Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-24
BRENTWOOD CITIZENS
Views in Regard to tho Sewer Improve
ment Bill
No Bill, They Say, VIII He Salts
factory Not Including Both Sewer
age and street Extension.

of a letter which has already been trans
mitted to the board of trade. In this COM
munication 1t is stated that the associa-
ton is heartily in favor of the enactment
by Congress of Senate bill No. o. as
amended by the Commissioners, and that
1t will oppose the passage of Senate bill
24A and House bill $685. unless they are
amended so as to provide one million of
dollars for the construction of trunk sew
ers, and that then the said bills will only
receive our support when it has been dem
onstrated that the Senate and House COM
mittees of the District of Columbia will
not favorably consider Senate bill 2S as
amended by you, or some similar meas
ure.
no bill will be satisfactory to the north
ern section of the District that does not
include both sewerage and street extern
sion- as provided in the general plan of
Senate bill n, as amended"
The committee then reviews the history
of the county and its government, and
adds that in view of the incontrovertibie
facts mentioned 1t appears to the commit
tee that 1t would be unjust and cruel on
the part of Congress to pass such law.
Continuing. the report states: I'm view
of the following statistics regarding the
growth of the city, 1t seems inevitable tina:
future and greater Washington must soon
occupy very large portion of the county,
and that before long this section will fur
nish the greater part of the revenue of the
District; therefore the extension Of the
city plan over the entire area of the
county is at once demanded"
Increase in Population.
I'm 1879 the entire population of the Dis
trict was 1903; in sixty years the increase
in population was but GD,9SI, but in the
following thirty-four years, according to
the police census of 1894, the Increase was
1914 800 or an average rate of 5000 a year,
he nj nc of n nOnIllatiOn
in the county from 1880 TO 1890 being about
~ per cent. while the percentage of In
crease in the city was emily about y Per
cent
Even at this rate of increase in the
population of the District, on account of
the small area of unoccupicd ground in
the northeastern section of the city, a very
large portion of the county Will be occupied
in the next ten years, and we venture to
predict that If your comprehensive street
extension plan Is carried into effect, and
followed by system of improvements so
broad and equitable. on the basis of taxa
ton, that it will not be possible for Con-
greSsnnen and the press, as heretofore, to
charge that it Is a scheme gotten mp in
the interest of any particular syndicate or
section of the District, the growth of the
nations capital in the next few years will
be marvellous. and possibly equal Paris in
its unprecedented growth, except COM
pared to Chicago, during its establishment
by Baron Georges Eugene HausSman.
From 11gS 10 1916, a period of forty
eight years, Paris only increased in poru-
latIon :'GJ.rsU. or at an average rate of
about $3.50 no greater than the average
annual rating of Washington from 1860
to 1884, but in ten years, from 1855 to 1866,
during its extensive Improvement, it in
creased Gj0,SIS or at the rate Of 5000 a
year, its population at the present time
being 2.50G.01
These statistics establish beyond doubt
that the wonderful growth of Paris IS due
in a very great measure to the liberal ex-
nd Of for no oSyfa p.io i'm
provement and ornamentation of its
streets, boulevards and parks.
Superior to Any City.
THE plan of Washington is far superior
to that of Paris or any city of either an
cient or modern times; It's streets, avenues
pavements and numerous small parks sur
pass those of all other cities of the world
it's public buildings are magnificent; it's
climate is excellent; it is the winter resort
of wealth, culture. intelligence and fashion;
the capital of the most prosperous people
of modern times; and the government
should, and we have no doubt will, furnish
its full proportionate share of the cost of
making it what it should be-a metropolis
of unsurpassed magnificence the pride of
this and the envy of all other nations.
with view of accomplishing this re-
suit as quickly possible The citizens
should urge their claim against the United
States for the amount due them, upon the
municipal government, until tn. sense of
justice, patriotism and national pride that
must be inherent in the hearts of most
congressman is aroused and they appropri-
ate at least $5GO.GD a year until r6e ey-
penditure Of the United States shall equal
the amount expended by the citizens.
object In View.
I'm ccnclu-ion, we desire to say that we
do not attach any blame whatever to the
present Congress or Commissioners for the
Objectionable features of the highway act
On the contrary, We wish to extend our
grateful acknowledgment for your efforts
in the Senate and House to have them
corrected We also desire to thank you for
the fair and equitable manner in which
you have endeavored to treat the county
and especially for your recent recommen-
dation in the matter of trunk sewers and
street extensions.
Our WISH therefore, is to bring the
facts herein contained more particularly to
the attention of the present Congress- and
with THIS in view, we respectfully ask that
you will lay a copy of this communication
before the Senate and House committees
of the District OF Columbia and the an
preparation committees with such indorse-
ments as you may deem proper to make
And we further respectfully request tina
you Will give US a hearing upon these
items relating to our section in the District
appropriation bill recently passed In the
House before its consideration by the Sen
ate, and also arrange for both the Senate
and House appropriation committees 10
give us hearing thereon