Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-24
Improvement OF the Flats.

routine business Capt. Potter repeatedly
referred to the regular meeting of last
week.
Improvement OF the Flats.
Thomas w. Smith. chairman of the
committee Anacostia flats, presented a
| report in which he said:
I'm 1899 l caused to be compiled re-
port on the Anacostia river, which was
presented to the Washington Board of
Trade and signed by me as chairman of
the boards committee on river and har-
Dor Improvement. The headings of that
report were:
"Anacostia river as it was is and ought
to be. and contained a reference to an
act of January 4. 1890. entitled an act for
esta blishinS temporary and perma
seat of the government of the United
States. and an amendatory act thereto
causing the Anacostia river to be includ-
ed in the seat of the federal government
Then LEnfant's report to President
washington, bearing date of March 26
1871.
Commercial necessity for the improve
| ment of the Eastern branch.
"A report on the sanitary necessity of
the improvement of same.
Col. Aliens arguments
What Congress did and did not do
Estimate of cost of improving the
channel of the Eastern branch to the
Navy Yard bridge, and filling of the fats
to seven feet fourteen feet above mean
tide
This history of this stream brings us
up to 1892 since which time this project
| has become a live subject before the
people of the District. and through them
the Washington Board of Trade and the
several citizens associations. and so i'm
pressed the necessity upon Congress that
| it has in it's wisdom appropriated from
| year to year sufficient money to dredge
oh ~ rvo,
Yard bridge of a sufficient depth and
width to enable vessels drawing twenty
| feet of water to float to the river S
wharves and to the navy yard making
| the stream a fine commercial body of
water, with rip-rapped bank holding in
place the dredged material and forming
| high and dry land. The Improvement of
| the part of the river just referred to is
not completed. An appropriation will be
! available the LIST of July, 1919, for con-
tinuation of the work.
Plan of Army Engineers.
ITO commence the reclamation of the
| Eastern branch flats and the widening
and deepening of the channel above the
| AnacoStia bridge has been provided for
| in another act 4 board of United States
engineer officers has been charged with
| a study of the conditions which Rave been
complained of. and has adopted a plan
which in it's essentials has been approved
| by the Washington Board of Trade tive
Chamber of Commerce and the citizens
associations, with one or more exceptions,
| the principal of these exceptions being
| that part of the plan of this engineer
board which recommends the building of
| dam with one lock in it at point on
| this river about whore Massachusetts
avenues, if projected eastwardly, would
cross ii.
Those interested in the improvement
I, 10 a.
of Col. Langfitt in the Southern building
September >. 1872 at which authorized
| members of this association We're present
| desire to add to this report a protest filed
by civic bodies and citizens associations
representing territory contiguous to the
Anacostia river. which was handed to and
| made portion of the minutes of the
meeting at Col. Langhtt's office.
Assessment of Neighboring Land.
Another matter which | wish to call
| the associations attention to is that
have been informed that i'm the report
made to Congress by the District Com
| missioners this year they recommend that
the property east of New Jersey and
Rhode Island avenues to be assessed to
cover the cost of land which is contem-
plated by the Commissioners i'm condem-
nation proceedings which they propose to
institute If authorized by Congress-
| The report was adopted, and motion
| opposing the assessment plan for pay
ing condemned land prevailed.
To Discuss the George Report.
NJ. /. Weller, chairman of the committee
| on taxation and assessments, promised to
submit a report bearing on the investiga-
| ton of questions growing out of the as
sesSment of real estate, particularly npon
| the questions touched upon by the COM
mittee of which Representative Henry
George was chairman. The report prob
ably will be submitted at the next meet
ing of the association.
Thomas w. Smith suggested that the
committee on parks make an examination
of Garfield Park, original reservation IL
and report at the next meeting. The park
is In deplorable condition. he said
w. s. Bransom told of the progress be-
ing made in the suit against the District
commissioners to prevent them from in
creasing the water rate, and said his at
torneys We're confident they would win the
case on the legal questions involved.
Charles A. Shields complained that the
eastern section had not been getting it's
share of street improvements. He urged
greater effort on the part of the aSso
citation to obtain such improvements.
long report submitted by DIR. Charles
NJ. Emmons and Capt. Potter dealt with
Conditions of the buildings on reservation
Il. including the jail. workhouse, Wash
ington Asylum Hospital. smallpox build
ings and other structures. attacked the
manner in which hospital patients are
cared for, and favored the removal of the
buildings. The report was accepted and