Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-11

upon Congress the need of appropriating
the remaining $56O. 900 required for the COM
| pletion of the entire project, and recon-
mended the passage of the bill drawn by
Maj. Davis providing for the reconstruction
| Of the Long bridge.
Some Pertinent Suggestions.
Mr.. F. A. Reed. a member OF the commit
tee, took the floor to expand the points of
| the report. He said that this city has a re-
markable chance to become the greatest
| port Of the south. with this great river fiow-
ing to the wharves with twenty feet OF wa
ter. He dwelt upon the advantages Of the
| Improvements in the river, and said that
the future Of Georgetown as a shipping
| point was bright. Yet, there is much to be
done now. he went on. The government
| could not today brig I'D its large battle
| ships for the defense of the city, owing TO
| the lack OF SUFFICIENT water. The channels
should be deepened still more. and the mats
| improvements completed. He alluded to the
| appropriau for the Improvement or the
| harbor Of Baltimore. which are annually
| more than needed, and said it is a shame
| that Washington should suffer because OF
the economical and parsimonious appropria-
tons made by Congress.
Dr. Pardon arose to call attention to the
menace to the health of the city that the
present condition of the fats now presents
he said that he had made a personal in
| spection Of the ground for the purpose of
satisfying himself Of the true condition
and that the entire area Is q mass of de-
caying vegetable matter that is concealed
by the rank growth. but that cannot fail to
prove dangerous to the health of the city
next summer, when the heat completes the
work of decay and the winds from the
south and west carry the poison germs to
the city. He suggested that Commissioner
Ross. who was present. should order the
health officer to make a tour of inspection
| throughout this territory now, so as to pre-
pare for the summer. report might be
made that would cause improvements In
this property. and might save hundreds Of
| lives.
! The Commissioner half arose and nodded
his head. saying that. II was a very good
idea, and that he would attend to 1t. This
gave President Warner a chance to aiiude
| to the recent denomination of Mr.. Ross to
be a District Commissioner, and he invited
him to the platform. after extending the
congratulations Of the board to him.
Mr.. Ross took his place on the rostrum
and made a brief and happy speech.
Mr.. Ross Little speech.
II had no expectation ne said. "of re-
ceiving such an ovation when / came here
| tonight to listen to the reports of the board
I have been a member for five or six years.
and have never failed to recognize its i'm
portant work. This is a thoroughly repre-
| sentative body OF the citizens Of the Dis
lrlCl. lhcIe many observation-disclosures mere
that are doing effective work. They repre-
| sent the sections of the city very well 1t
is well that there are such to represent the
special interests OF the District, TO bring its
| needs to the special attention of Congress
and the Commissioners. But over all and
District, and is. as II ought to be. most eff
fective for caring for the prosperity of the
city and its citizens.
Il have, as your president has just re-
lra1 hoan naf al 10 fry
ing position. 1t is a position that tasks
all the best energies of a man. Ii is very
f1attering to think that l have succeeded
| in discharging my duties without failure.
| 1 must say, though, that / could not have
succeeded as Commissioner without the
| support Of the people of the District. and
unless a man has the good win of the peo-
| pie and the support OF the magnificent
| press of the city. as I have had the good
| fortune to have, his best efforts would
amount to nothing. l have made some mis-
takes. and regret them very much In
deed. But the man would have 10 be
| superhuman to go through such q trial
and not make mistakes. There Is q good
| deal that might be reformed in the system
detail of the work that does not come
| to the notice of a Commissioner, from
passing upon the petition for a pardon
| from the workhouse to deciding upon the
most important questions of finance and
| law. There should be a change. The sys-
| TEN must be modified. Details should be
attended to by the heads of the various
departments, SO as to leave the more i'm
portant work to the Commissioners with
| out hindrance.
IAN day today have been before the
committee on appropriations of the House,
| and / must say that / have never met a
| find out the needs Of the District as the
present subcommittee having the bill in
charge. They are fair and honorable men.
| and In view of all the difficulties and neces-
sity for frugality that confronts them,
believe they will do the. very best for
Washington that they can.
Thanking the board for its hearty con-
gratulations. and for the support it has
always given me, / want to say that
would not be willing to serve again as
Commissioner IL / did not feel that had
the support Of the people of the whole
A Menace to Health.
Mr.. F. L. Moore gave the verbal re-
port of the committee on public health,
saying: The most serious menace to the
| health Of the District is the open sewers
Of Rock creek. The opening OF immense
| sewers into the creek will produce serious
| sickness in the western section, IL II does
not spread over the entire city with amaz-
| ing rapidity. We indorse the Recommended
| ton made by Capt. Rossell that retain
| ing walls be built. and that the sewer be
regulated so as to diminish the danger"
| Mr.. F. w. Smith said that he hoped this
| recommendation would be accompanied
| by one of the same nature in regard to
| the great eastern sewer that runs out d
street and the boundary to the Eastern
branch. For over half a mile, he said
| 1t flows through open country, east OF about
10th street, and is a grave menace to the
health of the city. The Recommendations
were adopted by the board.
Mr.. A. ID. Anderson presented the report
of the committee on universities as follows:
1.-The jurisdiction of this committee was
by resolution of the board, defined as fol-
lows: This committee shall have charge
of all matters relating to universities H.
braries and art galleries. In compliance
with these Instructions, the committee has
endeavored to keep before the press and the
public the remarkable advantages of WASH
ington as an art and library center and
has. from time to time, called attention to
the various movements already under way
tending to make this the great university
city of the world. In addition to what has
been set forth in previous annual reports
your committee invite particular attention
to an important material fact which can
not be too frequently stated: A university
In Washington with an endowment of ten
millions is equivalent to one costing forty
two millions in the smaller towns and cities
for the reason that we have here an exist
ing nucleus Of libraries, museums obserya-
tories, scientific institutions, etc, whi IN
RN..