Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-09

Included in the matters of Importance 70
be given consideration at the meeting o!
the Washington Board of Trade, scheduled
to be held at Rauscher's the evening OF
February IL, beginning at o'clock, Will
be the annual reports OF the standing
committees. 1t is expected that the meet
ing will be largely attended and that there
will be free discussion of the reports.
Following are abstracts from these re-
ports. and it is stated that complete copies
may be obtained by members at the rooms
of the Board OF Trade in the The Star
building:
Water Supply.
The report of the committee on water
supply states that the great objects for
which it has 'contended for some years
past have been accomplished, more espe
cially the sedimentation and filtration OF
our drinking water. The committee calls
the attention of the board to the neces-
sity of the prevention of water pollution
and also renews it's former recommends
tons as to securing an appropriation from
Congress of $4,000 for the preliminary
work of locating a second conduit, capable
of supplying 1OOOOO,OOO gallons daily. tC
provide against a possible water famine
In case OF any OlSaDllnS dCClueNt 10 Tie
present conduit.
| The report urges favorable action upon
the following:
l. The prevention of water pollution.
.. Gradual increase OF our water supply
to 1J0. 900 gallons daily.
3. Provision of means to stop the present
waste Of water.
4. Investigation of the question Of gen.
eral use of water meters as an aid In
checking waste of water.
Report on Bridges.
The committee on bridges in it's annual
report gives sketch of the WORN COM
pleted and in progress during the last
year, and shows that the following work
has been completed or is nearing compile
ton:
The Connecticut Avenue bridge at q cost
of $40, 900; the approaches costing $50 900.
The new Anacostia bridge at $4,000.
The Piney Branch bridge at $4,000.
Three timber bridges in the county re-
built.
The old K Street bridge across Rock
Creek replaced by pew plate-girder
bridge costing $4,000.
The bridge crossing the Washington
channel of the Potomac.
Other work and plans for future work
are noted in the report, and the commit
tee again urges the construction of the
the great memorial bridge.
River and Harbor.
The report of the committee on river
and harbor improvement submits in de-
tail the work accomplished during the
past year, its cost and the estimates for
the wo-k to be done during the fiscal
year ending June 80. 1909, referring to the
in charge of the improvement Of the Pc
tonac and Anacostia rivers.
The committee recommends the follow
ing:
l. Dredging the channel of the Potomac
from it's mouth to the Washington navy
yard to a depth of IS feet, with a width
OF 400 feet, or if that width will require
too great expenditure. then with width
OF 200 feet.
3 Making the Anacostia river navigable
from its mouth to Benning bridge.
g. The United States to acquire all lands
Immediately bordering on the section of
the Anacostia river now owned by private
parties.
system of dock improvement along the
city front and up to Benning bridge.
Taxation and Assessment.
The committee on taxation and assess
ment has submitted report conceded to
be full of interest to every citizen Of the
District. 1t deals principally with the
question of devising some method Of pro-
viding for necessary public improvements
permanent in character other than pay
ing for them from the current revenues
of the District and without hampering
municipal growth along ordinary lines.
The report states that. while Congress
has been fairly liberal in it's appropria-
tions for permanent improvements. the
methods to prevent the increase of our
bonded debt result In serious disadvantage
to the District.
AS the estimates annually submitted by
the Commissioners pursuant to law nee
essarily include disbursements on account
Of public works pending, the expenses
appear to exceed the income and reduc-
tions are consequently made In the appro-
priations recommended.
To meet the difficulty the Commission
ers have prepared a measure providing
that advances for extraordinary improve
nlents shall be charged in a separate &C.
count by the United States Treasury, and
not, as heretofore, to, the general ex-
penses of the District; that the amount
due for advances heretofore made and
that may hereafter be made for extraor-
binary improvements shall be reim-
bursed to the Treasury of the United
States, with per cent interest. within
fifteen years. by annual payments of not
less than 100000.
This measure, the committee thinks
should receive the hearty approval OF
the Board of Trade and the cooperation
of every member with the Commission
ers in securing its adoption by Congress-
Parks and Reservations.
The report of the committee on parks
and reservations notes that parks and
reservations have been kept In the usual
good order 1t further notes the failure
in the House of Representatives of the
following bills passed by the Senate: S.
54 to provide a public park on George
town Heights: s. S23, to rectify the
boundary line of Rock Creek park, and
in Hall and Elvan's subdivision of Me-
ridian Hill for a public park: and 8. $500
providing for the purchase Of the Car
penter and the Pennsylvania Avenue
| Heights tracts for a public park. AS
| these measures have been approved by
| the Board of Trade. the committee viii
continue to urge their adoption by Con-
gress.
The committee thinks that the project
| for the United States government taking
| the land on the south side Of Pcnnsyl.
| vania avenue from the Capitol to the
Treasury for departmental buildings. etc.
already approved by the Board of Trade
should be actively urged.
Public Library.
The report of the committee on Public