Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-14
An Amendment to the Bond Bill to
Be Asked For.
TAXATION WITHOUT BENEFITS

ehC AihutcS VI tue ldSt meeting, anu res
ident Cox spoke of the work done by the
association before congressional commit
tees.
DR.. Charles G. Stone, chairman Of the
committee on sanitation, was called upon
Tor his committees report. and he said the
most important matter before the commit
tee was the question Of sewers. Members
of the committee. he said, had called upon
the Commissioners. and were fully salts
fed that the Commissioners are heartily
IN FAVOR OF doing all in their power toward
getting Congress to pass the bond bill. He
hoped this Congress would pass the meas
ure ana said that the members of the as
scclalon's committee had worked earnest
iy for 1t.
But" said DR.. Stone, I'VE are now con-
ironted with this problem. 1t appears that
the board of trade, which heretofore sup
ported this bond bill, had approved the re-
port OF its committee which reported back
the bill with the statement that the only
tning feasible or likely to be obtained is
what Is known as the sewerage disposal
bill. carrying only $S,5OOO0O. This bill has
been presented in both houses. 1t ignores
the county entirely.
Suburbanites Must Share the ExpeRse.
4 am not opposed to the bill. SO far as
the disposal of sewerage is concerned" he
continued. 1T is much needed. as a sani-
tary measure, SO far as the city is con-
cerned, and will, in the course of time, ben
eft the people in the county. The present
system is imperfect and certainly should
De improved. What We are interested in is
that 1t anords US no relief, and at the same
time settles upon us our share Of the
bonded Indebtedness and is q great injus-
tice to u.s. This association does not de-
sire to attack the bill, but It Is its desire
to have 1t SO amended that It will guaran-
tee to the people of the county the COM
pietiCn OF the Piney Branch sewer. Each
year SHOWS increased need TO: this sewer.
The population in the county north of the
city is Increasing and has increased more
than In any other section during recent
years, and We are compelled to have sew
erage of some description or face what
we have faced every summer-typhoid
fever. We have had the typhoid fever in
the county. and there's no denying 1t, as
the charts shown by the board Of trade will
show, and this has deprecated the value
OF our property.
An Increased Death Rate Predicted.
with an increase in the population, an
increase in the death rate is the natural
result. We are dependent upon wells and
springs for our drinking water. and have
nothing but surface drainage and the
remedy is the construction of sewers
There Is but one thing to d." continued
the doctor, land that Is to demand of the
committee Of the board of trade that If it
Oou wait US 10 antaSOD1Ze II and 0efeat
1t If possible 1t must amerd the bill and put
1t in q shape to help us. We have been pay
Ing our taxes and have got very little in
return. Now. think the committee Of the
board OF trade should be willing to add an
item of 100000. The street extension met
antagonism from the people as well as the
courts and there's no hope to gain from
that at this time, and SO the additional
sum might easily be obtained and the COM
pletion Of the Piney branch sewer to the
District line insured. This sewer will drain
more than one-haIf Of the first section, as
shown on the map.
Will Not Affect Proposed Streets.
''The construction Of this sewer along the
line Of Piney~bEaaeh- seill4aot interfere with
any of the pEoposed streets. There is moth
ing to obstruct the work or impede them in
the construction Of the sewer. When this
sewer is built tive won't have the people
complaining that their stock won't drink
the the. water: The branch at present is virtu-
ally sewer, and always will be so long as
there is nothing but surface drainage"
The doctor told of cases Of typhoid fever
along the line Of the branch and of fecal
matter from the houses in which the pa
uents were being turned into the branch.
Because of reports of typhoid fever" he
said. people are afraid to come out here
and build homes, and SO long asthings con-
tinue this way there is apt to be a cor
responding increase in the cases of sick
ness. And SO I would advise that you do not
assist to secure the passage of this bill I'M
less another million is added for relief of
the country. We cannot allow these things
for the sake Of the city. If we want petty
things, such as fire engine or a few po-
hcemen, we are ignored, and yet we are
paying taxes all the time for the benefit of
the CITY,"
Continuing, DR.. Stone claimed that the
citizens of the county were ignored by their
friends In some of these matters, and he
thought 1t would have been an easy mat
q ~ For hn In ord nf 10
on another million and relieved the county
But self-preservation Is the first law Of
nature" said the doctor In his closing re-
marks. 'It is self-preservation with us,
and hope that a committee Of this asso-
citation and committee Of the board of
trade will unite in asking for this amend
ment.''
Position Of the Board of Trade.
Mr.. A. NJ. Reed, chairman Of the COM
mittee Of the board Of trade, on this ques-
ton assured the members Of the Bright
wood Association that the board of trade
feels exactly as DR.. Stone has expressed
the sentiments Of the Brightwood Associa-
ton.
The proposed sewerage system, he said,
is intended to benefit the entire District
and not only the city of Washington, and
the board of trade is willing to assist the
Brightwood or any other association in
Its efforts to set new sewers or any other
improvements.
Mr.. Reed exhibited on map the pro-
posed routes of the trunk sewer to be
built when Congress passes the sewer bond
bill, and explained how the sewerage will
be taken three miles below the city and
emptied in the channel more than five
hundred feet from the shore. The proposed
sewer, he said will relieve the Rock creek
sewer to considerable extent, and will
make some change for the better so far as
the county Is concerned.
In Favor Of the Large Loan.
1.-The board Of trade today" he said, lis
in favor of the 100000 loan, and is on
record as being in favor Of 1t. But in ap-
preaching this question this year the COM
mittee was met by the decision Of Judge
Cox on the matter OF street extensions.
The Commissioners said that the county
could not have the sewers until the streets
are laid out, for the reason that they have
not the right of way"
He told the members Of the Brightwood
Association that IL they would get permits
sion to put sewers on the land the board
Of trade will enter body and soul in the
work, and do al in its power to get the
sewer either in the bond bill or in some
other bill.
HAS Maj. Powell asked for the right of
way?" Mr.. Reed was asked by Mr.. Fields.
Il think not" was his response.