The Washington times., 1895-04-05
East Washington Gitizeas Ass0-
ciati0n Proposes a Plan.
SEWAGE A MENACE TO HEALTH
Reclamation Can Be Effected by Extending
the Boundary Sewer To the Eastern
Branch Channel Construction of Canal
ommended-Attention Called To the
Condition of Recorder Taylor's Books.

The more important business brought be-
fore the East Washington Citizens Associa-
tion, last night, at it's regular monthly meet
ing, was contained in the report, prepared
by subcommittee, Messrs. Thomas w.
Smith, w. j. Frizzeii and j. r. Noting
ham, and presented by MIR. Tracy L. Jeffords
as having been adopted by the entire COM
mittee. ON reclamation of the "Anacostia
Flats"
The report recites that personal exam
ination has developed that a very dangerous
condition OF affairs has existed in the To-
cality ever since the boundary sewer was
constructed, owing TO the overflow at high
tide, which backs up the sewage deposits
and spreads it over three hundred or more
acres OF the flats.
During the larger part OF the year, the
committee says. the matter thus deposited
fennents, causing the air to be polluted
with noxious gasses and affecting the sani-
tary condition OF the atmosphere for many
squares westward and southwark, i'm
pairing health ard causing tie death rate
to be much greater than in other parts of
the city.
EXTEND BOUNDARY SEWER
The committee suggests that the large
boundary street sewer should be continued
adistanceof about 8 900 feetuntil it reaches
the channel of the Eastern Branch. This
was estimated for by the District Commits
sioners, but Congress declined to make the
appropriation.
Because OF the failure to get the favor
able action of Congress upon the PROPOSE
ton, thus. permitting two summers to
pass before another appropriation can be
10 rfFof
something be done by the Commissioners
TO cause the sewage to be carried 10 the
current of the Eastern Branch and prevent
its being spread over the flats seven hun
dred and thirty times a year. The
United States jail, smallpox hospital,
Washington almshous0, the two work
houses, the woTkmen at the brickyard5
near the polluted flats, as well as the resi-
dents along Benning road, in Rcsedale
and along the higher points on the west
line of Anecostia River are all affected.
The committee suggests that the Com
mssioners be requested to set apart por-
ton of the appropriation for 1895 and 1896
to be used in the excavating OF canal OF
about 500 feet from the river channel
at point near to Twenty-sixth and
streets northeast, northward on Twenty
sixth street TO about the center of square
1855, and from there to point about
midway between @ and ID streets northeast,
where it will connect with the straight
line of waterway running to the mouth
of Boundary street sewer, the canal to have
high embankments and be twenty-six
feet wide and five feet deep. The esti-
mated cost of the construction is not to
exceed 81 500.
The report which was quite lengthy, was
unanimously adopted, and the committee
that submitted 1t was appointed to place
the matter in the hands OF the District
Commissioners.
REFORM IN DEED RECORDING.
The committee on assessments and ap-
portionment OF appropriations, through
NJ L. Weller, chairman. presented report,
which was unanimously adopted, reciting
| in d detaiI that ''the antiquated system OF re-
cording deeds iDaugurated in the seven
| teenth century is totally inappropriate for
the advanced ideas prevalent at the dawn
| of the twentieth century"
The present alarming condition of the
| records in the office of recorder of deeds"
was referred to as seriously menacing"
| all the titles in the District. and the COM
1 mittee on proposed legislation was in
1 stracted t oconsider and reportupon aproper
method OF conducting the office.
1t was suggested for the committees
/ consideration that: First, the appoint
ment to the office shall be vested in the
Commissioners; that the appointee be a
bona flde Resident or The District, that all
| deeds filed for record shall be retained
| in the archives OF the Office; that in lieu
| of copying by hand, deeds snail be photo
/ Autographed and facsimile copies furnished
| to the owners, copies being retained. also,
/ for reference purposes, arranged accord
! ing to lot and square; that in addition to
keeping an alphabetical index, the Re
! corder shall keep also tract index; that
| all surplus receipts shall be credited TO
1 the District, and that an abbreviated
/ form of deed of conveyance be adopted
| with corresponding simplified form of
/ acknowledgement
The cooperation of other citizens asso'
| citation and OF the Board of Trade, in OBJ
| tanning the required legislation to put the
/ foregoing changes into operation was so
| lcited.
| Mr. Thomas W. Smith called attention
| to the absence of lavatories in the schools
| and the association indorsed his sugges-
| tion that steps be taken to provide the chill
dren with place where they can wash
| hands and faces and have the use OF clean
/