Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1911-11-24
GREAT SEWER PLAN.

system that will provide not only for the
needs of the District, but will extend far
into Maryland, taking in communities that
are in the Rock Creek and Anacostia val
ley zones, is plan that Congress and the
Maryland legislature are to be asked to
give approval to.
The plan, which has been presented in
several annual reports by Asa B. Phillips.
District superintendent of sewers, We'd
nesday night of last week was taken hold
of in earnest by the Montgomery County
Medical Society. at a mass meeting of
citizens held in the town of Kensington,
this county and committee was appointed
to take the matter up with the Maryland
legislature at its coming session.
Mr. Phillips, who was one of the several
speakers. declared that he was confident
the federal government would consent to
the sewerage of the Maryland community
being carried off through two big intercept
tors that are being constructed to the
District line up Rock Creek and Anacostia
valleys. provided the Maryland authorities
construct sewerage system that will con-
meet with the interceptors.
The advantage which both the State of
Maryland and the District are expected to
derive from this arrangement is that resi-
dents of the commonwealth who live near
the District line will be provided with
practically the only means of disposing of
their sewerage satisfactorily. while the
District will have nothing to fear from pol
luted streams in the Rock Creek and Ana
costa valleys that have been catching the
sewerage drainage of the neiehboring COM
munities.
! A bond issue will be required for the
building of the Maryland sewers. and. for
that reason, a committee was appointed
to appear before the legislature and get
the project started by requesting an ap-
preparation with which to make survey
for the sewerage zones. The legislature
probably will not be asked to authorize
bond issue before 1914. The cost of the
undertaking has not been worked out, but
Superintendent Phillips is of the opinion
that the expense to the State in building
sewers down Rock Creek valley to the Dis
trict line will be in the neighborhood of a
quarter of million dollars, with the cost
incurred in the Anacostia valley probably
slightly less.
Practically the only expense to the Dis
trict. outside of the building of the two
big interceptors at cost of $1.000,000,
will be incurred in handling the sewerage
after it has been received from the Mary
land system. This cost, say local officials,
will more than Offset the disastrous re-
suits that might otherwise come about
from polluted streams in the two valleys
The Maryland State Board of Health
will be an active factor in bringing about
the realization of the proposed plan. DR..
Marshall L. Price, secretary, and William
Pinkney White, Jr, general counsel of the
board, were present at the meeting in Ken
singtOn and advocated the undertaking.
Mr.. Whyte suggested that the State
Board of Health examine the situation
Immediately and report to the legislature
next January with request for an act
authorizing the board to make a sanitary
inspection and report back to the legisla-
ture in 1914. At that time. he said. the
board should be in position to outline
detailed scheme for getting the sewers
constructed and recommend that bonds be
issued.
The plan of the State Board of Health
attorney was adopted UNANIMOUSLY by the
meeting, but, in addition. it was decided
to appoint committee. consisting of one
representative of each community affected,
to appear before the legislature at the same
time the representatives of the board do
and urge that the preliminary survey be
authorized.
About 400 residents of Montgomery
county attended the meeting. which was
presided over by Dr. James Dudley Nor
gan. President of the Montgomery County
Medical Association. Among the speakers
were DR.. William C. Woodward District
Health Officer. and DR.. C. II. Mannar, Health
Officer of Montgomery county.
Supt. Phillips. who has had several con-
ferences with the Maryland authorities
with regard to the proposed improvement.
explained the plan at length.
THE reason we have not taken hold of
il sooner said Mr.. Phillips, lis because the
District has not had the ways and means
for providing the intercepting sewers"
This is a question of community in
terests.' Whether Congress takes hold of
it depends on how much the people who
are interested in it will do TO bring about
its realization. If the communities are
interested, the legislature will stand with
them and Congress will stand with them.
Mr.. Phillips said that the building of
the Maryland sewers undoubtedly would
increase property values in that section.
He intimated that if the opportunity Of
fered was not taken advantage of legal
action against the residents of the Mary
land communities might be resorted to by
the federal government for the polluting
with sewage of the streams that flow
through Rock Creek and Anacostia valleys
1T is up to the people in Maryland to do
their share" he continued. I'VE know
that Congress will not do it all, but the
federal government can be counted upon
to do its part to the extent Of building its
interceptine sewers to the point of taking
care Of its neighbors"
Dr. Whyte made it plain that he is in
favor Of the proposed big sewerage system.
Il may point out" he said. that there
are two sections of Maryland which natu-
rally drain through the District. one section
in Prince Georges county, which drains
in Montgomery county. which drains into