National Republican., 1888-04-19
ur,LlIMINc ROCK GREEK.
Benefit. Which VIII Result from tn
Execution ur the Project,


Execution ur the Project.
TIE District commissioners yesterday sent
to the clairmcu Of the Senate and House
District committees. respectively, the fol-
lowing communication in regard to the re-
clanatiun Of Rocl, crcck which Is project
Commissioner Whcatcy is entitled to the
credit Of originating and working up. The
letter Is q, fullowsi
The commissioner OF the District of Colum
uiu have the honor tu submit for yo,r cunsid
grafton tie draft of u bill providing for the i'm
WuvCmont of Rock creek, stream which
separates the cities of Washington aud George
town. During the past year thi, Improvement
was the subject of q petition signed by many
prominent citizens of the District, and accord
ingiy the commissioners had the honor tn In
vitc attention t0 It in their last annual report
and 10 submit a preliminary project for the
work.
The general features of the projected I'M
Iruycmout nrc shown upon the accompanying
,lt"tch. II Is proposed to dcNcct the waters Of
the creek through n tunnel or tunnels along
tlc line of Twcntyifth street cStcndcd from
% point near Lyons mill to point at Or near
q street, and II i further contemplated to
cover the he'd Of the creek with an arch or
arches from the point last mentioned tO the
south line OF Pennsylvania avenue. The con.
struutions having been completed, the old
creek bed can hc tllcd In and the streets can
he extended IN cmbankmcut. rhus the val.
The benefits which viii result from the rSo.
gutiun Of this project Hre obvious. The exist.
ing bridges over Rock creek, connecting Wash.
ingtuu and Georgetown do not furnish alo-
uuatc communications between the two cities.
heavy expenditure Will be required il the
near future TO put them in proper condition
and tu adapt them ~ the imperative require.
mCntS of transportation. Tho filling In of the
valley Of Rock creek Will furnish complete
/ communication and save the expense of recon.
II nfli ,ltl
| for all future time. II will further reclaim Il
! lurGc amount of territory now Of little or no
/ value and render II subject TO u greatly in
| creased rate Of taxation. Incidentally this
| Improvement Will furnish ample and greatly
/ needed dumping ground for grading In neigh
| boring parts of the District, and II VIII enable
| tile serious question of the sewage pollution
| oi the creek To- be treated In satisfactory
! manner
The engineering features Of this project have
| been pronounced entirely feasible. There
! are, however, some interesting questions re.
| gaidng the details OF the work which can
hardly be decided until further vcstigatiQn-
| and measurements have been made. In order
| that the work may be designed In the best and
| most economical manner, the commissioners
| have. unun the suggestion of the engineer
| commissioner, embodied In the bill provision
! that the plan of the work shall he subject to
| the approval of u board of officers of the corps
| Of engineers, 70 be designated by the Secretary
! of War, and they believe that this provision
will insure the adoption Of the best and cheap.
| est method of construction
The amount appropriated in the bill is csti.
| mated TO cover all expenses oi construction,
| the cXtcnsion of the streets. and such ton
| dCmnation of properties, lands. rights, or in.
| require.
The bin was prepared " ~, District Attor-
ncy Riddle, pnlfs-TS follows:
BlLLt6r the Improvement ofs,ock creek
and for Otllor purposes.
| Bc II enacted, Sc, That the commissioners
! ,f I trit of hn M hnt pn
! hereby authorized and required to construct
! Il tunnel or tunnels To receive and convey the
| waters of Rock creek from near Lyons mill
| along and under Twentyfith street TO he
/ rXtcndedD TO the south line of o street west,
! and an archway or archways from the south.
cln end Of said tunnel or tunnels in, along. or
| near the bed Of said Rock creek 10 the south
| Crn line of PennSylvania avenue: Provided,
| That no expenditures shall be made under the
provisions Of this act until the plan of said
| work has been approved by Il board of at
| the United States army, 10 be designated by
! the Secretary of War; except such oXpendi
tnrcS ns may be necessary for surveys, i9ycs,
legations, and preparation of the plan and Tor
the expenses Of the board aforesaid: And pro-
yidcd further, That the work herein provided
for, or any part thereof, may he done by con.
| tract or otherwise, rs may i'll the opinion of
the commissioners of the District of Colun-
hia bcmost economical and advantageous for
the government
SEC. =. And be II further enacted, That said
commissioners shall extend twenty fifth street
west northward 10 the left bank Of said
creek and North street, westward SO as 10
| connect with Gay and Dumbarton streets.
That the commissioners be. and they are
hereby. authorized TO secure by condcmna.
tion all the properties, lands, interests, and
GS which may De rSqrea ga t for @ ,Sid streets,
plcte accomplishment of said plan for said
work, approved as aforesaid ioSccure such
condemnation the commissioners shall file the
necessary applications In the supreme court
of the District, which shall contain apt do.
scriptions of the properties, lands, rights, md
Interests required. with the names and resi-
donccS, when known, Of the supposed own.
| Crs. and thcreupOn said court, or any justice
thereof in special term or at chambers, shall
have jurisdiction thereof, and shall appoint II
| commission Of i've freeholdcrs of said Dis
trict, who on oath shall view and apprase
said properties, lands, interests and rights Mt
their fair values, having reference to the ad'
reason of said works. Said court or Justice
shall by order prescribe the terms for all
necessary hearings, process, notices, service
Of the same, actual or constructive, and do all
the acts and things necessary to make said
condemnation effective, including approval Of
the appraisal, WHICH, when affirmed, shall be
said proceeding shail also be subject to tie
order of said court or justice, including the
compensation of the commissioners of APP
nralsal; The appraised values of said con
ests, so ascertained and determined, and the
costs of said proceedings, shall be paid by the
! DlStllCt commissioners as all Othcr apprOpria.
tionS are expended. and upon such payment
the title Of said condemned properties lands
interests, and rights shall vest in the United
states, subject TO the action of Congress.
SIC. 3. And be II further enacted, That the
sum of S6OOOOO be, and the same Is hereby
appropriated out of any money In the treas
| ury not otherwise appropriated to carry oui
the provisions Of this act; and the Secretary
of the Treasury is hereby authorized and di
rccted to make the necessary expenditures
out of the aforesaid appropriation in the man
ncr now provided by law for similar eXpcndi
lures in the District of Columbia; Provided,
| that in advertising for the work or any part u
the work provided for by this act, said ad
vertisement shall be published for at least on,
week IN one newspaper of general circulation
| IN Washington, Boston, New York, Phludcl
phia, Baltimore, Chicago, st, Louis, Detroit
Cleveland, Cincinnati and Richmond
SIC. 4, And be II further enacted, That fifty
per ccntum of the amount So paid 10y the See
rctary of the Treasury upon the warrants O
the commissioners of the District shall bI
charged to the said District in the same man
ncr MS similar expenditures are now charged
Provided, That onc-half of any uneXpendet
balances of appropriations heretofore mad'
for the support of the government ot the Dis
trict of columbia, and any amounts of none!
IN excess of appropriations which have bcel
deposited by the District in the treasury o
the United States, may be applied by the com
miSsoncrs to the liquidation of the amount
money required To be charged TO th'
District for the purpose of this ac
over the amounts 50 applied shall bI
advanced by the United States and he REIN
burScd with interest at the rate of four pc
cent per annum 10 the United States by Tn
district n annual installments of not les
than fifty thousand dollars, commencing wit
ll .iu IA