The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-02-26
EXPERTS
SOUND WARNING
ATANNAPOLIS

ANNAPOLIS. Nd. Feb. &c. an
amazingly frank report to the MARY
land Legislature today the Washing
ton Suburban Sanitary Commission
solemnly warns that existing SAM
tary conditions in Maryland territory
adjacent to the District OF Columbia
seriously menace the health not only
Of Maryland, but OF the District OF
Columbia.
Construction OF adequate water
and sewer systems as rapidly as pos
sible in the ninety-five square miles
OF the bill now before the legislature
is essential. according to the report.
which Is a voluminous document con-
tanning specific data OF the, most
startling kind.
Forms Menace.
"hTe sanitary district, through
lack OF public water supplies in
densely populated sections. the Exist
ence OF unsafe public supplies. and
the absence OF proper methods al pub
lie and private sewage disposal. forms
one great potential focus for the
spread OF typhoid fever, both IA en-
demic and epidemic form" says the
report
''hTat this disease has not been in
the past more prevalent than has been
the case Is due only to good fortune
and is no criterion as to what may
happen at any time IN the future II
sanitary conditions are not i'm
proved"
That the menace is not confined 70
Maryland residents is plain from the
.Frr-s
Of the project going back as TAR as
1910.
District ImperiIIed.
''The unsanitary condition o. Little
Falls branch. the growing pollution
Of Rock creek. and the increasing Of
fensiveness Of the AnacOstia river.
were beginning 70 awaken a dread
not only In the sanitary district. but
in the District OF Columbia itself Of
an epidemic OF typhoid fever or other
diseases. Ia tn" very nature %; things
it was impossible for tn" District Of
Columbia to feel safe with j.,. Sow
age of approximately 10000 people
passing through il in open streams.
Two OF the three principal -Ireams
that traverse tn" sanitary district
flow Though the District Of Column
bia II SO happens that the Federal
has spent million ia Gro
ating the beautiful Rock Crrr.s Park
one one, and il espending almost as
many millions IN parking tn. other,
the Anacostil river. Topography Dc.
termined that the Maryland sewers
should wholly, within th" territory
these streams drained. utilize their
valleys. and upon the success Of the
Maryland project. therefore. depend
&. 81. b. l.
Creek and the Anacostia River should
be unpOlluted streams, worthy OF
their settings in these beautiful
parks. or vil"-smcllinE open sewers"
MHryInndcrs Warned.
Warning to Maryland residents
within the sanitary district is con.
tained in the report
Nearly one half Of Tn" public wa
ter supplies OF IN" sanitary district
deliver water which Is unsafe for
human consumption. OF suspicious hy-
gieUlc quality. Or else the surround
ings Of the source are mcndciuE from
a sanitary standpoint.
More than half Of the private
wells for supplying residences va the
sanitary district probably deliver I'm
safe drinking water. This is indi
Gated By the results from nearly 100
taken from random sources
and tested by the Maryland State de
partment Of health. since more than
half Of them could not meet IN"
standard for a safe drinking water
as promulgated by the United States /
Public Health Service for common
Engaged in Interstate com
merce.
Every public water system in III"
sanitary district is inadequate. by
reason either Of insufficiency OF !
source, delivery OF an impure or uD |