Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-20
A PUBLIC PERIL.
What Some Of the Citizen. Think of the
Rock Creek sewer.

Rock Creek sewer.
/ The article in SATURDAYS STAR describing
Rock crs.k rom the p stree, bridge to the
river open sewer and a menace to The
hoslth and lives Of The community has aroused
a great deal Of interest, judging from the com
muuica;iuns that have been received today on
thi- subject
Our correspondent gives ~ follows some cor
robo-stive evidence. which Is of interest:
You have struck,a KEYNOTE IN your valuable
article on the Rock creek nuisance There are
two open sewers opening on both sides of
street large enough to drive a cart and horse
into their months. ] used 70 take NV dogs
down to the bridge for a swim, but the odor al
this point was terrible could not stand 1t;
had 10 80 out Massachusetts avenue and then
down 70 the creek Now let am one go down
J. street OF K, or any Of the streets running
7 west, all OF which run into Rock creek and each
one having an opening at the corner OF each
square below west of 18th street, let any one
stop al one of these corners when northwest
! wind is blowing and | think the odor from these
sewers viii convince him what pollution and death
dealing gas Is being engenGersd In Rock creek
/ 60 produce pestilence IL the cholera once
reaches The gas from these open sewers IL
and has been the fruitful cause of great deal
al the m.slsrial sickness we have had 70 contend
against FOR YEAR, and this evil should have been
corrected long ago.
We are now in great CANCER, and q public
meeting should be held and our citizens speak
IN no measured tones, through our Commission
ers, TO Congress- of the immediate necessity for
the abatement OF this dangerous evil"
PCBLIC MEETING SUGGESTED.
Another writes 20 cay, The citizsns of this
city owe you . debt of gratitude for your efforts
IL investigating tho Imposition of the sewage
I q CT N yieW of h. fhrpa NO
SION of the cholera next summer the minds Of
all thinking persOns are turned to that sub
J 90. The question arises, what is TO be done2
Can anything be done 20 remedy the faulty
cheering which has made the present DISPOSE
ton Of the sewage? Let me suggest that a
meeting OF the citizens with the phi sicisns and
civil engineers Of the government present in
the city be called to formulate some plan to
Eieet'the ex.gencies of the case and a commit
tee instituted to call the attention Of Congress
/" this grave question. and some action taken
To- overcome the danger arising from this
source
REMOVE rHk DAN.
plan to remedy this great evil is outlined
BY another corr, spondeut, who writes:
in your paper of Saturday commenting on
tho petition signed by q number of citizens
calling attention TO the unhealthy condition of
Tx creek Won very truly say that plan of
reMedy lag Tie evil complained Of is made by
The petitioners. | would respectfully suggest
very simple plan. by which the nuisance COM
planned ut can be very greatly mitgated
almost iinmr dIately. This can be done by the
i-trict Commixioners (bv legislation or
oihervise) causing the removal of the outlet lock
AID dam built by the Chesapeake aud Ohio
tsnal Company at the mouth of Rock creek
This cutie; lock and dam, I am informed, are
Low Of no use TO the canal company The re-
moysl Of This dam will allow the sewage of
Georgetown and vicinity to pass into the cur
rent vf the Potomac river. thus preventing the
outlet from Rock creek from being VIVA. it is
uow. VIZ, gigantic oesspool."
10 AkcB ovER THE oREEK
Another correspondent Is Of the opinion that
"thc best lau to remedy the crying disgrace
Of Rock creek is to commence the work at once
by EMPLOYING two of OWL engineers to
stake on the line Of the proposed tunnel on the
west side Of thecreek. continuing the arching to
the Potomac river front. This does away with
the further use of bridges. The chairman OF
The District committees OF both houses of Con-
gress are IN favor of arching Rock creek The
by ,iciaus Of the District are in favor of arch
Ing thIs filthy ceSspool. As the rotten cond;-
tcr u 'his open sewer eudangers the health Of
the city. and The very life of every human being
that lives IA 1t, fail to see any excuse in de-
laying The commencement of this work"