National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-02-20
THE RIVER FRONT.
Action of the Citizens Committee of
One Hundred.
Statements from District Commissioners
Phelps and Twinlng-A Committee of
Seven Appointed to Petition Con-
grcss-No Particular Plan to
be Advocated--Washl
ton Harbor, &C., Sc.
Meeting of the CIti,ens' Committee.

One Hundred was held at the call of tho pres
ident Mr. George w. Riggs, at the Office Of
Fox, Fitch q Cutter, In the Corcoran build.
ing, last evening. About thirty gentlemen
were present including Mcssrs. George w
Riggs, John A. Baker Thomas b. Bryan,
James L. Fitch, d. II. Warner w. G. Net
zerott, r. c. Fox, DR.. 4. Y. p. Garnott, DIR.
james Z. Morgan, William Dickson c. b.
Church, G. $. Noyes, aud Others District
Commissioners Twining, Dent, and Phelps
were also present Mr.. Riggs presided and
Mr.. Baker acted rs secretary.
Mr. Riggs stated that he had called the
meeting for the purpose of considering the
necessity Of urging upon Congress the pro-
priety Of doing something to improve tho
river front. 1t was not proposed to advocate
any plan, but merely to urge the necessity of
improvement. He asked Major Twining to
state what had been done toward eiiecting
some action by Congress.
Major Twining referred to Commissioner
| Phelps to state what had been done, saying
that then If they wanted to know what plan
had been advocated he would explain.
Commissioner Phelps said the Comm ission-
ers had urged upon tho District Committee
and the Committee on Commerce of the House
the necessity Of making some provision for inn
proving the river front and deepening the
channel. There seemed to be feeling, espe-
cally in the Committee on Commerce, that
something should be done jointly by the
United States and the District They proposed
an advance from tho General Government,
while other funds were needed for other i'm
provements, of 4 per cent. bonds, 60 be applied
to the work, and afterward that 100000 year
be appropriated to the work, tho reclaimed
land to be equally divided between the United
States and the District
For this purpose the Commissioners had
prepared bill and also bill to appoint
board of survey. Tho President took great
deal of interest in it and urged upon Congress
the necessity of some action, and very likely
if the people of the community took sufficient
interest in it they could have the river and
harbor bill amended for the purpose.
DR. Garnet thought the most authoritative
voice that could come from the citizens of the
District would emanatc from this meeting.
lie thought tho best plan would be to draw
up petition to be presented to Congress.
Mr.. Riggs said one reason why no plan
} should be suggested is that the work when
done would probably be placed in charge of
the Engineer Corps of tho army who were
more competent to suggest plans than the
committee.
DR.. Garrett continued that the condition. of
the river front demanded immediate atten-
ton. and the necessity was apparent TO every
body. He moved that a committee of seven
be appointed to draw up petition in behalf
of the committee of one hundred, to be circu-
lated, If necessary, for signatures, praying Con-
+ gress to take some action looking toward the
q improvement of the river front.
Mr. c. b. Church said the merchants OF
South Washington found it necessary to petit.
r ton the Committee on Commerce for an appro-
5 priGtion for the purpose Of deepening tho chan
nell in addition to the $4,000 already nppropri
ated They had gone to the committee again
: asking for an additional appropriation o
u $4,000, rs the former one yet uncSpended wa!
/. inadequate. The committee informed then
o that they might give them an appropriation t.
3. do the digging, although they could not con
q slider the matter of filling mp the flats. lie ha'
l. no doubt that the bill which had passed tn
d House would pass the Senate
!. Mr. Riggs asked if tho filling of the fiat
l. would not aid in protecting tho channel.
IS Mr. Church thought it would If the fiat
n were walled in.
n Mr. Baker moved that DR.. Garnetts motor
be amended so as to provide for Il committee Q
d seven to prepare Il memorial and advocate
ID before Congress. He did not think there woul
3 be any time for getting signatures. The mt
10 mortal should simply pray for the amelioratio
q. of the condition of tho river fronts and nc
antagonize thsohject in any way by suggcs
n. Mr.. Thomas D. Bryan favored Mr.. Baker
u amendment. The plan of improvements migl
rs we'll be left to the Engineer Corps. The
is should direct their efforts toward one objec
o.. He felt confident that il the matter was urge
OF ouergetically it would receive consideration
ne What they wanted was prompt action.
,d Dr. Morgan Endorsed DR.. Ganetts motto
ne and opposed the amendment They could a
&. sustain movement looking toward the In
e. provoment of the flats, but when it caa:c
m. destroying the harbor he believed three-iourtl
nd of the citizens would oppose it.
er The question was taken upon Mr.. Baker
en- amendment and it was carried and the rcsol
e. ton was then adopted as amended. Subs
he qucntly motion was carried that Prcsdel
on Riggs be added to the committee.
M Mr.. r. S. Davis suggested that now, as Co
cit gress was about to adjourn, they would be u
ed able to do anything about this, but they mig
get them to pass a resolution directing b
of Secretary of War to detail engineers for q
Ter purpose of making plan.
sel Mr.. Riggs stated that they had plenty
nd plans What they wanted was to have som
ii. thing done He had been informed that the
Of was good disposition on the part of Congre
AL and ii was for that reason that he had taxi
,nt the liberty to call the meeting, in order tn
III. Congress might understand what was want
lb- by the citizens.
'at Major Twining being asked to explain t
mt plan urged by the Commissioners, said that
TO thought the committee had acted wisely in II
m. advocating any plan. In drawing up the bi
led the Commissioners had proposed to modify t
the plan Of the board of 1879 in such way
to reconcile the different interests. The orr
inal plan contemplated the entire oblterati
90. of the present channel Of Washington, a
''S also extensive alterations along the Anaco;
u.s. River. Their object now was TO improve t
TX, condition of the river front above the Lo
for Bridge so far as the channel below the Lo
an Bridge was concerned, he did not think 1t NJ
-" essaIy that it be closed at all.
M The original plan proposed by the Board
lily 1872 contemplated deepening the channel
or far as Georgetown, aud also reducing {
in. height of oxJreme floods ut Georgetown
lty opening the channel behind AnacOstia Islal
the They also proposed to open the channel wild
Ats through the Long Bridge causeway This pl
airs seemed to the Commissioners entirely too
i'm pcnsive Mt present Owing to the reduction
th, tho price of labor, however the estimates ma
ew by that board could now be greatly reduce
pa. The Commissioners had no particular pl
Mt 10 which they were attached, but they want
ny the fats filled up. They can surround
or flats above the Long Bridge, and drain the
or. like the salt marshes on the coast, and by Il
of means avoid the expense of filling them
IDS altogether. They could establish II resery
rs above the Long Bridge, and bydlscharging
contents through the lower channel kc
II clean.
vcr Tho Seventeenth or b street sewer now
)'s, charged its filth into the inside channel, O
It passed down the shore and distributed its
over the flats. They proposed to have
d I