Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-04
THE PROGRESS OF WORK ON THE NEW


ice sewers and an enlargement of the pres
ent school building.
The election of officers followed the presi-
dents address, and resulted as follows:
President Charles G. Lancaster: first vice
president. j. T. TAFT: second vice president
l.. e. Shoemaker; third vice president J. w.
Chappell: fourth vice president J. A. Finch;
fifth vice president, DR. A. NJ Ray: treas
urer, S. NJ. Hawkins. secretary. GaIen Tat:
sergeant-at-arms, Curtis NJ Smith.
President Lancaster introduced Commits
sloner Henry l.. West. and the latter de-
livered a thoughtful and instructive address.
His talk was what he termed "a plain.
everyday talk about what the citizens need
and the best way to get them His
marks were prefaced with few humorous
| illusions of his boyhood days upon the IN
TILED fields of TenleytoWn and in the short
span which had elapsed since then he was
bewildered to look over the territory devel-
oped and modernized to such 4 great de
gree. He deplored the fact that during the
last session Congress cut down the Commits
SionerS' request of S150,OO0 to $4,000 for
service sewers. and he felt confident that
the Commissioners would again urge larger
appropriation for this project. Though ap-
preparations for all the improvements need
ed were not granted, he and his colleagues
were making and would continue to make A
just and equitable distribution of appropria-
tlonS Tor the various sections of the city.
Mr.. West said it was only through the CO.
operation of the citizens associations of the
District with the Commissioners that the
CITY OF washington COuiO EcdCn lIS greatest
development and rank as the most health
full and beautiful and best-governed city in
the world. The Commissioners, he declared,
saw the need for better streets better sew
ers, new school and fire house and other
things. but If the citizens did not get all
they asked for 1t was no indication that the
governors of the District were not In SYM
pathy with the projects but that II every
request for appropriations was placed In the
annual budget the bill would be easily run
up to twenty millions of dollars, and secur-
ing such sum would be physical impos-
sibility.
He paid a neat tribute to those members
of Congress who were inclined to treat tho
District literally in appropriating moneys
for public utilities. He said that because OF
a big deficit we sometimes cut short, but
he urged the citizens to survey the vast i'm
provements, national In a sense. but directly
for the development of the District, which
would be accomplished within the next five
years. These, he said. were the building OF
the railroad terminal. to cost fifteen or
House Office buildings, at an aggregate cost
of between six and eight millions; the new
Department of Agriculture. the new Ma
tional Museum and the hall of records. all
meaning ar expenditure in the national cap
ital of between thirty and forty millions.
He lauded the purposes and efforts of the
association, and said this was one OF the
channels by which the Commissioners were
to gauge public opinion the need for inn
provements.
Charles s. Bundy, president of the Column
bia Heights Citizens Association; Evan H.
Tucker, president OF the Northeast Citizens
Association: DR.. George Wood Of the George
town Association and James N. Wood OF the
East End Suburban Association. Letters OF
regret were read from a number of the Dis
trict's prominent citizens who were unable
to be present.