Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-15

While it is primarily intended for the bus.-
ness portion of the city, 1t would result in
much greater protection for the residential
section, where the engines now provided
could be utilized. And, moreover, it should
reduce insurance rates. 1 earnestly recon-
mend it as measure deserving your seri-
GUS consideration and best efforts
IAN additional fire engine house and
equipment was obtained at the last session
of Congress for the southeast section of the
city, where so much government property
is located, and also the pay of the MEM
bers of the department was readjusted on
more equitable basis. The committee on
mercantile interests also refers to the mat
ter of a harbOr fire boat, for the protection
of the wharves and property on the river
front, and the vessels and their cargoes,
which was particularly dwelt upon in the
river and harbor improvement. adopted by
the board on January p, 1904. At this
meeting the Importance of such provision
for the protection of our shipping and OF
the buildings and warehouses fronting the
harbor, as presented in that committees
report, was realized, and Congress has ap
propriated the sum of 1858 600 for the con-
struction of the fire boat. under the direc-
ton of the Commissioners who have re-
Gently let the contract for the same.
Parks and Reservations.
1.-The committee enters a strong protest
against the pairing policy Of using public
parks for other than park purposes. and
the year that of Howard Park. a small
space between 4th and 9th streets and
Pomeroy and College streets, containing
about eleven acres. with fine grove of old
oak trees. This fine park site has been
retroceded to the university as site for
the Freedmen's Hospital. The committee
deplores the use of public park property
for building purposes, especially such as is
covered with a growth of fine timber. In
this particular case the change is more OBJ
fr0vv b. 20 ot khok% fnnvr spcY
population of this section has no other
breathing space. The growing tendency on
the part of Congress to economic, as in
such cases, is regarded by the committee as
a serious mistake. Public sentiment and
public needs demand, and ever will de-
mand. proper park space, in proportion to
extent and growth of population.
1.-The failure to seize the most advantage
Gus time for purchasing the grove at the
corner of Columbia road and 14th street
extended is also cited as grave mistake.
Attention is called to the fact that the
system of reservations, so wisely planned
by the founders of the city, has not been
extended beyond Florida avenue, to the
detrment of the outer section. This is In
the direction of an abandonment of the
comprehensive idea of parks and the carry
ing out of the plans of the park commits
sion to acquire land necessary to establish
the chain of parks around the city.
Opposes Rock Creek Tunnel
"The committee is decidedly opposed to
carrying Rock creek through tunnel and
filing the valley up to the general level
The proper scheme for developing Rock
Creek valley would be. in the opinion of the
committee, to terrace the banks, straighten
the creek from Lyons mill to street by
an open cut across street at point about
400 feet west of its present position, at
which point there is probably good rock
foundation for the abutments Of the BRIDGE
and move the bridge accordingly.
1t is also suggested that planting the
edges of Rock creek with trees and shrub
berry would obliterate blemishes and be in
full accord with the Burnham commission,
which favored the open parkway treat
ment for Rock creek as not only better
but cheaper than the tunneling and filling
in process.
I'm connection with parks and reserva-
tons generally in the additions to Wash
ington. attention is directed to section
of the highway act Of 1888 authorizing
the Commissioners to lay out at the in
tersection of the principal streets and ave-
nues, circles and other reservations, cor
responding in number and dimensions with
those now existing. at such intersections in
the city of Washington. Though most of
the sections of the highway act were re-
pealed. section 2 remains in force and,
though perhaps too late to apply it to
small parks at Intersections a park as
large as Franklin Square should be pro-
vided at 14th street extended and Column
bia road.
Public Buildings.
1.-THE officers of the board and it's COM
mittee on public buildings were largely in
strumental in preventing the Police Court
from being permanently established in the
new municipal building, which would have
amounted to almost a public misfortune.
On March g. 1904 the board of directors,
having been made aware that there was a
decided disposition on the part Of some of
our legislators to have the Police Court In
otvNoI hull nd o.
that prompt action was called for, adopted
the following:
Whereas The Washington Board of
Trade has committed itself to the policy of
having separate police court on separate
site, the board of directors, therefore, re-
quest that the officers of the Board of
Trade and the chairman of the committee
on public buildings present to Congress a
remonstrance against the location of
police court In the proposed municipal
building.
This timely action resulted in ap-
propriation of S35 600 for the purchase Of
a separate site for a new police court build
ing and $500 for the preparation of plans.
Let us hope that the provision for the
building itself will follow in due course.
An appropriation of $50, 600 was obtained at
the last session of Congress toward the
erection of the municipal almshouse the
cost of which is not to exceed S12o,OO0.
Your committee strongly recommends the
erection of a suitable armory for the Dis
trict militia and naval reserves 1t is OF
particular interest to note that the Com
mission in charge of the construction
of the new municipal building has decided
to postpone the work on the same until
Congress can be again appealed to for the
full amount of money originally asked for
this important structure, in order that it
may be built of granite instead of brick
which will otherwise have to be DONE
The Public Health.
1.-The committees report contains valua-
BILE statistics regarding the public health,
and 1 regret that the time at command will
only permit of a brief reference to Its
more salient features An outbreak of ty
phoid fever in a small town near Cumber-
land Nd was said to have been the proba-
BILE cause of a temporary increase of that
disease here during the past summer. The
new filtration plant, the committee thinks,
will to a large degree, be a safeguard
against just such conditions in the future.
II Is gratifying to learn that the geoiogi-
cal survey, which Congress has authorized
to investigate the subject of the supply OF
pure drinking water In the United States,
Is now giving attention to the pollution
of the upper Potomac.
During the past year your committee
has provided fifty-three medical lectures in
the public schools, and their continuance
has been requested. The medical inSpec-
ton in the schools is a great protection,
particularly to the school children, and the
need of more inspectors is suggested.