National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-01-27
RsoLAimINo THE POTOMAC FLATS.


Mr.. Neal, Of the Committee on the District Of
Columbia, yesterday submitted favorable report
upon the bill for the Improvement of the Potomac
River front. The bill provides an adequate plan
for the reclamation Of what Is known as the "Po-
tOmac Flats aud the conversion Of whit Is now
in fact but little more than pcslcnce. breeding,
dcath-producing swamp into magnificent park,
which will still further bcautity and ndOrn the
Capital Of this Nation. The committee have
not undertaken TO present any particular
scheme for the prosecution Of this
works. II Is rlaccl In charge of the Secretary of
War The responsibility Is lcft with him to deter
mine how 1t shall be Accomplished to devise n
scheme, to MIXTURE the plan, and to see to 1t that
the work is done accordingly For this purpoae
the sum orsl 100000 is appropriated. which is all
and perhaps more than can be probably expended
during the next fiscal year. From the best csti-
mates obtained the outside cost Of the work will be
not over $1,000 per acre. The area that will
be reclaimed will be about six hundred acres,
making the whole sum necessary for the compile
ton OF the enterLri'c about S2602,OOO. The part
OF the Potomac River requiring immediate at
tentiOn is that lying along the city front from OBJ
servatOry Hill, aud extending some distance be-
low the Long Bridge. This area is, In the summer
time, a continuous and peStilcntiHl swamp.
Twice cnch twenty four hours covered by tide
water. During tho summer rank vegetation
grows up which, from the heat Of the sun ana the
overlooking by the tide, breeds deadly miasmn,
which spreads tselfnll over the lOw-lyin portions
OF the city ANA produces the diseases WlilCn nilCt
the people and bring death TO many household.
The committee makes the following strong appeal
to It's fellow members of the House TO protect
themselves against these dangerous muarial in
tuenCcs Members OF this House who have
been members Of preceding Congresses can easily,
without effort of memory coll to mind associates
oil theirs WHO have come 10 Washington In the full
enjoyment of robust health but aitGr remaining
n while have had their systems pcrmentcd with
the deadly poisOns Of these pcstilence. breeding
swumps, oflen resulting In their death. To
say nothing Of the case of our late Pres
dent, the great minded, liberal hearted, gem
erOus.soulcd Garfield whose sufcrings were
greatly aggravated aud whose death was
undoubtedly hHstenUd by the malaria which
surrounded him during long weeks OF suilering
the l.iC of one such man Julian lIRrtridgc, u
member of the FOrtytilih Congress, lost by reason
Of malurinl poisoning, was of more worth TO his
family and perhaps to his country than all the
money 1t VIII cost to convert this swamp Into II
beautiful park worthy of the city which 1t Will do
80 much toward improving aud ndOruins"
The remaining sections Of the bill furnish n
mode TO quiet the title Of tie United states,
which IN the opinion Of the committee is amply
sufficient for that purpose. The bill provides for
condemnation proceedings in the first instance,
aud them IL any one tit to assert tile, lac inu
bring his action Tor the value Of the property as
| awarded By the proceedings in condemnation:
| In this way no injustice is done to amy one, ard
whatever rights any person may have VIII be iully
| compensated for from the moneys set upnrt for
| that purpose In the Treasury. Tho committee
| therefore submit their report urgently recon-
mending the passage of the bill.