Evening star., 1918-07-14

The problem Of the Washington ca
nal. which ran through the city along
the line of B street
The ConaJ north, from the foot of
~, Capitol Hill to the
""Asance. river. was one OF the
most serious of local questions nfty
years ago. In Ths Star of July Z, 1868,
1t was discussed at length editorially
under the title Three Miles Of Liquid
Death" apFopos of q recommenda-
ton by Mayor Bowen that the matter
be dealt with promptly and vigorous
ly, urging that the canal be narrowed
and covered. In this connection atten-
ton was called to the fact that the
executive committee of the Smith
sonian Institution had In a recent
report urged the same treatment and
protested any grant of the canal to
private corporation, as had been pro-
posed. The committee expressed the
opinion that the canal in Its then
condition was q potent cause for ere
ating and propagating disease, and
that 1t was not At for navigation,
sewerage or for drainage. This COM
mittee urged that the sewers OF the
city should be constructed on
levels above high water SO that their
discharge in the strong ebb current
At high water would give sin hours OF
tidal flow to carry it toward the
Chesapeake. 1t was recommended that
should be below the Long bridge, as
distant as possible, to prevent the ac-
emulation of sewage matter on the
shoals. 1t was recognized by the
Smithsonian committee that the great
difficulty in dealing with the question
t-1
condition of the corporation finances
1t would not be possible for the city
to undertake II unaided. and 1t was
suggested that Congress should prop
erly bear its share Of the expense since
a considerable portion of the sewage
public departments. In fact, 1t was
pointed out, the government was the
first to initiate the practice OF turning
the sewage into the canal.
The municipal deadlock occasioned
by the mayoralty contest of 1858 was
not quickly solved. In
MuuiduaI The Star Of July OF
that year is an article
Deadlock. which shows the situa-
ton to stand unchanged. 1t says:
"It had been hoped by the business
men of the city. without regard to
party, that the fruitless and childish
wrangIing between the opposing
council wings had been ended and
that needed legislation for the city
could be entered upon without fur-
ther delay. All city interests are now
suffering through such delay and the
community. taking a common sense.
practical view of the matter. will
certainly hold any party responsible
through whose agency the hitch is
caused. In the lower board OF the
city council last night the conserva-
tive members were present and prop
erly aided in the transaction OF
the city business. The conserva-
tive members of the board of alder
men, however, for some reason not
given, absented themselves entirely
and consequently, for want OF
quorum. no business whatever was
transacted. Not only did they absent
themselves. but Mr.. Larman, elected
as a republican, seems to have been
induced by some parties to leave the
city hall, after going there to take
part in the proceedings. Mr.. Lar
mans course in this matter excites
some surprise, from the fact that he
has repeatedly and voluntarily ex-
pressed his purpose to be present at
the meetings of the board to insure
a quorum; though he should claim
the right when present to vote as he
considered for the best interests of
the city, without regard to party. The
members SO absenting themselves are
good and respected citizens and NO