The morning times., 1896-01-05
sTYX OF THE DISTRICT
James Greek Canal and Its List
of Victims.
BREEDING PLACE OF DISEASE
Old Tiber Creek and Its Evolution
Into a Trunk Sewer-Its Vapors
Menace TO Health and Its Unrailed
Walls IA Trap for the Unwary Citi-
zens who Had TO Pass That Way.

II all the men, women and children who
have found hideous death III James Creek
Canal could have brcathed into their nos
trils the breath of life, they would shout
one mighty cry against that District StyX,
which would make the heavens trembe,
rattle the dome of the Capitol, shake the
District Building and compel the Commits
sioncrs TO hear
IL all the glcd corpscs that have been
fished out of James Greek Canal could De
collected at the rnorguc, more slabs and
another story would have to be added TO
that grewsOine structure.
During the twenty-odd years that this
foaI and fatal stream has been rolling It's
noxious and Shiny length toward the East
ern Branch not less than fifty bodies nave
been taken from it, and there is not a
record In this world OF the number of un-
fortunates whose bodies have rotted In
the filthy bed OF the canal.
II all the people who have accidentally
fallen over its exposed and dangerous sides
had drowned the neurology OF james Creek
Canal would be column long.
FROM CREEK TO SEWER.
During the regime of Alexander R. shep-
herd Tiber Creek, or Old Tibcr, as the early
washngtonians call 1t, was converted into
great sewer into which hundreds or sub
sewers einptied. The creek was covered In
as far as street southwest There T1ber
Creek lost itself among the rushes OF vast
swamp extending mile to the southward
to the shore OF the Eastern Branch.
That part of Washington was then
bowling wilderness, wheye old-time gum
ners hunted ducks and other aquatic game
One of the few houses that stood near tniS
great marshland was the Mccarthy hotne
which still stands al what has become tue
northeast corner of First and n streets
southwest. This landmark still Stands
and the same people live there as In the
years gone by.
1t was not thought practicable to carry
the arching of Tiber Greek any farther
into this marsh than G street, and from the
mouth OF the monster sewer canal was cut
through to the river, mile away TINS
work was done by the contractor, William
Wise. then one of the important citizens
of the District and whose home was on
Four-and-a half street. between Maryland
avenue and street southwest.
PENITENTIARY MARSH.
The marsh through which the canal was
cut was known TO the oid-timers as "Peni-
tentiary Marsli," though Just how 1t got this
name is not clear 1t being said that il de-
rived IL from the Jail in Washington Par
racks. The canal was called James Creek
after a little waterway that wound Itself
through what is now the Arsenal reserva-
ton, and emptied into the Eastern Branch.
This Is how James Greek Canal came into
| existence.
Since then Washington has spread ftself
over n great area OF territory and deVei-
| oped into Il great city: stiil. this open sewer,
| which was good enough for the old Wash
| ington of a quarter of a century ago. is ac-
| counted good enough for the Washington OF
today Penitentiary Marsh, then wild and
desolate, with punches or willows along
| the struggling streams and ciunips OF other
| trees on the bits OF rising ground, has been
| built up with rows and rows of houses, and
| is surrounded by n heavy population. The
| city to the eastand to the west OF the marsh
| has deyeIoped wondrously, and its present
| deyelopuent is retarded by the existence
| OF this open sewer.
1t is a disease breeding place. directly
| injurious TO the health of the people or south-
| east and southwest Washington. and TO the
entire population of the District livery
rippIe of TIE hateful water threatens plague.
The people OF South Washington do not
| understand why this drawback to local
growth has been continued, while the bar
| rcns Of the northwest have been asphalted
| and made to sparkle with gas and electric
lights.
| True, the canal runs through poor sec
tion or tie city. What of that? Perhaps
| this section is pCor section OF The city,
| lust because the canal does run through it,
The disregard OF the rights of the south
eru section of Washington has been car
| ried SO far that not even railing has been
placed along the sides of the canal, and but
| three small aud cheap bridges have been
built across il. ono at h, one at NJ md one
! at N streets.
ITS RECORD OF SUICIDES.
| sui,;s. murder and death have fiourished
there.
or the attempted suieisiss. perhaps the
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