The Washington herald., 1912-08-13
THE PEOPLES FORUM
ANACOSTIA MAKES
PLEA And PROTEST
Calls Attention to Disgraceful Con-
ditions in that Rapidly
Growing Suburb.

| To the Editor: With all the improve
| ments now going on to the streets and
highways OF the city and the District,
| section are not improved in some re-
spect. 1t surely is shame that the resi-
dents of this community have to put up
with the wretched streets. along which
they have their beautiful homes: In
this section. lying between Howard Ave-
nue. and the insane asylum and the
Anacostia River. the streets and roads
are utterly neglected-in times Of rain
almost impassable-not the slightest ef-
fort to improve or even keep in re-
spectacle condition ever being made.
It's a shame. an eyesore to residents, a
disgrace to .he city OF Washington, OF
which II is a part. This is not a sparsely
settled section. On the other hand. there
Is a large population, which. of course.
makes heavy traffic-both foot and We
hicle-over the streets; roads / should
say. And with heavy. rumbling wagons
constantly going up and down these
sandy ways, the houses are always COW
cred with dust, requiring almost con-
slant cleaning and annual painting.
Residents cannot on a hot summer day.
even with screens in their windows, keep
the interiors Of their homes clean. For
this dust. ris'lC in the wake of these
heavy, rumbling teams and wagons, float
In dense clouds into the windows, ruin
ing furniture, wall and bed coverings. &C
There are no sidewalks. The whole thing
s roadway-nothing more-rough and
uneven. When Il rains these roads look
like swamps, and pedestrians passing
afterward have to leap mud-holes and
water pools IN order TO effect any PASS
age at all. And this water rushing mad
ly down II constantly washing down en-
hankments or holes in the roads. max
ing a serious menace to life and prop
erty.
These roads should be graded and ma
cadamizcd, and curbing and sidewalks
laid. Trees should be planted along
them, and the present system of light
ing abolished. These things done. the
attractlvenCss Of this locality would be-
improved fully 80 per cent Its pres
ent condition would put TO shame n
country hamlet, let alone a beautiful
suburb Of healthy city. pOpulous and
growing, but its growth retarded by street
conditions. great injustice l. being
done the residents thereof. who are pay
ing the same rate Of taxes as those OF
other sections, who live on modern
streets. with other improvements being
constantly added while this section ap-
pears like the so-callcd "Pohick" There
is one other eyesore in this section In
the nature OF creek. which runs
through TIE heart Of the town, keeping
the land marshy and damp. and serving
as model breeding place for files. mos
Guitos. germs, &c. This should have been
eliminated long ago. II should he either
arched over or converted into a sewer
This creek and the condition of the
streets keep property values down. and
makes this section undesirable to home
seekers We residents and property own
crs have endured long and desire Condi-
tons improved at once. even in prefer
ence to other localities. Wake up. Com
and give to these residents
the improvements their long patience and
endurance m a-it
WILLIAM II. WILKERSON Ir
30 Howard Avenue Southeast, AnacUS,ia D. C