Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-15
UNDER NEW LAWS
Meeting Of the South Washington
Citizens Association.
A REVISED CONSTITUTION ADOPTED
The Disease-Breeding James Creek
Canal Discussed.
NO CREMATORY WANTED

Judging from the enthusiasm and deter
mination displayed at the regular meet
ing of the South Washington Citizens AS
ISOLATION, held last evening in the gym
nasium Of the Washington Athletic Club,
the proposed garbage crematory in that
section of the city will fail to become a
reality; the obnoxious James Creek canal
is to be wiped out of existence; much
needed improvements, such as new sys-
tenn Of sewerage and paved streets, are soon
to materialize with refreshing rapidity, and
the region south of the Capitol will develop
into as desirable a residence locality as
any in the District.
New Constitution Adopted.
The meeting was called to order by the
president, DIR. E. c. C. Winter, and, after the
reading by Secretary Henry Storey of the
minutes of the previous meeting, 1t was an
nounced by the chair that action on the
new constitution of the association was in
order. The constitution was read and
adopted by unanimous vote. 1t sets forth
the objects of the association to be the
consideration Of and action upon matters
relating to the commerce, prosperity and
advancement of the material interests of
South Washington, and states that the or
sanization shall give special attention to
the promotion of public improvements.
1t Is provided that any reputable citizen
or property owner of South Washington
may become a member of the association.
Regular meetings are to be held on the first
Monday Of each month at pm. The an
nua, election of officers and additional
stipulated, shall take place on the first
Monday in November In each year.
Some Stirring Speeches.
Mr.. Maurice Fitzgerald pointed out the
prospects for a successful future for the
association, and then Mr.. Shea, new
member, made a brief but stirring address.
Mr.. Shea declared that the remainder of
the city must be given to distinctly under
stand that the southwestern section is not
to be used as the dumping ground for the
entire District. The association, urged Mr.,
Shea, mrst insist on the abolition of the
James Creek canal and en- it's share of
street improvements He referred to the
great work that has been accomplished by
the citizens associations of other sections,
and added that the southwest citizens can
Certainly do as much. Mr. Shea, in closing,
suggested that the association endeavor to
aid the beard of trade in the removal of
the present Long bridge, which ne charac-
terized as a nuisance, and also in wiping
out the evils of Jackson City. ''Of course"
concluded Mr.. Shea, ''all this cannot be ac-
complished in moment, but it can be done
gradually
IN an enthusiastic speech MI. Edwards,
one OF the younger members, urged that
circulars be issued or a committee appoint
ed to canvass the business men of South
west Washington with view of enlisting
them as members of the association.
Mr.. r. j. Collins expressed the hope that
when the city Is bonded in the sum of
100000. if it ever is. for new system of
sewerage, the southwest section will make
esty and be sufficiently wideawake to de-
mand it's share.
Mr.. David Murphy remarked that as a
constitution had been adopted, the associa-
strides forward, after which, on motion Of
Mr.. Edwards. 1t was voted that every
member present at the meeting exert him.
self to secure new members before the next
meeting-in short, make race of 1t.
Milk or the Canal.
The following letter from the Washington
Athletic Club, headed us it Milk or James
Creek Canal?" was then read by the secre-
tary of the club, Mr.. Charles Howison:
I'm a report of the investigating commit
tee, appointed to look after the causes of
SO much sickness and typhoid fever in the
city. especially in the southwestern section.
it appears that the committee in almost
every instance have wanted to know where
the water and milk come from which the
patient or patents had been using. Now, it
Is very evident that in nearly every case
of fever the physicians recommend milk as
a food alone, until the fever has subsidized.
And it is hardly reasonable that a cow Civ
ing forth germs of typhoid fever in her
milk would be very healthy or live very
long, according to the statement of several
dairymen. And as for the water-Potomac
water has always been considered very
healthy, and has stood remarkable analy-
ses, and the Commissioners have had nearly
every well In the city filled, SO We can
hardly attribute the causes to pump wa
ter.
ssp,,+ ,,,o ,oo ava oo,,sas ord VARY y,roh-
able ones, If we only look at the terrible
sewerage system of the city; for instance,
the James Creek canal, where one OF the
main sewers of the entire city empties its
filthy mouth at Virginia avenue and South
Capitol street; and this enormous body of
filth flows, or rather drifts, slowly through
the southwestern section of the city, and
empties finally into the Eastern branch at
the terminus Of the arsenal grounds, thus
injecting more than a mile of the city, with
its deadly odors and thickened waters con-
tinually boiling from the bottom of this
death trap. If any Of our good citizens
care to know whether or not this be
true, just let them stand for a few min
utes on either NJ or N street bridges in the
morning or evening, and they will soon see
and smell what the citizens of this section
have had to endure for years, though the
horrible stencil and sickly odors Increase
in this sewer as the city grows. There Is
also another diseased hole emptying into
the Eastern branch near the south end Of
together with James Creek canal keeps
the waters of the Eastern branch almost
thick with night soil and diseased matter
from the navy yard to the arsenal. There
has been so little rain during the past two
months that these sewers, which are never
in the best of condition, have become
gorged with filth, and thus arise the causes
of so much sickness this season, for heavy
rains do make vast Improvement in the
sewers, as we have noted in the past.
There have been four cases Of typhoid
fever in our immediate neighborhood in the
past two months, and three of the four
have proved fatal. So please give us bet
ter sewerage system. Arch over the James
Creek canal, and the health Of the entire
.ity' will be greatly benefited"
The letter was approved and ordered in
corporated into the minutes Of the meeting
Proposed Garbage CrematOry.
Considerable discussion then ensued re-
garding the proposed garbage crematory,
during which Mr.. Black related that early
in the evening he had entered the Enclosure
to observe what was taking place at the
site for the furnace, but was promptly
hustled out and told to get a move on"