The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-02-04
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ROCK ISLAND, .......rrIrrors
CONCLUDED from second page

passed, repressing Chinese Immigration
but, like a true diplomatist of the old
| school, be will have nothing to say to the
many representatives of the press who
seak to Interview him. Ii is said that no
foreigner is better acquainted than his
cxcellency, Chin Ian Pln, with American
politics, and that he knows and annre
GATES the desire for party ascendeuey an
the Pacific Coast, that was the secret oF
the success OF the bill. The Chinese
minister was at the Presidents reeention
last night, and was the object of mnch
attention from members of congress who
sought to be introduced to him.
There are indications that the attention
OF Congress will soon be directed to i'm
proving the sanitary surroundings of this
acknowledgement Capital. The startling
congressional mortality is believed to be in
a great degree due to local causes, and
there is no doubt that through the per
slstent neglect of both houses to give any
attention to the great river that, with its
branches and tributaries. nearly envelops
the National Capital, the channels of that
stream have got so choked up, and the
current So scattered over wide marshes
aud hats that 1t is a wonder the city has
escaped an epidemic fever. The Ana
COSTA oranch OF the Potomac, east of the
Capltol, that used to be navigable all the
way up to Bladensburg, is now a swami
filled up with rank vegetation, the hannt
of reed birds and malaria. The Potomac
on the west front of the city, is filled up
with mile wide fats to such an extent that
the sewage lodges on the reedy marshes,
forming pestilence breeding nuisance of
I'm haou
the evil had reached such point that the
district authorities were obliged to spread
dislntectants over these fats as palliative
measure; though, Of course, it could not
afford any permanent or adequate relief
The stencil from this loathsome stretch of
fecat matter, exposed to the direct rays of
the sun at low tide, was such that the
winds from that quarter sickened people
all over the city, add it Wss found neces-
sary to close the windows of the cars cross
ing the Long bridge to Alexandria, to
keep out the terrible odor. During the
winter weather, and while the river is
covered with ice, this nuisance is not ap-
parent to the sence of smell, but it exists
| there still, and the unpleasant fact must
be faced that the evil is absolutely on the
increase, from the continuous growth of
| the deposits on the river front the further
checking up Of The sewer, and the greater
sluggishness Of the Eore and more widely
dltfused river current, with consequently
less ability to carry off the fecal matter de-
posted by the sewers.
Whether or not the city experiences
malarial Influences from this quarter at
this season, it is quite certain that, as soon
as the warm weather sets in, the sickening
offensiveness of last summer will manifest
itself again; probably in yet more ag-
gravated form. Under the circumstances
it would seem that selfish considerations
alone, should prompt congress to.glve the
river and harbur OF the capital city some
consideration in the river and harbor bill
where they have been continually over
looked while enormous log rolling ap-
preparations have been inserted for the
benefit of all ocean iDlets and inland
creeks Of every congressman's district.
G. A s.