Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-24
A PARK OR A SEWER?
Senator German Thinks Washington Can
Learn from Baltimore's Experience.

The friends Of the District are very hopeful
Of getting . reconsideration Of the vote by
which the Rock Greek Park bill was defeated
on the last District day and Of securing the
passage Of the bill The matter comes up in
the regular order on Monday, District day.
and the vote will be taken on
Mr.. Hemphill's motion to reconsider,
without discussion. Something must be done
with Rock Creek. It must be preserved to the
District to the exclusion of private or business
occupation, or it must be made into an open
sewer. If manufactures or private dwellings
are permitted to occupy the slop-
ing banks OF the creek it will
be impossible to connect Herewith the sewer
age of the city and all the sewerage from that
slope must empty into the creek. The creek
will then have to be walled in and made a
sewer. Aside from the sanitary consideration,
those who think of only the cost of the work
are confronted with the fact that it will cost
several times as much money to make the
creek into a sewer as it will to preserve the
creek and valley as park. The H ouse has to
choose between "Wissahickon" and o zones
Falls" The Jones Falls of Baltimore fur
nishes good example Of the expenses and
disadvantages OF making creek into an open
sewer.
SENATOR GoRMAN's VIEW OF IT.
Speaking to a STAR reporter today Senator
German said:
ut will never do to convert Rock Greek into
a sewer. We have had our experience in that
line in Baltimore. You want to preserve Rock
Creek valley from private occupation and keep
the waters free from sewage. Baltimore has
a creek running through the city and the short
sghtedness of the corporation in not keeping
its banks free from private occupation is re-
GREETED by the people Of that city. Twenty
years ago it was required Of the property hold
ers along the border Of the creek to take care
81 hat.
Later it became evident that the corporation
must take charge OF the whole matter and ex-
pend money to keep it within its bounds and to
wall 1t in as sewer since it YVES
to be used as such. Two and half
million dollars was appropriated, and all
but S2S, 900 Of this has been expended in WALL
ing the sides for about two miles and putting
up bridges. 1t is still but foul open sewer in
great part As the city extends the walls Of
the creek will have to be extended for
greater distance, and to arch it is impractica-
BILE on account Of the immense cost of such .
work. The walling and bridging, you see,
has cost US about S1,25O, 900 per mile.
There are eight miles of Rock Greek
within the limits of the District Of
Columbia, and. on account Of the many
more expensive. 1t would cost about $40, 0OO,-
600 TO wall in Rock Creek, and then it would be
a foul open sewer threatening the health Of
that section Of the city and depreciating values.
PARK INSTEAD OF SEWER.
"To preserve the valley and creek for park
purposes will cost about 81, 2OO, 900, to be paid
from the Treasury and by private parties
Washington can now get magnificent park for
what it cost Baltimore to wall up one mile Of
its creek. This, besides adding to the beauty
and health Of the city and increasing the taxa
BILE value Of property, will save the city and
the govern from the immense expenses
which m oct result from the occupation Of this
valley by dwellings or factories. Every dwell
ing that is erected on the Rock Creek
slope must empty its sewage
into Rock creek. 1t will cost more to preserve
a nuisance than it will to have q beautiful
park. Congress may duplicate Jones Falls of
Baltimo re or the Wissahickon OF Philadelphia.
The latt er will cost less"