The Washington times., 1901-10-28

mediate beginning of this important
work.
In a report submitted recently at a
meeting OF the Anacostia Citizens Asso-
citation appears the following statement
relative 10 the conditions prevailing along
the river:
.'The greater part of the area of the
Anacostia River along the city front is
made up of wide and extensive flats. in
the lower sections of the river these flats
are submerged at low t1ue, the depth OF
water ranging from one to four feet. In
the upper sections of the river and near
Benning Bridge the fats are slightly
above low tide, but are overiiowed at hign
tide and covered with growth OF Wild
rice Along the Anacostia front of the
city there are eight sewer outtalls, com
nIencing with the large boundary sewer
on the north and ending with James
Greek Canal near BuZzard 5 Point. These
sewers carry d large volume Of sewage
into the river each day. In the lower
part Of the river and during ebb uGe
much Of the sewage Is carried into the
channel, gradually reaching the fotonac.
But in the upper part of the river, ana
particularly on the food tide, the sewage
is carried over the flats and widely dis
seminated, and as the tide falls it re-
mains lodged in the grasses, where II
ferments in the summer and autumn heat,
constituting an active source OF disease.
The insanitary conditions which exist
on the AnacOstia River are substantially
the same as those which existed on the
Potomac in front OF the city of Washing
tOa prior to the inception of the Potomac
River Improvement.
The President of the Board Of Trade
In closing reference to this matter, al
ter citing the facts above given, said:
Undoubtedly the whole District Is af-
fected somewhat by the existence of these
malarial fats. Such a statement of facts,
having d direct bearing upon the health
and lives of the people, with known pos
tive remedy should arouse Congress to
speedy action to reclaim these marshes OF
the Anacostia River, which could be
turned into parks and pleasure grounds,
healthful and beautiful. some 20 be util-
lied for public purposes by the Govern
The question Of utilizing the reclaimed
Anacostia flats has been made the sub
iect of many suggestions. That made by
the President OF the Board of Trade
stands first. and possible has found most
favor with the people OF the District
There is no doubt that a beautiful park
could be constructed out Of the waste
land now bordering the river. Properly
filled and raised above the current of that
sluggish stream. and the latter confined
to a narrow bed, there would be 4 tract
of several hundred acres that would yield
easily to the art of the landscape gar
deneT.
Others have suggested that this re-
claimed land should be used for manu-
featuring purposes. Those who have in
mind the establishment Of factories with
in the bounds Of the District Of Columbia
are Of tho opinion that the lane of the
Eastern Branch affords the locality which
should be used especially for this purpose
The utilitarians or this group say datiy
that the smell Of smoke and the dust Of
the factories would be many times prefer
able TO the miasms which now breed in
the locality under consideration.
Still others have advanced the view that
the land to be reclaimed should be the
site of Government buildings Of one sort
and other. which will be needed as time
adVaDces. The plan of this class seems to
be the union OF public parks and Of such
,f.- -fgr rF1f Mt
Yard the Fish Commission and the in
dLstrial branches of the public service.
Those most interested say that the ulti-
mate use OF the land Is not Of so much
Importance as the actual draining of the
iais and the curbing and harnessing Of
the tide within narrow limits I'm that re-
gion. which will put an end to the ma
larial influences which now prevail there
They put sanitary considerations first
and leave the utility of the land to some
happy thought of the future.