Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-22
S217,3I5 90

Not one of the items named can be safely
omitted or postponed. The necessity IL each
case is set forth III the report Of the superin-
tcndent of sewers herewith.
Pressing demands for sewerage have recently
been made by residents of some of the more
distant suburban areas of the District. As
these are for the most part situated at the
heads OF long lines of natural drainage the con-
struction of the trunk sewers will necessarily
be expensive. For the present the absence of
public thoroughfares coincident, nearly SO,
with the lines % natural drainage acts as a bar
to the building of the sewers. even if the funds
for the construction were available. In cases
of this kind the right Of way should be secured,
without cost TO the District of Columbia, be-
fore any construction is undertaken.
SEWAGE DISPOSAL.
At its last session Congress appropriated $50,
600 toward the construction Of a portion of the
E street and Easby's Point intercepting sewer,
and authorized the making of a contract for
the whole of the work, between Easby's Point
ana 10th and streets northwest at total
cost not to exceed S225, 900. The recent appi-
cation. by law, OF the eight-hour system to the
public works OF the District of Columbia rem
ders 1t extremely doubtful whether the work
can be placed under contract for the sum APP
propriated. The original estimate has, there
fore, been somewhat increased. As a prelimi-
nary to the preparation of the detailed plans
and the final location is now in progress
Nv estimates for 1894 include also provision
for the lower Rock creek intercepting sewer
and the Anacostia RICH. bank intercepting
sewer, making for the year in question total
of S573 800 FOR three of the sewers embraced in
the system OF sewage disposal recommended
by the board Of sanitary engineers appointed in
1899
The urgent necessity for the prompt building
of the entire system of sewage disposal has
been so persistently dwelt upon in former re-
ports that repetition seems to be useless. / VEN
ture. however. to quote as follows from my re-
port of last year:
1T would be of great advantage to the city
and 10 the District at large if sufficient funds
could be provided in one appropriation to COM
plete the entire system OF sewage disposal.
The construction would Of necessity extend
over several years, but great saving of time
and money would be effectedf the whole work
could proceed from beginning to end without
the delays incident to annual appropriations.
There is nothing to gain and much to lose by
postponing this work, the execution OF which
will be more and more costly with the crowd
ing up of population and the increase of traffic
in the low areas"
A visit to the mouth Of the Tiber sewer at
South Capitol and G. streets, about oLe-half
mile from the Capitol, will satisfy almost any
inquirer as to the necessity for early and Wig
orous action in this matter, SO far, at least, as
that locality is concerned.
At the point named the Tiber sewer, which ID
the conduit for the wastes due to the popula-
tion of an urban area of more than ]. 400 acres,
discharges into the head Of the James creek
canal, waterway subject to tidal rise and fall.
Through this canal the sewage sluggishly oscil-
lates until finally it makes Its way to the Ana
costia river, a distance of more than mile.
The effect OF this enormous open cesspool upon
the surrounding territory is bad enough ut any
time, but during the warm season is extremely
Objectionable.
The whole trunk sewer system Of the low
grounds is inadequate, and, on that account,
has been condemned by the deliberate judg-
ment Of the engineers specially appointed to
study 1t and OF those having 1t in charge. To
continue to devolve upon the sewer division the
task Of trying to maintain system Of the kind
is to invite Inconvenience and loss to the public
on large scale, and to keep open the door to
possible disaster, due to floods which can be
ayerted only by the construction and operation
Of the works designed for the purpose.
RILIKF SEWERS.
The rapid extension Of the buils-up and paved
areas Of the city has overtaxed many Of the old
pipe sewer systems, which we're originally hid