Evening star., 1896-12-07

no further suits to recover such penalties
have been brought
In the absence of better designs l,ai,e
offered by the railway companies for resr
and approval there has been no change
from the styles of tenders adopted in pur-
snanee on authority given in the District
appropriation act of 1884 The adonted
designs have now had sufficient trial 20
test their merit and efficiency as life-sayine
devices, as testifying TO which IL may be
Loted that since July l, 1885,. the number
of persons saved from notice able injury
by the pickup tenders has been sixty-one
ard by the wheel-guard six.
Rock Greek md the Eastern Branch,
Rock creek forms barrier between two
parts of Washington passed only by one
good bridge of reasonable accommodation.
The NJ stree; bridge will soon require re-
neWals and a paved floor; the street
bridge should be widened and preferabIy
paved. Many citizens have Justly repre-
scented to the Commissioners the need of a
bricge at q street and the opening of that
street west of Rock creek In the absence
OF that opening, and from the hope of an
Improvement Of Rock creek at and near
tne CITY, which would do away with bridges
at least above PENNSYLVANIA avenue m.
commissioners have only estimated for a
comparatively inexpensive widening of the
4 street bridge and its approaches in order
to diminish the existing Inconvenience ana
danger at that point
complete Improvement of Rock creek
would be Its diversion through a tunnel
from Lyons mill south on the line of 25tn
street OF Washington to near Dumbartop
street, and thence the walline and arcbir.,
OF the bed Of the creek to NJ street or he.
io" III this were done. a street could ad-
Vantaseously be laid on the arch and ey-
tended 10 Sheridan Circle at Massac husetis
avenue Such street would be parallel 10
one set OF the avenues of Washington and
WOULD De most convenient thoroushfare
VI Str sGl.
laid over the tunnel and improyed Ia p,.l,a
suitable driveway connecting the future
otohiac Park with the Rock Creek Park
An esuinate Tor closed conduit for
carrying Rock creek in compliance with a
senate resolution of lSt2 showed so Iarga
d cost mat interest in the project tagged
but the resolution specifically named a con-
dult from the north line of Massachusetts
avenue 10 Inc Potomac river. Condu:ts for
carrying the creek from the avenue cross
ing 10 Lyons mill and below the Chesa-
peahe ana ONO canal are not only unneces-
sary but fnadyisa BILE; the mart from, tho
cd:ldl 10 NJ street is also unnecessary Tba
hlshway extension plans show the reserya
uoh ior park of the east bank of the
creek from Massachusetts avenue to
Lyon mill. where the public already ou-n
| two strips of ground one of which 80
dedlcated Tor park purposes. and where the
picturesqueness and beauty of the creek
anu us banks are undisturbed by Filings
ana constructions. As natural and adj
tahtaseous disposition, the creek below the
cahal, ana even for short distance above
snouid be kept open, dredged and the dam
ai the mouth removed for commercial pur-
poses. P-
Omittng the two parts of the conduit of
the project OF 1882. as Indicated more than
one-half Its length. and deductiny the
amount OF damages to the canal company
SHOWN IN the estimate of cost of that con-
duit. the gross cost of a needed and Droper
Improvement of Rock creek would come
within reasonable limits, which cost would
! be considerably if not wholly offset by the
value OF city land reclaimed
The reclaimirg of the flats along The East
| ern branch. at least as far as the Pennsyl
Vanla avenue bridge, is believed to be ,Ir-
gentiS needed for the public health, and
VIII be, III not now. needed for the purposes
OF commerce carried on by navigation
Some years ago the War Department es-
tablisEed harbor lines along this part of
| the branch. 1t is thought a wall should be
| built at the bulkhead lines behind which
the material dredged for deepening th.
channel would naturally be deposited to-
getnef with excavations and suitable
refuse from the city; water street laid
| out along. or parallel to, the bulkheads:
| the city streets extended to II. and the re-
| claimed land transformed into saleable lots
lit is understood that very nearly all of
| the reclaimed land would belong to the
United States and believed that title to
some existing water lots in private DOS
| session could be oheaply obtained steps
| for which, of course, should be taken be-
| fore commencing work of improvement af-
| fecting such lots.