Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-14
REVIEW Of THE YEAR
Annual Report Of Board Of
Trades President.
DIRECTORS ELECTED
EXHIBITS SUBMITTED By sECRE-
TARY AND TREASURER.
Washington as Convention City
Public Improvements Needed
Identification Of the Capital.


ton Board of Trade and the needs of this
city were briefly told in the annual ADDRESS
of President W. V Cox last evening. The
address was delivered before the board at
its annual meeting held in the large dining
room on the first floor of the New Willard
After the Presidents address ten members
of the board of directors were elected as
follows: John w. Babson, William G. Hem
derson, Frank Hume, e. Southland Parker
Cuno H. Rudolph, Thomas w. Smith,
George Truesdell, William H. Singleton,
John NJ. Wilson. S. w. Woodward.
President Cox referred to the pleasant re-
lations that had been maintained by the
Board of Trade with other organizations In
the District of Columbia during the past
year.
Continuing he said:
lone of the most important projects to
which the board has lent Its influence, and
which is vital to the whole community, is
the filtration of Potomac water, said MI
Cox. This may now be looked upon as an
accomplished fact, as all the city water Is
now filtered and the plant Is substantially
complete. From the start. the idea of fl
tering the city water has been encouraged
by the Board of Trade and to Its officers
and standing committees on public health
and water supply Is, in large measure
due the adoption Of the slow sand filtra-
ton system. The board and the community
are to be congratulated on the successful
issue of this project, which affects the
health of the entire city. An appropriation
of $4,000 has been made for the mainte-
nance of the plant.
Sewage Disposal System.
THE citizens Of the District of Columbia
and those who make their temporary home
here In Washington are to be congratulated
on the near completion of the sewage dis
posal system. No one has worked more
diligently and intelligently for this than
Albert M. Read, chairman of our commit
tee on sewage. The sewerage requirements
outside of the city limits will now receive
immediate attention of your committee
THE efforts to secure additional appro-
priations for the municipal building have
been successful.
I'm the appropriation bill is clause in
creasing the limit of cost from 50, 600 600
to So, 100000 In their budget this year the
Commissioners ask for S7O0, 600 for contin-
uing the work This should and doubtless
will result in the erection on the south side
of Pennsylvania avenue of structure of
commanding dignity.
1T is hoped the precedent will have
tendency to check in future any disposition
to erect in undesirable places cheap struc-
lures for permanent public use merely
from motives of doubtful economy.
The selecting of sites for public build
lngs In such way as to harmonic with
the plan of the parking commission must
be our plan, and all future public buildings
should as far as practicable be placed on
the south side of Pennsylvania avenue
The result of condemnation proceedings
for acquiring land In line of 18th street
extended for the opening Of that important
thoroughfare has demonstrated that it is
possible to acquire land for such improve
ments at minimum of cost by reason Of
benefits equaling the value of the neces-
sary land and damages. In view of this
fact 1t Is to be regretted that this import
ant work was not accomplished long ago
and should demonstrate to the Commits
sioners the ACCESSIBILITY of a prompt extern
sion and opening of necessary streets and
highways throughout the D!rtrict.
Designation of Streets.
The system upon which the Commission
ers are working in changing the designa-
ton of streets beyond the city limits proper
is in general a satisfactory one
The project to so regulate the character
of buildings in improvements on 10th
street SO as to have at least one purely
residential street seems to meet the ap-
prevail of those interested In this ma cnifi-
cent thoroughfare. 1t Is questionable
however, whether the change of name to
Executive avenue would be desirable
Another project favored by the board
has been realized in the construction of
fire boat for the harbor
This boat, which has been christened
Ffrefghter, was launched al Wilmington
Del, on May g. 1905, and the ceremonies
We're attended by many of our District Off
Gals and members of the Board of Trade
The boat came up the river under her
own steam, arriving here on June 8, 1905
The Ffrefighter will not only be a pro-
lection against fires in the harbor and on
the water front but if the recommended
lions of the committee that secured the
appropriation are followed out 1t will be
utilized as an Ice breaker in the harbor
and channel during the winter, thereby
avoiding the necessity of employing tug
boats to keep the channel clear. The saw
ing of this item of expense will go long
way toward maintaining the Flrefighter.
New Police Court.
can appropriation of s37 500 having been
secured for the site and plans for new
Police Court building, the hope was ex
pressed in the last annual report that the
appropriation for the building itself would
follow in due course. I am happy to an
nounce that this hope has been realized,
as Congress has appropriated $4,000 for
the erection of new Police Court build
ing upon which work Is now in progress
The limit of cost for the construction
OF the Anacostia bridge has been increased
from $250,00o to $4,000, the Commission
ers being empowered to acquire out of this
appropriation such land as may be neces-
bridge. The Board of Trade, through its
officers and committee on bridges, has sue
cessfully exsrted itself in behalf of this
much needed work.
The reclamation of the Anacostia flats.
long advocated by the board, must receive
early attention. Their reclamation is very
desirable and should commend itself to
Congress as business proposition, giving.
as it would, more and desirable wharfage
with nearly 400 acres of ground worth
twice the cost of it's reclamation
There other reasons. The surgeon
general of the navy has said that on ac-
count of the condition of the Anacostia
river the health of the officers and men
stationed at the navy yard, and also of
the thousands of men employed In the gun
shops, etc, was greatly endangered. The
Medical Association of the District of CO.
lumbia has declared the Anacostia flats
to be a menace to the public health of the
whole District The physicians in charge
of the government hospital for the In
sane, the United States Jail, the District
workhouse and hospital have also asked
Congress. in their annual reports, to re-
claim the flats. President Mckinley, In