The New York herald., 1878-03-15
WHY CONGREssMEN DISsIPATE.
NECESSITY OF sscoLD TEA" AyD ANrI-Foo

NECESSITY OF scoI.D TEA" AyD ANrI-Foa-
MATIcs IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
From the Washington Star, March 1871
communication from the House District Com
mittee-calling attention to the deposits Of street
swccpings aud oal on the low grounds south of the
Capitol and the odors which are waited from that
direction through the Capitol IN warm weather
which had received since the last meeting of the
Board had in the meanwhile been given TO the Health
officer, who reported as follows thereon:-
"The deposits OF street swsepings the low
grounds south of the Capitol are found not 10 be
offensive, being mostly dry and quickly removed
by farmers and gardeners The nuisances In
furious to health in that locality are the ponds
OF stagnant water-dcpositories OF all manner
OF fiuh--bctween and g, First and South Capitol
streets; between and Q, First and Second Streets
south west; between Delaware avenue. south Capitol,
ID and h Streets and between Second street, Delaware
avenue, and streets. These in The bed OF the
canal the line OF the public streets, ana In
square from ten to twenty i've feet below grade
of the projected avenues. For the abatement of
tue nuisance Of offensive odors ana gases,
deieterious to health, constantly waited from
dows OF the Capitol considerable expenditure Is
necessary. The attention of the authorities has
often been called TO their unsanitary condition,
but little has been done owing, undoubtedly, to the
magnitude OF the work required Tne honorable Com.
mittee on the District OF Columbia being personally
interested, might perhaps, with proprety, make the
nrst OF nature-viz, ,scfpreservationthe basis OF
u law OF Congress providing special appropriation
for the abatement OF these nuisances and thereby
lieve not only members OF Congress and all who rc
quent The CAPITOL but also AL the people lving near
from prolific and never falling source OF malariui
poisoning" !"
The secretary was directed TO the report to the
COMMITTEE
Mrs. Hardacres Letter to the Chicago Timssl
WASHINGTON, March g. 1871
The air is baImy as May. Dandeions in the fields
and ia the yards grass green trecs budding
The winter, with its copous rains, has resulted
in much serious Illness, mostly ol malral typhoid
lever A we'll known physician OF the CITY tells me
that there is more sickness now In Washington than
has ever been known before. During the past year
16oO more deaths reported than tho year previous
.'Ncxi time you your pen," he said, "write for
bumauiys sake, of tho nthy condition OF the capital
write OF the diseases cX itng Ia our midst; wro tho
cause aud the remedy"
Tue broad, aspnaium paved Penusylvania avonue
is as smooth as u floor, carefully swept every day
Many other streets are also paved IN the same way,
kept IN iauliless condition. But there blocks
contiguous TO these thoroughares worse than the
ma-vcicd swamps OF the South. Years ago tncy
were wooden paved. That pavement does not SAT-
the peculiar soil OF this climate Tue wood rots rap
idly, and is now lying water-soaked, sending up It's
steam oil dec8ying vegetable matter in the rays of the
streets tnat teams cannot travel through their
length. Holes the size Of washtubs are hcky ptied
over the surface Those lntie RESERVOIRS hA curing
rain storms and form shiny pools, whose stencil can
| not be undersiood by those who have only seen the
| handsome Nicolson IN our Northern cities. From
| these pools there rises the death-adcn mist that
| spans our grand avenues and floats into the lace
drapcd windows of the rich, as well as Tho humber
| dwellings, Of the poor.
Every post oil that rotten wood should be uprootcd
| and cartcd OF before June, or Washington VIII 0o
vsitea by such dosoation ofdeath has never been
known. You at distance hear oil the gaye'y OF the
capital and reading the speeches OF the members sec
that Congress is st goag on iis tircsome way, and
conclude all Is WELL You do not know how many
seas are already vacated by Illness nor how those ON
the oor OF both houses Of Congress are complaining
ot strange sensations OF head and limbs, although ye
able 10 keep about. AS Tar AS gay circles are con
cerneJ, many whom nothing out severe sickness
would keep from tho dance not there and some
who desire TO escape from the pestlentaI city are 81
prostrated TO be unable to leave. Gail IN aoct0
ana you are told II s malaria All kinds Of distract