Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-28
ACROSS THE EASTERN BRANCH.
The Memorial to Congress for Another
Bridge.

A number Of citizens have interested them
selves in the proposition to have Congress pro-
vide for the construction Of q bridge from the
foot Of South Capitol street across the Eastern
branch Of the Potomac river. Two bills, one
in the House and one in the Senate, have not
yet been acted upon, and q memorial has con-
sequently been presented to Congress setting
forth the necessity for the legislation and ap-
preparation asked for. Attention is directed in
the memorial to the fact that while Congress
has expended many million dollars in improv-
ing and identifying this city it has almost en-
tirely neglected that portion of the District
which lies between the capitol and the Eastern
branch. The memorial calls particular atten-
ton to the fact that the only proper
OUTLET FOR THE cIrY's GARBAGE
is south of the city, and then the argument is
brought home to Congress by the following
paragraph:
For years this vast amount of unhealthy re-
fuse matter has been carried down the Poto-
mac river on barges; but when navigation is
closed Gas 1t frequently is for several months of
the year,. the large accumulation of garbage
is sometimes deposited on the banks of the
river south OF the capitol. and it breeds pesti-
lence and disease. Here too is the old canal. a
stagnant cesspool of corruption. A short dis
lance from the capitol on the south park is an
air tank connected by tunnel with the hall of
the House Of Representatives. From this source
and through this tunnel the air is brought
which supplies that hall with disease instead of
health, and with death instead of life; and
when the wind is in the south the nauseous
gases from this region hang over and around
the capitol like pail of death" and unless
remedied the list of absentees from Congress
on account of sickness. or the death roll OF
Senators and members. is not likely to be
oh. l. ali
seasons this garbage can be carried in bulk and
deposited on the garden lands across the river,
and the section of the city south of the capitol
Will necessarily be changed and made as
healthy and as attractive other parts of the
CITY,"
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BRIDGE
will, it is claimed, make very valuable the
property on the river bank, where there are
innumerable beautiful villa sites. The govern
ment would be benefited by this, too, for il
owns large tracts of ground Immediately ad-
joining the line of improvements. Eliza
beth's, the magazine, Fort Foote and Fort
Washington. The bridge would increase the
value of this property far beyond the cost of
the Improvement. If the bridge is constructed
South Capitol street would naturally be ex-
tended to Fort Washington, and that without
much cost to the government; ii would require
but little grading and the right of way would
noeeu ". .hc PioPei !-o"hefs. inin
would give Washington fine driveway, with
wooded hills on the one side and the river on
the other-more attractive than many of the
famous boulevards of the world. The redemp-
ton of hundreds of acres of valueless and I'M
healthy marsh would follow the building of the
bridge
The fact that the navy-yard is above the
bridge site, says the memorial, should not be
an objection, for il is little else than a supply
and coaling station and it is not now visited
by government boats oftener, perhaps, than
once a month.
THE COMMITTEE IN CHARGE
OF the memorial is composed of Messrs. James
L. Barbour, Frank Hume. Edward T. Temple.
H. L. Crawford. p Ii. Heiskel, jr., A. h.
Brown II. II. Blackburn. J. H. Hunkerford.
Ii. A. Willard, Samuel Norment. John L. Her
rell, r. j. Beall, Henry s. HALEY, Alfred Rich
ards