Evening star., 1898-11-15

izens are united our iHationali legislature
has no excuse for indifference and neglect
and the natural American tendency of the
present day to be proud of the national
capital, TO he interested in its, concerns and
to foster ard develop it will suffer no check
for which Washinstonians may reasonably
be held responsible.
Many details of what hasr been accom-
plished and the outlines of the proposed fu-
ture work of the board are suggested in
the reports of the various standing COM
mittees lt
Committees Which Make Washington
Attractive.
Much of Washineton's strength, like that
of woman, is in it's beauty; its face is its
fortune. Among the boards most impor-
tant committees, therefore, are those which
labor to increase the city's material pros
perity by developing its ex ternal attractive
ness. TIE special committee on the high
way act and the standing committee or
streets and avenues have played promi
nent part in this years activity.
The committee on streets and avenues in
its report presents an interesting recital
of the events leading uD to the enactment
of the important legislation amendatory ot
the highway act of 1888 The board,
through an able special committee, pre-
pared and at public meeting indorsed a
bill which largely reduced the street area
of the suburban extension plan, cut down
by one-half the estimated cost Of opening
streets through existing subdivisions, elm
mated from the act of 1855 section Is which
threw the entire cost of suburban street
opening and future Improvement upon local
taxpayers and property owners and pro-
vided Il bond issue, the United States and
the District contributing, to meet the en-
penses of the amended plan. The board
at the same time declared that proportion
ate contribution by the United States uu-
der the act of 1878 was vital feature of
the amendatory legiS alton and that if the
elimination of section Is could not be other
wise secured the whole highway act should
be repealed. The House of Representatives
| being unwilling at that time to appropriate
on any basis so large sum of money for
| Strengthening crooked streets. accepted the
second alternative and voted to repeal the
entire act. The Senate made compromise
proposition to drop the bond issue proposal,
to yield for the time being at least the plan
of cutting through the belt of subdivisions
| in the first section of the street plans 20
repeal section u and other objectionable
features of the act, and to retain the street
extension maps, after certain notifications
of the first section, coupled with remedial
provisions for the benefit CT suburban prop
erty owners injuriously and unjustly af-
fected by the original act of 1893. This
proposal was finally accepted by the House.
and it became law. AS the committee on
streets and avenues remarks, this act was
'DrObably the most important matter of
Legislation passed during the present year
affecting the interests Of the people OF the
District of Columbia Though there was
Il congressional refusal to make present
provision equit able on any bass
to carry out suburban street extension
pan. yet the difficult feat was accomplished
of eliminating from the highway act its
most offensive and injurious features with
out destroying utterly the street plans and
maps upon which so much thought and in
telligent labor have been bestowed.
lis parks end reservations constitute the
city'S conspicuous and characteristic charm.
The bosrd of trade through it's appro-
nrate committee. will steadily pursue its
settled policy OF protecting thesa public
breathing spaces against all injurious tres.
passers. Thetf er railroads indviGuaIs c.
the brick AMI mortar of public buildings: of
enlareing the reservation area by adding.
for instance. Anacostia Park to Potomac
and Rock Creek parks; Of improving and
preserving the peoples real estate: of
opening UP Rock Creek Park to the pub
lie and Of adorning the small mulsIform
beauty spo+s scattered. over the city in
every picturesque fashion that artistic in
genuity can devise.
Our public buildings are sometimes mu-
ncpal adorf ments: sometimes not The
be ard of trade labors to make them arch;-
tCcturally attractive IS wen as commo-
dions and convenient for their occupants
The committee on public buildings makes
ali urgent appeal for vigorous effort 70
secure a municipal building. With the nat
utal rapil growth of the District in all its
municipal affairs, requiring each year more
re ON in which to conduct its business, and
making more cranped and insufficient the
rooms now occupied, thsre may be easily
discovered abundant reason why there
should be 90 more delay in the important
matter of providing suitable accommcda-
ti"ns for the transaction of the important
business of the District. no.
l gladly emphasize the committees rec
onmendation of an especially vigorous
campaign for a municipal building. No
other projeetideserves to- he more earnestly
pushed at the approaching session.
Committees Which Hake Washington
EenItTfuI.'"
Another group of committees deal with
lines of work which promote municipal
prosperity by making the city more health
ful.
The committee on public health, which
co-operated during the year with the water
supply sewerage and harbor improve ment
committees in securing valuable legislation.
makes an interesting and elaborate report
There were during the year 800 fewer
deaths than in 1S96-'97, and the death rate
was 1892 as compared with 20 II last year
An urgent demand for filtration of the Po-
tomac water based upon the fact that
typhoid fever is more and more prevalent
in towns over the whole vast drainage area
of the Potomac; that there is increased
contamination of water with the specific
cause of this disease and that filtration
by the natural method, or filter beds is
the only way by which the bacterial causes
of disease can be effectually removed.
The city needs chemist and laboratory
for the detection of food and milk adultera-
ton; also school physicians to make daily
inspections of the children, especially those
who are discovered by the teachers to show
signs of illness.
Statistics of cause OF absence collected by
John L. Freeman, superintendent of public
schools in southeastern district and Ana
costa, show that from 81 per cent to p per
cent OF all absences are due to malarial dis
eases In the children of the schools. Maa-
ria has become a serious cause of interfer-
ence with the education of the children.
Such a condition offers the strongest rea-
son for the immediate Improvement of the
Anacostia river, the source of malarial dis
ease.
The committee approves the plan of gar
bage disposal by which the expense of col
lection is paid for by the grease obtained,
and also the plan of the collection of ashes
by the municipality.
Ihe committee on sewerage reports eff
fective opposition at the last session of
Congress to the bond issue proposed by the
beard for the completion of the compre-
hensive project of sewage disposal, but
notes a gratifying increase in the current
appropriations for sewerage purposes,
which have not only allowed the co7struc-
ton of necessary city and suburban sewers,
but have made possible considerable