Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-06
LIBRARY APPROVED
East Washington Association Favors
a Free Public Institution.
OVERHEAD TROLLEY DENOUNCED
Amendments to the Board Of Trade
Assessment Bill.
THE BUSINESS TRANSACTED

Five subjects of great local interest were
discussed last night by the East Washing
ton Citizens Association at it's regular
monthly meeting. First of all, the associa-
ton puts itself on record as being opposed
to any system of overhead trolley for the
propulsion of street cars. Then it declared
itself unanimously in favor of a reclama-
ton of the Eastern branch flats. The public
library. as proposed by the board of trade,
next came in for unanimous approval. The
board of trade assessment bill was
amended. and the association urged by res
olution the completion of the Piney branch
sewer.
| 1t was. perhaps, the most interesting
meeting Of the year. and large number of
members were present.
| President Babson reported that the exec
utive committee had several meetings dur
ing the month. at which they had discussed
many matters of Importance that were of
interest to the public, and which, later on,
would be presented to the association for
/ its consideration. He mentioned the facts
that the association had already put itself
On record as being progressive body, and
alluded TO the memorial prepared to the ar
gument made by Mr.. w. G. Dodge before
the House District committee on the subject
| of street lighting and in a complimentary
way spoke of the recent argument made be-
| fore the House District committee by Gen.
Blfney on the Baltimore and ONO railroad
bill. He stated that the executive commit
| tee had called the railroad committee in
consultation with ii, and that both commit
| tees had taken action upon several railroad
| matters. The time had come, he said, for
the association to take up matter that
was of very great Importance to the eastern
section of the city-the reclamation of the
Eastern branch flats. An estimate showed
/ that there were 100000 square feet of
| tidal area to be reclaimed. and that the
| tidal flow averaged a little over two feet as
/ far up as BIadensburg. The Eastern branch
channel, from its mouth TO the Navy Yard
/ bridge, had an average depth of eighteen
/ feet From the bridge to Benning the depth
was on an average of nine feet. He stated
that this large area of fiat lands was now
covered with weeds, and that nearly half of
/ the sewage of the city was emptie1 into the
river. and. by the ebb and flow of the tide
/ the greater part of this matter was thrown
/ back upon the marsh, thereby creating a
nuisance that endangered the health of
that part of the city. He further stated
that Col. Haines' plans showed that these
flats, when reclaimed, would prove that the
land would be worth at least $1,000 per
acre when filled in and appropriated TO
uses for a park for other objects. He
said the time was at hand when the chan
mel should be Strengthened and widened and
Ideepened, and that active efforts should be
Immediately taken looking to the attain
ment of these purposes. With this in view,
he offered the following resolutions, which
were unanimously adopted:
The Resolution.
THAT there be appointed a committee of
three members of this association and two
other citizens of this section of the city to
take into cOnsidera ton the matter of re
claiming the flats lying along the borders
or the Anacostia river within the District
and the Improvement of the channel of
said river with a view of having said
channel Strengthened. dredged and widened
as the inter ests of commerce may require
I q nm
the flats to the borders of said channel; to
inquire into the title to the area of ground
now covered by said flats. what property
or riparian rights exist, and to report from
time to time to this association or to its
executive committee when advisable be-
tween the meetings of the association"
In this connection he appointed the fol-
lowing gentlemen to serve on the commit
tee: General William Birney. \. +. Sperry
]. r. Nottingham and Evan II. Tucker
The NTH member will be appointed within
a Few days, and will be civil engineer
Public Library Endorsed.
General Birney called attention to the
needs of public library. and read extracts
from the report of the library committee
Of the board of trade. and also the bill
which was prepared by that body, which
bill, he said, was worthy of the support of
the association. He then offered the fol-
lowing resolutions, which. after being read
were unanimously adopted:
That this association heartily indorses
the bill to establish free public and de-
partmental library and reading room in the
D4StElct or Columbia, prepared by COM
mittee OF the board of trade of which
Theodore ". NOyeS is chairman and
which was adopted by that beard
That the secretary of this association is
hereby instructed to procure copies of this
admirable report made by Nj. Noyes, in
among our members.
That the committee on schools is hereby
instructed to confer with Mr.. Moves and
to cooperate with him and the COMMITTEES
OF which he is chairman. for the purpose
OF securing the enactment by Congress OF
the said bill, and the establishment of said
public library and reading room"
TrOiieys Denounced.
Judge Hallam from the committee on rail-
roads reported series of resolutions which
MS committee had recommended tor adop-
ton. They were as follows:
That this association is opposed to the
use of Maryland, Massachusetts,. North
Carolina and South Carolina avenues i'm
East Washington for the purpose Of the
contemplated construction of any railwa VS.
thereon, and further that the association
IaVorS general crOSs-tOwn railways, north
ana SOUTH on streets of East Washington
That any further extension Of the over
nead trolley system of car propulsion
should not be permitted on any of the
avenues streets and roads within the Dis
trlct OF Columbia
Ihat this committee recommend to the
association adoption of a resolution favor
ing Ihe compulsory transfer system for
street railroad lines within the district of
Columbia"
a resolution was also presented declaring
tne association to be opposed TO any ele-
waited street railroad
After an informal debate on the 1attar
resolution, during which 1t was brought Cut
that the elevated railroad system was not
avquiteu at present for the needs of the
city 'he resolutions were adopted.
lexington Route.
MI. L. w. Smith asked information con-
ceEnlng the extension of the lexington rail
io'u RACKS on Z street northeast, whether
inc rams were 70 be laid on the north or
south side Of that street He c., IL