Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-10
Var. VI. fsannon the River From.
improvements.
To the Editor of THE EvKS1xe STAR:


notice in your paper Of to-day an editorial
beaded "Will They Defeat the River Improve
ment,T I'm which the following sentence occurs:
II Gneanins the plan Tor the improvements
proposes 10 do the work honestly economically
AMI thoroughly, under the direct SUPERVISION o.
the Secretary Of War and every foot OF the ground
reclaimed viii BE- the property OF the United States
Their" IS not penny III Il for the lobby "ThiS
explains the fact why the plan meets the hostility
OF the kilwell bottom hnd-2srabbeTs, the Mike
Bsnn0n party Of Maryland spectators. Ctc."
Now, Mr.. Editor, am sure you do not want In
fnJure anyone nor make enemies 10 the improve
menJ you advocate, therefore YOU Will please i'll
SeTt the following: am not a Spectator In lani
nor am ] q Spectator CT any kind. | have never
bought a foot of land nor share In stock to sell
again In my life. l own all the land ever bought.
at this time / have no interest now, nor had
ever any ia the Potomac flats l have no desire
now, and never had, OF grabbing anything that
ulu NOT ptloLS 70 ihe- was ASKED, lew years
ago, to allow the use OF my name and give my cX-
perlehte 10 company Oh capitalists, from u!Iler-
ent sections Oh tde country. TO aid them N getting
up and procuring charter, under which the
SwampS OF the Potomac In front or Washington,
might De- improved and the malaria removed
There was, then, three bills before Congress,
for that purpose; each proposing different
method for the Improvement, but all by private
enterprise Those three bills were submitted To
me for examination. and If they did not suit was
10 draw one that would Upon examination,
found each b1ll deficient in some respect | began
10 prepare a plan which, In my Judgment, woul!
have been successful But your paper, THE EVEN
ING STAR, commenced such an attack upon these
gentlemen, and myself In particular that in
stantly suspended operations on the preparation
OF the bill could hardly believe It possible that
a newspaper, drawing its support from COM
munity, would discourage outside capital from
making needed improvement in that c0mmu-
nityl
Now, sir. want the Improvement to be made as
much as you do; Will be extremely well pleased if
the government does il. l can find plenty OF
pisces for the investment of ny spare means
without being charged with going TO rob or grab
something that does not belong to ne. Do not
get INTO your head, when nOn-residentS of Wash
lngton come there TO spend little money, either
70 improve the river front or TO build block OF
houses, that by so doing they have covetous
designs ON the property OF their neghbOrs. /
oeheve IL Is the duty OF the government To InaE"
the Improvement, and hope it will, but If - does
not am afraid some OF you newSpS uer neonIe
n,a aS rootn ior lhe ioreeclng much needed i'm
pSarib t ~ 5oaf coInns, and greatly oblge,
- NV NJ BAENON.
We are htppy 10 introduce Mr. Bannon to our
s0"-crs. He seems to be gentleman of good
Judgment, exalted patriotism and a considerable
sense OF humor. 1t is quite evident that he should
not be ciaS5ed with the Kdwell bottom land grab
bers- The prOmptneSs with which he dropped his
scheme OF acquiring the river front when he found
IL Objectionable TO the people OF Washington,
shows that he does not belong to that tenacious
party of s1ultters- He Is quite right In the opin-
Ion that II Is the duty of the government to i'm
prove the river front. The government should do
the work and should hold possession OF the ground
reclaimed The reclamation should be made, pri-
marty as sanitary measure, and secondarily for
the improvement OF navigation and the Ornanen-
taton OF this conspicuous locality In front of the
Executive Mansion and the principal public build
1ngs- To secure these ends the ground should al
ways De held under government control. Mani
testify IL should not go into the hands OF private
parties who would convert IL into New York
hunters Point nuisance, with bone-boiling. and
other offensive establishments planted right under
the windows OF the White House. Mt BannOnS
company or diSintfrested capitalists, who, If we
eaten his Idea, proposed To improve the swamps
anu remove the malaria purely as phiIanthropic
and esthetic undertaking, without any specula-
i've or mOney-making motives, would not, of
course, make any such SOriid and disagreeable use
OF their property; but all the same, it is better in
the hands OF government. The reclaimed ground
should properly be made continuation OF the adj
1acent public parks; and when improved upon the
Plan OF the Board Of Engineers the present filthy
waste would be converted into spot OF rare
beauty, supplying Il Mt border for our attractive
city.
Mr.. BannOn and his fellow capitalists Will
always be welcome In Washington, but we adj
Wise him TO invest in dry land The public have
Seen ali efforts for the abatement of the fats nuis-
ance 80 prSistently bafied year after year by the
opposition Of greedy land-grabbers, lobbyists and
Spectators that they would object TO any Access
sions To the noble army OF claimants, even in the
shape OF Mr. BraInon's heightened company OF
capitalists