Evening star., 1896-01-11
The Subjects Chiefly Discussed by
j III z . :, y the Bosrd Of Trade, T..
CAPTAIN BEtCEs INTERESTING Talk
Mr. Read Speaks Froman Economic
and Sanitary Standpoint.
DISCUSSION TO BE CONTINUED

An important meeting of the Washington
board of trade was held last evening In the
kaAs of the Builders Exchange on 18th
street. -
Owing to the, interest attaching to the
subjects assigned for the consideration of
The meeting there was quite a large attend
ance of the members. The principal topics
of the evening were those contained In the
reports of the committees on sewerage and
streets and avenues, submitted at the an
nual meeting of the board There were
several speakers invited to deliver ad-
dresses, and. besides, an Opportunity was
afforded the members generally to give an
expression of their views.
President s. w. Woodward called the
rieeting to order at 7:30 o'clock, briefly an
nouncing that this was the first meeting of
the board for the year 1896. After the
reading of the minutes of the annual meet
ing Mr.. Woodward stated the objects of
this gathering, after which several COM
munications to the board were read, the
first being letter from Mr.. .Beriah Wilkins,
chairman of the committee on finance. ex-
pressing the opinion that. while he did not
think the present annual dues of $ would
be sufficient to pay the current expenses of
the board, it would still be inexpedient to
raise the dues to $40. as this might result
In the withdrawal of many of the members
of the board. and the committee asked
favor Of raising the dues. This was grant,
ed, and the whole matter goes over until
the next annual meeting Of the board, in
November, 1896.
Mr.. Thos. w. Smith, reported in favor of
limiting the proposed honorary membership
to the members of the board of District
Commissioners while in active service.
There was some question as to whether
this proposed amendment to the bylaws
came before the meeting in the, proper
FORM but the report, construed as not be-
ing an actual bylaw. but simply sugges-
ton of the committee, was unanimously
adopted.
An Exposition I'm 1900.
Mr.. w. s. Knox chairman of the COM
mittee on the exposition of 1900, reported
for the committee favoring the proposition
to hold such an interstate and internation-
al exposition to mark the birth of the new
century and the beginning of the second
century of the existence of the national
government with its home in Washington.
Connected with the proposition is bound up
the plan for each State in the Union to
maiRtain a permanent exhibit in.this city.
The committee reported strongly In favor
of the proposition, both on sentimental and
practical greundts ~ held that the eSposi-
ton should be maintained by the national
government, as the time has passed when
the government should go into the travel
ing show business" by carting its exhibits
all over the country. Washington is the
natural and proper place for holding any
such affair, and If sft were held here it
would result in great benefit. both to
Washington and to the United States. Not
only would the different states put up
buildings for permanent exhibits of their
chances are that all The sister republics. on
the western hemisphere would fall into line
and take advantage of the opportunity
presented to them to maintain permanent
az a no
country that has ever existed under re-
publican form Of government. ~ 2 ~ =
The report III conclusion recommended
the Endorsement OF the general idea sub
mitte1'' ~. o.qat .e.u=
Mr. b. H. Warner asked whether this re-
pOrt-would commit the beard of trade. to
any action In support Of the proposition
He said that he had male a thorough study
of tha plan for an exposition and realized
fullyJhow much such a plan meant to the
city. 1t would make it necessary to raise
at least $2.O0O.O0O, and he could assure the
other members of the board that not three
states in the Union would ever fndorse the
plan if it involved the expenditure of a
single dollar on their part.
Mr.. c. c. Lancaster moved the adoption
of the committees re commenda ton, and
followed it with a ringing speech, in which
he characterized as "act of treason to
our well-beloved capital to raise as much
as a little finger In opposition to a scheme
which means SO much to the material well
fare of The city" -.
Mr.. Warmers Points.
| Mr.. Werner said that even at the risk Of
being mistaken for traitor he must pre-
sent few carefully considered arguments
against vote in support of the PROPOSE
| ticn.- Only gigantic efforts on the part of
the people Of Chicago had made the ex-
position IN that city a success. It took
! such efforts as could not possibly he ex-
| pected from the people of Washington The
recent exposition at Atlanta was made a
| success only through The instrumentality
| of a small group of nan, who had sub
scribed a couple of hundred thousand dol
| lars among themselves when particular
emergency arose. Baltimore also has an
exposition on her hands for 1897, and this
| will mean thu expenditure Of an enormous
| sum of money on the part Of the business
men of our sister city Mr. Warner said
| that he did not want to be understood as
| arguing against the desirability of anything
| that would tend to the advantage of the
! city of Washington. but cnly against the
| feasibility of holding an exposition here
| in the immediate future.
| M. Lancaster's motion was then put and
| lost, whcreupon DR.. A. P. Pardon moved
| that the report be referred to the executive
committee and this was adopted by con-
| siderable majority.
| At this point the regular order of busi-
! ness was taken up, and Mr.. Woodward an
| nounced that the first hour would be de-
| voted to the consideration of the report Of
| the committee on sewerage.
History of the Sewerage System.
| Capt. Beach. the assistant to the Engi-
reer Commissioner, was then introduced as
better qualified to speak on the subject
than any member of the board Of trade.
He delivered an interesting talk on the his
| tory of the sewerage system Of the District
Of Columbia, Its present condition and the
reed for improvements IN the near future.
His talk was illustrated by large map of
| tho city, on which was drawn in heavy
| lines the location Of the principal trunk
sewers, which are called upon to dispose
| of all the detritus Of the city.
| Capt. Beach spoke of the present system
as inadequate to the needs Of the city.
The necessity for impr ovement Is accent
| ed by the condition of Rock creek and the
| Eastern branch. which are expected to
| carry away much of the sewage Of the
| District. The Anacostia river at high tide
! looks like quite a considerable stream. but
| in point Of fact the volume of water which
| flows through it Is but very little larger
! than that which goes through Rock creek,
| and every one knows the condition of that
muddy and disagreeable stream. He had
| been given to understand. he said. that
| there had been a good deal Of sickness
around the Navy Yard as result of its
proximity to the Eastern branch, while
| there was scarcely a house in Anacostia
| u-hin inh hod Sif pA form