Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-07
staele in getting the bill through Congress.

The Action Taken.
Mr.. Smiths amendnent3 carried by a
vote Of 80 to 16.
The entire committee report was then
approved.
The following res5luti8n reported from
the theta. taxation COMMITTEES was also unani-
Resolved, That, in the opinion of the
board Of trade. it is the duty of the Dis
trict officials and citizenS generally not to
propose or give assent publicly or private
~, to appropr atoms being made for any
municipal purposes other than those made
in accordance with the act of June II, 1878;
aid that 1t should be made manifest to
est but respectful manner, that appropria-
tions made otherwise are not desirable or
acceptable" 81 II
The Sewerage System.
The report of the committee on sewerage
being called for, Mr.. Read, chairman of
that committee, introduced Captain Lam
sing Beach Of the engineering department
Of the District. Captain Beach had pro-
vided a large map of the District showing
the main lines of sewers, and he explained
how the sew Of the city is now carried
off and the manner in which the recon-
mendations of the board of sanitary en-
gineers for intercepting sewers would OPP
crate. Until this system Of intercepting
sewers Is completed, he said. nothing fur
ther can be done to improve the sanitary
condition of the city. The condition of the
Anacostia flats is such, he said, that prop
erty owners in that neighborhood had re-
quested him not to tell the full truth in
regard to them in his report. The work of
building the intercepting sewers, he said,
would cost $S,50O.OO0. At the present rate
which average $115,4 400 per annum, it would
take thrty-fve years to complete the sys-
tenn, and until 1t is completed the city
cannot be rid of the bad conditions which
n arfo <,f he mt
desired were appropriated yearly it would
| give good working rate. One benefit Of
the system would be to make it possible
to have dry cellars along PENNSYLVANIA
avenue. Now the Pennsylvania depot is
but feet above tide level, and when there
| Is a high wind up the river the water is
packed up In the sewers and sewage is
forced out OF the manholes in that vicinity.
II the bill now before Congress authoriz-
ing bond issue Is passed relief from pres
ent conditions can be had in four years.
New Plan Ample for Many Years.
Capt. Beach said the board of sanitary
engineers in their report stated that the
system they devised will be ample for the
| purposes of this city for fifty years, this
estimate being on tie supposed increase of
population. But, said Capt. Beach, if prop
| er filtration beds are established at the
place where the sewage is emptied or other
| means taken to purify the sewage before
! 1t is thrown into the Potomac, there Is no
reason why this system Of sewage disposal
should not fill all the necessities of this city
| for $50 years instead Of fifty years.
Mr.. Weller asked If the amount named
for the work included all pipe sewers.
| Capt. Beach replied that the estimate
| was simply for the system of sewage dis
| posal and intercepting sewers.
| Mr.. Weller wanted the board to request
| the Commissioners to give an estimate
OF the cost of providing the city and coun-
| ty with all pipe sewers that would be
| necessary, but Capt. Beach said 1t would
| not be practical to give such information,
for the reason that 1t could not be known
| In advance just how these sewers would be
| laid.
Report on Sewerage.
Mr.. Albert M. Read chairman of the
committee on sewerage made the follow
| iEg report: d n
For the construction of the sewage dis
posal system. which Capt. Beach has so
| lucidly explained to you, the Commission
| ers of the District ARE about to ask Con-
gress to authorize the issue of s., 100000
| worth OF per cent sewage disposal bonds
| redeemable at the pleasure of the treasurer
of the United States after ten years and
payable In forty years from date. These
bonds to be issVed under. the pledge Of the
| government that 1t will by proportional ap-
preparations provide the revenues neces-
| sary to pay the interest as 1t becomes due
and create a sinking fund for the payment
Of the principal at maturity. The sale Of
CURED to carry on the work of construc-
| ton. For instance, the Commissioners cal
| culate that the sum OF 100000 will suffice
| for the first years operations. If this is
adhered to that amount Of bonds will be
| issued at the Inception of the work, and
| the balance of them from time to time as
need requires. 4.. ...
Should this plan be carried out the an
| nual charge upon the taxpayers of the
| District of Columbia for the first ten years
will be: For interest, $4,000; for sinking
ing expenses, s27, 400. Total. s167. AGO. The
| government, of course, paying like
amount. AT the end Of the first ten years
| the interest expenses will be reduced
| through the redemption of one-fourth of
| the bonds by $13, 125, and the annual charge
| to the taxpayers for the second term of
| ten years will be $154336 when a further
reduction of $12.125 in the interest charge
! will be made, and so on until the debt Is
| firally extingushed. A bond bill for the
purpose Of putting in operation this sewage
| disposal system in accordance with the
| general plan recommended by the board of
! sanitary engineers in 1880 has been before
the board of trade since 1894, when the
| committee on public health reported in its
| favor. Later in the year the matter was
| turred over to your present committee on
| sewerage, then created. Since that time it
has occupied a very considerable portion of
| the boards time, and has received its
| unanimous and cordial support. whether
| appearing welded to or divorced from the
| general bond bill for both 1t and the
| tension of the highways.
| Not New to Congress.
Neither is this sewage disposal system
new to Congress, which early approved it
| and has during the past few years appro-
priated various amounts, now aggregat-
| ing $4,000, Nor it construction. If we
divide this amount by the number of years
| that have elapsed since the system was
presented for congressional approval in
| 1850, we find that by the same rate of
progress the system will be completed and
ready for use in 1910 When we consider
| that no use can be made of the separate
portions hereafter to be constructed until
| the whole is completed the stupendous fol-
! ly of further prosecuting the work by
| the means of small annual appropriations
| is disclosed and the necessity of bond
| issue is made clear. When we reflect that
| this system is contemplated to care for
| the sewage of a city of $4,000 Inhabitants,
| it can readily be imagined that our sue
cessors in the board Of trade of 1930-4O
will have to agitate for a new system of
sewage disposal before this one is ready
| for use With the money available. as re-
| quired, the work can be completed within
a period of five yean0 1t is hardly neces-
sary for your committee to dwell long
upon the necessity for the immediate in
| q ,o,,ro fiop NJ fhiS aySten TT ia pelled