The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-08-05
washington Letter.
Irregular correspondence.D

WASHINGTON, ID. e., August l, 1882
There Is rejoicings to- day In the palaces Of
the Corcorans, the Blaines and the Camerons'
IN the fashionable west End and also in the
negro novels on Virginia Avenue. The Pres.
ident will not veto the bill for the reclamation
of the Potomac swamps-the insidlous malaria
that penetra,es alike the White House and the
hovel is to be scotched. The only obstacle In
the way of the absolute perfection of the Capt.
tai is to be dug up and made to smile with
trees and flowers and lakes. 1t is believed
that the plan prepared by the late Major
space north of the railroad bridge will not be
completely filled in, but will be arranged IN
parks with lakeets and fountains, as a contin.
uation of the Smithsonian Agricultural and
White House grounds. When this portion of
the Improvement shall be completed, ii will
give miles of additional driving privileges,
and will make that section one OF the most
beautiful parts OF the city. Below the Long
Bridge a winter basin will be formed of the
present Washington Channel, which will be
ample to accommodate the commerce of this
city, and the point to be filled up between the
extension Of Fourteenth street and the western
boundary of this basin will form peninsula
Extending from Maryland Avenue to opposite
the arsenal, and will be laid out for building
purposes. The money appropriated now will
probably be used IN building the bulkhead.
A board of engineers will be convened to exact.
| ly establish the line of the bulkhead, and when
this is done the work will be commenced. AL
though for many years the necessity OF some
action looking to the improvement OF the river
front was felt yet ii was not until the year 1879
that any vigorous movement by Congress to
accomplish this was made; and the report of
the board of survey, ordered by the act OF
March Of that year, set forth in emphatic
terms the necessity of the work as sanitary
measure, and its advantages to the city from
Icommercial point of view When that report
was referred to the House district committee
that body entered upon an investigation, and
was at once beset by horde of those who
were opposed to the Improvements of the dis
trict that were then progressing, and the pro-
tests of the number who claimed to own The
, flats defeated any appropriation save ptfu
, sum of $4,000, which was of no earthly use
save as recognition that
SOMETHING SHOULD DE DONE.
Before the matter could be again presented t
= Congress the obstructionists in the dlstrlc
e succeeded In abolishing the board of public
WORKS. Inc tciupoidty GoNeihhehs "h'>'
succeeded was occupied principally in unrav
cling the tangle which the sudden abolition
r Of the board of public works necessarily made
b and so nothing in regard to the river front i'm
, provemen, was done until the appointment o
. Major Twining as engineer commissioner. Ii
o a conversation with that officer but few day
before his death, he said he had at last the sal
y isiaction of knowing that his plan, over whc
. he had spent four years OF thought and study
had been adopted. To his energy, his persi:
g. tence, and his careful study OF the subject
d due the present success in the passage
100000 which will be shortly available
i, commence the work.
With one exception no Congress since tn
q war has remained In continuous session for S
r long time as the present. The exceptio
r. was the first session OF the Forty-Fourth Coz
gress. commencing IN December, 1875, an
, continuing until late in August OF the follow
t. ing year. This was the first democratic Hous
that had been elected for fifteen years.