Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-06
Recreation Centers, Parks,
Water Front Improvement

The Commissioners have included in
their estimates for the fiscal year 1912 an
item of $125.C00 for the purchase Of the
interior of square 534, lying between b
and c, Third and Four-and- streets
southwest. including what is popularity
known as "Willow Tree alley This is
an inhabited alley, containing s. struc-
lures, occupied by 400 white and colored
inhabitants. The conditions there are
shown by the records of the police and
health departments to be such that its
use as a place of habitation should no
longer be permitted. 1t is the intention
Of the Commissioners to acquire by con-
demnation such an amount of land in
addition to that covered by the alley as
may be necessary for the development of
an interior playground and recreation
center, and to erect therein a substantial
structure to afford bathing and play
ground facilities.
The object in view is to begin the eradi-
cation of the evils arising from these
densely Inhabited alleys in central por-
to aid the social and moral uplift of the
inha bitants in the neighborhood. A num-
Der of such inhabited alleys exist within
the city, and this alley has been selected
for the purpose. as being in the most i'm
mediate need OF corrective measures.
This measure has been recommended by
the board for the condemnation of in
sanitary buildings. created by act OF Con-
gress. This board is engaged in an en-
deavor to compel the removal of insan-
itary buildings from the District Of CO.
lumbia. especially those in inhabited al
leys. Unfortunately the buildings in this
alley are Of so substantial a nature that
they can not be condemned under the law
providing for the condemnation Of in
sanitary buildings. so that the only
method of securing their removal is
through acquiring the land On which they
are built which the above item contem-
plates. The inhabitants who would be
compelled to remove from the alley can
ally improved surroundings in the SUBJ
urban portions of the District. The re-
ports Of the board indicate that when in
sanitary buildings are condemned the
greater portion of the inhabitants find
new homes in such suburban sections
where their moral and social conditions
are much improved.
Anacostia River and Flats.
In pursuance of an appropriation con-
tanned in the District appropriation act
approved March 3, 1909, the Commission
ers employed special counsel to investi-
gate and determine the ownership of the
land and riparian rights along the Ana
costa river. The counsel employed was
Mr.. Hugh T. Taggart, and he made his
This report was forwarded to Congress
oy the Commissioners under date OF
March 26, 1910, and was printed as Senate
Document No. 1862, Sixty-first Congress,
second session.
The conclusions reached by Mr.. Taggart
from his Investigations on the matter
were as follows:
Il. That the United States, under the
Constitution and the cession from Mary
land, is vested, as sove. eign, with abso-
lutte title and dominion in and over the
space between high-water mark on each
side Of the Anacostia river, and COM
prising the shores and bed of the stream
SO. That the United States holds such
title and dominion in trust for the public
purposes Of navigation and ,.shery and
for such other purposes as may conduce
to the general welfare Of the people, as
to which Congress. as the representative
of the people. is the sole judge.
%. That as against the United States
In the execution of such trusts, riparian
owners are invested with no rights
II. That SO long as the government con-
fines its operations in any scheme Of i'm
provement to the space aforesaid 1t incurs
no liability under the fifth amendment to
the Constitution. which requires that "pri-
vate property shall not be taken for pub
lie use without just compensation" and
that land reclaimed through such i'm
provement will belong absolutely to the
United States.
The above statement applies to that
portion of the river not included in the
Immediate frontage of the city of Wash
ington upon it. The special features of
that frontage require separate considera-
tion."
The Commissioners have included in
their estimates for the fiscal year 1912 an
item asking for the sum of $2OO.OOO
toward improving the Anacostia river and
flats from the Pennsylvania Avenue
bridge to the District line. 1t is proposed
that this money be expended under the
of the chief of engineers,
United States Army, and in accordance
with plans approved by an engineer
board to consist of the Engineer Commits |