wear there was uttar
stagnatlon in the real estate market. (WitneSs
pun III statement, printed in TIE STAR a few
GAYS since, showing the comparative transfers
OF real estate in 1870 and 1S7i.) From the middle
OF March real estate began TO look M, and j.
AGAIN quite active; the value of real estate has
been materially enhanced by the improvements
mace by the new District government.
by Mr.. Crane,-The property AT the corner Of
IAN ana Is streets was sold last October for ~
GEMS per loot; three weeks ago the same prop
eIty sold tor SIPS, and five Gays ago il sold for
SI-'o per foot; property at the corner OF 10th
street and Massachusetts avenue sold last An
eGst ior 20 cents; yesterday the same property
sou ior per foot; property in the northwestern
pdIt OF the city III some cases has increased 100
per cent. in eight months; the real estate market
Just now is active.
MIR. CIane.-Then I can send you soma ems
toners
Mr.: Latta.-Send them along; we shall b.
glad to make sales for them
In response to questions by members OF 'h.
committee, Mr.. Iatta said he regards the i'm
Proyements west of the War Department O!
declted value as far as 18th street; beyond thai
polht there may be difference of opinion a. to
whether the improvements are valuable or not
but witness generally regards then as desirable:
property south OF street, in that vicinity r.
'"i uV"H az " anu ~ STREETS, mas lately been
purchased by safe prudent gentlemen, at fail
prices; before the Improvements were made
property in that particular vicinity couldn't BE-
sold at any price-in fact il had no market
value; Mr.. Jessup, Of Philadelphia, who
made the purchase referred to at the corner
OF lith and Il streets proposes to build three
houses there, each costing so O00 and TO re
serve the corner lot for a residence for himself
which SHAH cost, when completed not less thar
10000; MIR. j. is but one of perhaps twenty-tiys
gentlemen who reside outside of Washington
who are reputed TO be worth from $500 900 t.
OeocO. or 81 600, 900, who have spoken to the
firm to which witness belongs, and asked advjc,.
relative to building or purchasing residence
mere; they say that now that the city is to he
improved they have strong intentions of taking
up their residence here permanently.
Adjourned.
THE EMANCIPATION CELEBRATIoN.-Repre-
sentatives from the Sd, 9Th, 5th, 9th and eth dis
tricts met at Jones hall last evening. A. Jones
was elected chairman, and G. II. Dyer secretary
The chair stated that the object of the meeting
was to consolidate the several districts repre-