Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-05
NEW SEWERAGE BILL
Compromise Measure Affects
Maryland Districts.
CALLS FOR COMMISSION
Two Projects Formerly Outlined Are
Combined at Meeting of
Citizens Committees.


the appointment of two citizens commit
tees representing Montgomery and Prince
Georges counties, Md. to present to the
Maryland legislature separate measures
for the construction of sewers in that
state, the committees, at a meeting in the
office of Attorney J. H. Ralston yVSter
day combined the two projects, drawing
up a compromise bill. which probably will
lie introduced in the legislature the lat
ter part of the week.
The bill provides for the appointment
of commission 10 make Il study of the
most feasible means of providing for the
disposal OF sewerage and drainage with
in the Wheaton and Bethesda election dis
1ricts of Montgomery county and Vans
Vile. Hyattsville, Chilum and Bladens-
burg election districts of Prince Georges
county and such territory adjacent there
to may form natural drainage area,
with instructions to report to the leglSla-
ture at it's next session, two Years hence.
An appropriation of $1,000 for defraying
the cost of the work of the commission
is authorized
To Be Submitted Today
1t was decided by the committee to
submit the draft of the measure to Supt.
Asa L. Phillips of the District sewer de-
partment. and to the Maryland state
board of health, before presenting it to
the legislature. This will be done today
and. in the event the bill is approved. ar
engagements will be made for its imme-
diate introduction in the legislature.
At meeting of citizens of Montgomery
and Prince Georges counties, in the board
room of the District building week ago.
two committees We're appointed to pre-
sent to the Maryland Legislature the need
The larger committee, composed of six
representatives from each county. was
authorized to draw UP general bill con-
ferring authority on the countys commits
soners of the state to arrange for the
construction of sewers wherever an ur
gent need for them might be shown to
exist.
To the smaller committee was delegated
the task of inauGurating a project in
which District officials especially are in
ferested. This contemplated the securing
of an appropriation for a survey to as
Pertain the cost of building sewers to
munities. whose sewerage drains into the
Anacostia and Rock Creek valleys and
toward the Little Falls branch
With a view to preventing the pollution
with sewerage of streams in the District
receiving the drainage from the Maryland
communities in question, District officials
have suggested that if sewers We're con-
Etructed from these sections to the Dis
trict line. where it could be emptied into
fhe Districts interceptors, the local gov
frnment would care for it's final dispo-
sition.
/ Senator Lee Named Chairman.
State Senator Blair Lee of Maryland
Was appointed chairman of the committee
10 look into this feature of the sewerage
situation. Following a meeting of the
larger committee at which plans We're
made for drawing up the general sewer
age bill. the fact developed that Senator
Zee had not been notified of his appoint
9nent as chairman of the smaller COM
nittee and that members of the two COM
mittees We're in doubt to the exact
luties, which they were authorized to per-
FORM This was followed later by SEN
ator Lee resignng as chairman of the
committee.
! Realizing that something must be done
Immediately If the plan to improve SAM
tary conditions in Maryland were to be
presented to the legislature at this ses-
lson, the committees at the joint session
yesterday decided that the most practical
course to follow would be to amalgamatc
sthe two bodies and combine the PROPOSE
tions in one bill Those present at the
meeting included j. Fl. Ralston, w. r.
IS. Curtis. Preston b. Ray and Joseph
III. Cassidy. representing the larger COM
mittee, and DIR. James Dudley Morgan
andJ. Enos Ray, representing the small
Ter committee
The bill decided on for presentation to
abe legislature specifies that. the proposed
commission shall be composed of j. H.
Ralston, Charles A. Fox, J. Enos Ray
Jr., and Il. Howard Duckett of Prince
9ieorges county, and John l.. Lewis, w.
IS. Curtis, John \. Cassidy and j. Daw-
son Williams of Montgomery county, and
sDr. William II. WEIGH and DR.. Marshall
Iangdon Price, president and secretary
tof the Maryland state board of health.
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