Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-06
TO RECLAIM FLATS
IMPROVEMENTS PRoJECED FOR
ANACoSTIA RIVER,
Commissioners Ready to Renew Recon-
mendation for Congressional
Action.

The improvement of the Anacostia river.
including the reclamation of the flats, will
be materially advanced in Congress next
winter, Commissioner Mcfarland thinks,
unless the condition of the federal treasury
prevents the adoption of any new projects
OF that character The Commissioners have
been urgently calling the attention of Con-
gress to the necessity of properly improv-
ing the Anacostia river for the past five
years. and will renew their efforts with
the new Congress. Commissioner Macfar-
land, who has taken special interest in
this matter from the time he came into Of
flee, stated yesterday that more had been
accomplished than was generally under
stood. and that he regarded the chances
of success in the near future as excellent,
unless Congress feels obliged to practice
unusual economy, and even then success
would only be deferred.
The Commissioner said it did not seem
to be generally known that Congress in
1902, after the Commissioners strong rem
resentation, had taken the first step toward
the general Improvement of the Anacostia
river section by providing for an investI-
cation of the tangled question as to the
titles to the Anacostia river fats, which
must be settled before it would pass upon
the general proposition for improvement.
Five thousand dollars was appropriated
that year for "a survey and outline map
OF land owned by the United States COM
pTised within what is known the flats
of the AnacOstia river from its mouth to
the boundary line of the District of Column
ba.' TO be expended under the direction
of the Secretary of War. and the Attorney
General was directed Ito examine and re-
port on the nature of the title to lands en-
braced within said flats Commissioner
Macfariand understands that the informa
ton which Congress thus sought will be
laid before it at the coming session.
improvements Contemplated.
This Will be the opportunity for pressing
the adoption of general plan of improve
ment. Personally Mr. mcfarland prefers
that suggested by the park commission of
dividing the Anacostia either at Massachus-
etts avenue or Benning bridge by construct
ing dam, which would make a lake of the
upper part, the shores to be given park
treatment, while the river below that point
Should be properly treated for commercial
purposes. Identification to make the
whole section practically park. together
with the removal of the malarial dangers
by the submerging the reclamation of
the marshes, characterized this plan,
which is set forth in detail in the
means for keeping the water fresh in
the lake, which would cover five hundred
and thirty-fve acres, kept free from mos
quitoes and malaria by its depth. by the
uiobstructed sweep of the wind, and by it's
clean Shores" and also for suitable boule-
meadows and groves. Below the dam the
marshes on both sides of the river will be
reclaimed and a navigable channel estab-
lished. The new-made land would add to
the wharf facilities. A considerable por-
ton might be sold.
Action Of Congress.
Congress. in 1902. began the Improvement