Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-23
PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE MUST BE
RAISED.
The Sewerage COMMISSIONER Should
Be Appointed ut Once.

To the Editor Of THE EVENING srAa:
The Importance Of raising Pennsylvania ave-
nue. above the reach Of floods, am glad to see, is
exciting the attention of members of the press
In other parts Of the country, among them such
able journalists as General Boynton Of the Gin
cinnati Commercial Gazette, who, I believe, Is
| an educated civil engineer. When the press Of
the whole country unite in advocating the inn
portant movement. 1t will soon be success. 1t
is to be regretted that few men owning prop
erty on the avenue or low grounds adjacent
are 80 blind to their own interests az to oppose
this necessary improvement which, If executed,
will enhance the value of their property
much more than enough to pay the cost of the
work, even though the entire amount were as
sessed against them, which no fair-minded
member of Congress would propose to do.
This great work, including the reconstruct
tion OF our system of drainage. can be accom-
plished without costing the present generation,
or even the next, one dollar, except for small
item of interest. Let the total cost be care
fully estimated and then let the United States
issue say SIC, 000, 900 Cor whatever the amount
required may be) OF per cent ffty-year bonds,
interest payable semi-annually. with no sinking
fund proviso for the first forty years. This
would distribute the burden fairly. The popu-
iation Of the United States at the end Of the
next fifty years, judged by the ratio of increase
VIC past MY years. Will DC anu that
OF Washington, judged by the increase during
the same period, will be over 1000. 900. or one
three-hundredth part of that of the whole coun-
try. Startling as these figures seem. they will
be more than borne out il Washington continues
to be the seat Of government. The way to
make 1t the permanent seat of government is
to make the city attractive and healthy by rails
ing the low grounds and establishing system
OF drainage consistent with common sense.
TINE THAT THE SEWERAGE COMMISSION WAS
In this connection allow me to call attention
to the last appropriation BILL in which find
under the head of sewers the following:
The President of the United States is here
by authorized to appoint three competent sani-
tary engineers, who shall examine and report
upon the system of sewerage existing in the
District OF Columbia, together with such sng-
gestions and recommendations as may to them
seem necessary or desirable for the modifica-
ton and extension Of the same. and such report
shall be transmitted to Congress by the Presi.
dent at Its next session. And for the purpose
OF defraylng the expenses of such examination
and report the sum of $4,000. or SO much
thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appro-
priated."
l have not heard Of this commission being
ar pointed. As only four months intervenes
between now and the meeting of Congress, it is
hoped the President will act promptly, and
that at least Il majority of the commission may
be civil engineers who are familiar with our
city. its needs and what it has suffered from
uOOQ5. J. HI CRANE