Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-22
D ISTRICT AFT AIR S
A Plaque Spot in the Neighborhood Of
the Navy Yard.

- = @s~ooS SRvs 40 VIZ VI
the Navy Yard.
the Commissioners-Police,S Sewers, Water
Wanted-Police Surgeons Appointed.
The condition Of the sewer at the foot of 9Th
street southeast has long been q source Of COM
plaint both from the residents in the neighbor-
hood and the officials Of the navy yard On
April Is the Secretary of the Navy sub
mitted to the Commissioners. with his
approval, the report Of the medical director of
the navy yard concerning this sewer. The OBJ
jectionable sewer is at the corner Of 9Th and NJ
streets southeast, near the northwest corner of
the navy yard. There is large opening at this
point, from which foul odors constantly escape.
This opening is about fifteen feet long and is
the width of the sewer. For a considerable
distance from the terminus the sewer has no
roof, and from NJ street it is partially filled
with everything that may be found in a sewer.
This obstructs the water and brings about q
serious condition Of affairs.
Today the acting secretary of the navy again
called the attention Of the Commissioners to
this matter and forwarded the following letter
from Surgeon John c. Wise to the commaudant
of the Washington navy yard:
81 have personally inspected the sewer,
and find the conditions reported heretofore
remain practically the "a me. The sewage
coming down 9Th street 10 being deposited in
a morass of vegetable growth, rendering it i'm
possible for any but some liquid portion ever
IL IAts - eli
material has been going on some time. and
large deposits have collected, completely OBJ
structing the exit toward deep water. 'cui
de sac has been formed, acting as Q reser-
voir and exposing its decomposing contents
10 the action of the sun. In the future the
territory will be reclaimed and built upon with
assured physical disaster to the residents.
AT time when much is being done to
correct sanitary conditions il would seem evil
dent that such state OF affairs existing, 20 far
as its deleterious action 10 concerned, In this
yard, but over which the yard auth critics have
no control, should be remedied. l cannot too
strongly urge that everytpossibie effort be made
to accomplish this object"
A reporter Of TIE STAR called Capt. Derby's
attention to the above and asked what would
be done to remedy the condition OF things At
that point He said:
"When the honorable Secretary Of the Navy
first reported this matter to me / at once pro-
CoeQoO W w cNoTs tuluk IA NY PoWCt W
correct the evil. The large hole complained
OF in the report Of the medical director was
at once closed. We concede that the
sewage empties into . morass, and that the
condition Of affairs at that place is highly un-
desirable. At present this department. cannot
help matters in the least There is no appro-
priation to continue the sewer to tide
water. which should be done. l have
included in my estimates for next year, how
ever, the construction Of q sewer across this
morass to be q prolongstion Of the 9Th street
sewer. II Congress allows 1t the matter will
soon be remedied.
BrookIand's Needs.
The Commissioners gave q special hearing
this afternoon to- com mittee Of citizens
from Brookland which was appointed at
the mass meeting Of citizens last night to
present to the Commissioners the needs
of that section. The committee consisted
OF Bishop Keane. Dr.. ]. H. Brooks and Messrs.
F. r. Mccormick, Thomas G. Carmick and
Harry Barton. Bishop keane acted as spokes-
man for the committee. He said there we're
three subjects upon which he would speak. The
first and by far the most important was proper
water supply. Brooklend at present depended
entirely upon its wells for its water supply and
q number Of these are contaminated by surface
drainage. As the population increases, the
Contamination will become greater, thereby
threatening Tue uooltu Oh the community. ne
thought . standpipe should be erected at some
high point, and suggested University Heights
rs proper location.
The next matter was that OF proper sewerage
facilities. At the present time Rrookland re-
lied upon surface drainage entirely, and the
danger attending this kidd Of drainage was
great 1t was imperative that something must
be done, and at once. He believed thst an ex-
tension Of the Tiber sewer would be the best
solution Of this problem.
He then referred to the insecurity Of life in
that section made necessary by the inadequate
protection afforded by the railroad at its juno
ton with Bunker Hill road. Within q year
three men had been killed at this crossing, and
something should be done to remedy matters.
Capt Derby remarked that the water depart
ment was prepared to lay . main provided q
proper site could be obtained for the building
Of reservoir. Mr.. Harry Barton stated that
such q site was in view by the residents, but
they were too poor to donate the land.
Reform School Buildings.
The Commissioners this afternoon notified
President A. ]. Falls OF the reform school that
they are informed that be has invited proposals
for the construction Of an additional brick
family building provided for in
the appropriation act for the current
fiscal year. and rs the law provides that the
buildings shall be constructed BY the Commits
the architect for the District and approved by
the architect Of the Capitol. they request that
he be governed accordingly.
1t appears that the plans and Specifications
for the building were prepared by Architect
Clark Of the Capitol. who also invited bids
on the same. which are to be opened next
Monday. The Commissioners became aware
Of these facts and, in accordance with the law
governing the matter, they considered the
action Of Architect Clark a. irregular, and 10
prevent any difficulty the plans will be made
by the Districts architect
Whose Nuisance Il II:
Decide. Davis 4 Co. have entered an objec-
ton with the Commissioders against abating
the nuisance reported to exist at $40 P street
northwest. on the ground that Ii was but re-
Gently used By the District authorities as q
public school and whatever nuisance exists
there was caused by the public school author
tiles.
New Board Of Police Surgeons.
A new board Of police surgeons was APP
pointed today. 1t consists Of Drs. J. Ram
sey hewitt, Thomas A. Addison, Walter
r. Cannon and C. Mayfield. DR..
hewitt has been resident physician Of the Wash
ington Asylum Hospital and the appoin tment
comes in the shape OF promotion for him.
DR.. E. W. Resinger has been appointed resi-
dent physician OF the Washington Asylum to
succeed DR.. hewitt
The appointment Of DR.. Woodward
as coroner made vacancy in one
Of the physicians to the poor, and Dr.
]. d. Bradfeld was appointed to the vacancy
The appointments all take effect on the lst Of
the month.