The Washington times., 1901-11-12

the part of the citizens of the District
Iahlhs up the question of municipal i'm
| proponents OF large nature, Mr.. Edsor
said that the matter most deserving o
general ana immediate attention was tn,
Improvement of the Anacostia River, ant
| the reclamation of the Anacostia flats
Inc present miasmic condition of thai
| stream was so detrimental to public
health, he said, that malaria is almost
epidemic In its immediate vicinity. The
| committee on Rivers and Harbors of the
| board recommends that a depth of TWEEN
| ty-four feet should be maintained from
the mouth of the river to the head OF
| navigation. 1t was also recommended
| that when claims are settled for money
! expended on wharves by individuals that
the Government rebuild the wharves in
| the pest manner possible, so that the
may he eliminated. The committee is OF
the, opinion that railway and highway
| bridges should be apart greater distance
| than 200 feet
Attention was called by Mr.. Edison tc
| the efficiency of the police force; but he
| emphasized The fact that the forcs was
lnddequate in numbers. Protest was made
| against the members of the police force
being drawn upon for other than legiti-
| mate police duty b
| Under the head of public schools. In
| Whlch ne reviewed the advances made
| during the mast year. Mr. Edison stated
that the Committee on Schools of the
| Board Of Trade renewed with vigor its
appllGati3n OF last year for a new Bust
| The present building is inadequate and
unsuitable, said Mr.. Edison. This
branch of the school system has proved
the wisdom of it's establishment. 1t pro-
| Vides practical education, training and
| eaulpping its pupils for business life.
with a new Building provided. proper
methods can be employed. thus ensuring
| better and more complete results"
| Reference was also made to the ex-
| celient results attained through the erec-
| ton of the two new manual training
nGf hi iGby apt a
! schools.
Among objections made against the un-
| popular personal tax law were it's alleged
inqulsitorla! character. it's fostering in
Iuence upon monopolies. and its unequal
eject Eject upon upon rich and poor; the former
alone being benefited Mr.. Edison recon-
| Ihended that the tax assessment be made
suiiicient to meet current municipal ex-
pehSes. provided the rate proved not ex-
THE assessments in the District of Co
iumbia, concluded Mr. Edison on this
point. are more thoroughly equalized.
Just and proper. in all respects, than in
any other city of the Union"
Under the head OF water supply Mr. Ed
son launched a protest against the use of
water metres. holding that other efficient
methods to prevent waste could be en-
pioyed Congratulations were extended
that plans and appropriations had been
approved which would result in a greatly
improved and more healthful water sup
The work of the Park Commission in its
endeaN'ors to accomplish the develop
ment on broad. artistic. and practical
lines of the park system of the city and
District was apprOvingly mentioned at
some length in Mr. Edsons report.
Public health was a most important
feature of Mr.. Ed ICn's report Attention
was called to the great difference in the
death rate OF the white and colored races,
that of the latter being far the greatest.
The Committee on Public Health of the
Board of Trade submitted interesting fig
ures the subject. These showed that
ismore fatality results from consumption
and pneumonia than from any other dis
eases. tuberculosis curing the past year
has been somewhat less prevalent than
before. owing to the establishment OF milk
inspection. Mr.. Edison recommended the
establishment of medical inspection In
schools and advised that the Committee
on Public Health turn its attention more
closely toward remedial courses Ihe IN
stallation of the new filtration plant, ne
thinks will greatly reduce the prevalence
of typhoid. The laws regulating the food
supply inspection are considered satis-
factory.
Recommendation was made in Mr.. Ed
sons report that appropriation be MADE
by Congress for the completion OF com,
by the office OF the Engineer Commits
sioner The details of sewer construction
We're gone into at some length.
Satisfaction was expressed with the
crossings. and also at the action of the
Pennsylvania Railroad In erecting
Union Station on the site of the present
Baltimore and Ohio depot, and thereby
vacating entirely the Mall.
General dissatisfaction was expressed
in the report that the entire cost OF con-
siderable street extension had devoIVed
upon the District revenues Argument
was made that the cost Of street eXten-
si,n should be borne, as is the case in all
other District expenditure, half by the
Government and half by the District
Figures were set down showing that the
deficiency, estimated at $22I0, ,S0l y, for the
fiscal year of 1902 was caused in part by
the entire cost Of street extension being
unlustly placed upon the District. The
best method of ditcharging the deficit,
the report stated. was Ito do like all
other cities in this and other countries,
J. - issue low interest bearing bonds,
unless funds are advanced by the Govern
ment, as was done in the purchase of
Rock Greek Park,
In conclusion Mr.. Edison referred to the
pleasant relations between the Board OF
Trade and the Commissioners and eN-
pressed regret at the recent retirement
from the office of Engineer Commissioner
Of l. II. Beach. Reference was further
mad. to the centennial celebration last
December to the inauguration ceremonies.
the assassination Of President Mckinley,
and the celebration of District Day at the
Pan-AmericaH Exposition. IN CONCLUSION
Mr.. Edison said:
hope will always be considered with the
sa me care and fidelity to the public in
terest as have been employed in the past,
and which we feel have commanded the
confidence and respect Of the pubic, Gov
ernment officials and the Congress-.
Among those present were DIR. A F.
Pardon. +. l.. Moore. George |. Jones.
Jesse B Wilson, William G.. Henderson.
John G. Parker. John Miller. George II.
Harries. William NJ. Shuster, Theodore
W. Moves. Ben Miller. Andrew Wilson. J.
H. Ralston, ID. b. McCaulley, +. r. Wal
lace. W. X Ellis James Brown, John r.
Freeman, s. w. Stinemetz, J. S Poole.
GreenIees, Gen. John NJ. Wilson. Kimon
Nicolaides. Samuel J. Prescott lsadore
Saks, Capt Henry Newcomer. Capt
Chester Harding, Thomas w. Smith.
Whit Heron. Percy S. Foster, ". II.
Stoutenburgh Charles Jacobsen, w s.
Knox. DR.. r. II. Gunnel, john T.
N'~ver, Frederick J. Whitehead, Will
f. d. McKenney. F. ?. May, w. B, Up
ton. John b. Laruer, DR.. George b. Welch.
Bernard r. Janney. Odell 5. smith. wal
ter c. Clephane, II; c. Grove, John Joy
William Tindall Andrew y. Duvall, w. V.
r. Berry. Edward a. DrOOp, II. c. Nc
Cauley John Hyde. Oscar w. White. Al
bert NJ Read S S. Shedd, c. Lodge Hin,
James T. West, Charles A Jones' 5. w.
Woodward. G. w. F. Swartzel. c. $.
Eradley; C. G; LaneasteT -, j. ., .Gi 5
S|oTmSESqi n WrIcr William T. p. Van Wickie. 5i.
Henry l.. Briscoe, S. r. Waters. Charles
W. Fairfax. J. NJ Schneider. w. II; Neer-
hoof, Z. H. Pickford II. B. Polkinhorn,
Marsh. Robert n Harper. c. Heurich. W.
IN. Hershaw, Henry L. Bittinger, r. Il.
Teuny, Charles L. Tribby. A: w. Grafton,
George o; Tottenf J.; & dull, Dulin' ',yi;,,a Ei a;
Wallace Frank Harrison Julian {.