The Washington times., 1895-03-31
MOnstrOsities of OdOriferOus-
ness at Foot Of TWenty-third.
OZONE is NOT IN THE AIR
The Highway Ends in Cul-de-Sac That Is
Full of Dumps, Puddles, and Disease
Reach the Evil-Odors Are Painfully Of
fensive When the Wind Blows in Shore.

An inspector of the section OF the city
whichliesalong the riverflats sbetweenTwen-
ty-thirdand Twentieth streets is now in order.
The new Twenty-third street sewer runs
through thislocality andis nearly completed.
The quarter includes the gigantic dumping
ground. and POOLS which are never
stirred except by the kind of animals which
canlive in that kind ofliquid. and by the rays
OF the sun whic hare now beginning to sizzle
The architecture of the buildings is for the
most part composite, very ancient, quite as
old at least as the fishlike smell that pervades
the balmy air. The new element in the air
here is not ozone; it is cat aud dog and here
much the worse for an extinct life of
usefulness.
Some of the ehouses-veryfew are integral;
the othersstand up in the thickness of things.
They all overlook pools and puddles Be-
tween two houses there is duck reservoir
in which only these ducks can live.
PRIVATE DUMPING GROUNDS.
The dwellers in this fortuitous assemblage
or rude houses appear to be lone unit.
All the open spaces are private dumping
grounds. One man has built a roadway
across the sewer, the material for his cross
ing being all manner of stuff. Three dogs
were quarreIing yesterday afternoon for the
possession Of the yiscera of this pile. Several
OF the residents were asked if the place was
not unhealthy. "Oh, no, Sir" was the
frequent answer, I'VE does have chills and
fever, but that is been for abou twenty
years." They are used to it.
The foot OF Twenty-third street for two
squares is Il cul-de-sac, and the sack is
quite full. This is not public dumping
ground, but the roadway has been dumped
to death already. The whole street has
been built anew with rubbish. just OPP
! pOsite No. 329 there was very dead
hen. and all along the street elsewhere
We're other loud-nosed offenders against
the decencies OF civilization.
The dumping ground itself was odorifer-
Gus, as they always are, with confused
smell which, they all say in the neighbor-i
/ hood, is painfully offensive when the wind
1 blows in shore. The dump has made many
| acres OF new and strange terra firma,
| which, by degrees, is intended to wipe the
! lake at the foot of Twentieth street Off the
map. The erasure, 1T may be stated, VIII
be done officially with very dirty rag.
! IT'S A WHITED sEPULCHRE.
The sewer itself is a fine piece of work
! and will be sufficient for the area ii per-
meates But its work is underground.
i Overhead are the monstrosities. 1t is
wlited sepulchre For thousand feet it
runs through the flats, and from the en-
! banKment are visible all kinds OF nasty lit
lie pools in which green fungi loll lazlly
! waiting for tie summer sun to hatch their
impregnated poisons and vaporize them.
! The ponds are separate things, which
| few sluiCes could connect Ind drain into the
! Potomac.
The dumping ground is always lively
scene The boss OF the dumping ground is
! q Colored man. He lives i'll the curious
| quarter above described, but he said that
he does not dump in front of his premises,
| but pays to have his garbage put in the
right place. Nearly every new load of the
refuse that is brought here is pounced
upon by q swarm or colored youth like
| crowd of vultures. They plunge into it
| up to the eyes and fish for the gifts of
| the gods.
They are literally in sackcloth and ashes,
especially ashes. They say that they find
money. and spoons, and forks. and knives,
| all of which they sell. One pious aShen-
! faced Ishmaelite said that he always re-
| turned the ''silver" spoons to the owner.
| He was asked how be found the owner.
| His answer was that he always found him.
But, the dumping ground is fair favored
| and savored place 10 others in the locality,
which the inspectors can see for themselves,
and would recognize them if they Were
| stone blind.
This section cert ainly needs a good
deal OF looking, after, and very quickly
at that.