Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-02-23
CT.az,gin- Il Plague spot Into n tccauty


Fus more than halls century the question what
to a. Win the Potomac Gts hsts been agitatCd
Survey upon surveys have been made, elaborate
refao:- drawn up aIi -UIHhercSs plans OF improve
men prepared but al without result. Any def
mite pm proposed was sure TO encounter the
Iaalu- opposition Of all the GROWERS. croakcrs,
lauj-.lbHcrs, snd crank engineers afoat here.
FeEHfifGe the city increased In population. The
fats cyiI Increased in extent. As the fats
grew -halI0Wcr. The volume OF fecaI matter
from the city sewers was all the time growing
larger aIl d It o,ir a in the vegetation upon the
mar JOS the nuisance soon became fnSuppOrtabIc.
The anomaly was presented Of an improved and
beau incl city. having its main water approach
and directly In front OF the White House and the
main department. buildings recbIGg m0rass Of
sewage fifth dGd decaytng vegetation fostering in
The SIN. and sending its deadly vapOrS right into
the heart OF The city b. the southerly winds pre-
Vdiiirg during the malarial months
Finally, the Citizens Committee OF One Hundred
that had after infinite labor secured the passage of
the 2ct OF Congress 10y which the government as
sum- Is share of the District expenses, tackled
tie kHetty problem of the flats Improvement. 1t
Was difficult task 10 induce Congress to pay any
adequate attention to the matter but by persistent
haiu'nfTing. ana 10y getting individual members OF
int 'i-cncc To make a personal inspection of the
offensive flats district, that body finally aroused
TO sense OF the threatening nature of the evil and
The necessity In a sanitary point OF VIEW at least
or taxing some practical steps for the abatement of
the nuisance. y bill was accordingly passed appTo-
pria ne SI01.G00 for the commencement of work
upon some plan OF Improvement to be devised by
commission OF the leading engineer officers of the
government This commission, which embraced
officers OF the capacity Of Generals Wright and Gil
Nor, after careful study of the problem decided
upon plan combining the best features OF the rec
concentrations OF Major Twining and Civil Engi-
heel hheft. The Improvement was put In charge
or Col +. c. Hams, U. S. Engineer Corps. h
thor ugily competent officer, and has now pro-
9ressed through the various difficulties OF pre-
parafory work To a point where its successful
accomplishment IS fully assured. The map. plans
and accompanying descriptive matter. presented
upon another page Of THE STAR to-day, viii give
the reader an intelligent Idea OF the scope and
Importance OF the plan Of reclamation proposed
and which IS now we'll advanced In execution. 1t
VIII bc seen that over 100 of malartal marsh,
Offensive 10 eye ana nose, Will be reclaimed and con-
Yerted into beautiful grounds with lakes and drives
the lakes, while identifying the grounds will be
utiitrd TO flush out the Washington channel and
the sewer canal: the Virginia channel will be WI
denet and deepened adequately for the fullest
needs OF navigation and TO afford an ample outlet
for food water the Long bridge distractions to the
current VIII be removed; and the reclaimed area,
adorned with trees, strawberries, flowers, ornamen-
tal sheets OF water and graceful drives WILL in the
future, instead OF a region avoided as a nOXOuS
loathS"ne waste, be probably favorite public re-
sort The city, rid OF this foul blot, VIII then be
Charming in all its outlines and surroundings
The work SO successfully begun should now be
perltted To 20 on without interruption or further
discussion Of plans. 1t cannot be doubted that
Congress will promptly supply the means to prose-
cute the work with energy, so that the present
generation shall reap the benefits OF the grand i'm
provemcnt