Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-09-07

lem fifty years ago was that Of the
proper treatment Of the
The Canal wash in ton canal.
Wife,. which flowed through
the center Of the city
north Of the Mall and was no more
than an open sewer. In The Star Of
August 81, 1859. is an editorial on the
matter as follows:
"A few more projects for dealing
with the canal problem were brought
forward in the councils last night. but
nothing was done. The canal nuisance
remains undated, fostering in the
sun. and affording a first-class argu-
ment for the capital movers. The
proper way, as we have already
urged. is to clean it out. put it in
navigable and drainable order and
keep it clean. leaving the question of
improving it on a grand scale or arch
ing it for the future. 1t is impera-
now. Aside from other reasons which
present themselves, it is only neces-
sary to say that II not cleaned soon
the mud and sand gathering within
it's walls will effectually stop up the
mouths of the sewers. and then with
damned up look out for another Ma
tional Hotel disorder in every street
in the city penetrated by the sewer.
The canal can be thoroughly cleaned
for $4,000. perhaps less, and when
once cleaned it can be kept clean for
-
sponsible parties in the city have Of
fered to keep it dredged for 5000 per
year and to deposit the dredgings on
the marshes south of the White
House. retaining the land there and
serving a double sanitary purpose.
This is the short. simple work to
be accomplished now. The compli-
Gated plans proposed may have merit.
but the trouble is that there are too
many of them; they all require a
great deal of money and there are so
many conflicting interests involved
that the Kilkenny fight going on
among them serves simply to cripple
had any knowledge of council affairs
the canal committees Of the two
boards have been big with projects
for the Improvement Of the canal
Year after year there have been
lengthy reports. accompanied by
eidOoTdte maps ana imposing tables
OF figures, but nothing was ever done
and the canal nuisance remains I'M
abated. This state of things cannot
go on longer. The canal must be
cleaned now. whatever else may be
done with 1t hereafter. The income
will at least pay the annual cost of
keeping it clean and the interest on
the money for cleaning it."
Sentiment on the subject of the re-
moval Of the capital, outside of Wash
ington. was by
Boston's Vote for no means unani-
Washington. 1880 a.,a. n,.o -.
than this as the seat Of government.
In The Star Of September 1. 1859. is
reprinted an article from the Boston
Herald on the question. which The
Star elsewhere thus analyses:
1.-The Herald holds that for purposes
Of foreign communication the capital
should be near where it is now. as
we face al the other nations in
a line is drawn from north to south
through the country on the meridian
Of Washington, the population OF the
east side Of the line will nearly equal
all the rest of the country. and on the
east side will be New York, Philadel-
phia. Brooklyn. Boston and Baltimore.
the Ave largest cities of the country,
whose wealth and commerce exceed
that Of all the other cities combined.
For the next hundred years the CEN
ter Of population is likely to be much
nearer Washington than st. Louis.
The Herald thinks also that WASH
ington is getting to be very good
place for the capital. and only needs
decent drainage to make its climate
one of the most salubrious in the
country 1t is on an open river and
has associations which should be held
sacred. 1t was selected by the Father
of his Country and for over half a
honored in the uttermost parts Of the
earth. It has been defended as the
capital of the country through two
wars, has been honored by statesmen
and made famous by the most memo
rable forensic displays of modern
ed for the removal of the capital
would inevitably grow to three or
four times that amount, and. finally.
the Herald objects to the removal to
St. Louis or any other growing place.
because it wishes the western cities
National Capital upon their CONNER
cial prosperity. which will effectually
destroy any moral tone they may
have Washington is already moral
ly ruined The Herald thinks there
is no salvation for 1t, and it is a pity
to spoil another good city We have
our own opinion about the relative
moral condition of Washington to
that Of st. Louis or Chicago. but for
all that the Herald presents some
very sensible views upon the capital.
removal question"
Hard coal was selling at prices fifty