The Washington herald., 1921-11-20
By MARY McDUFFIE HAMPTON.

that came without warning, angry
at the rampant malaria from the
sewer-nooded flats about their
homes, has sprung up one Of the
il not THE most powerfully or
ganized. most active and achieving
organizations fighting for civic I
bettsrment, that Washington holds
today-the old, well-known North
east Citizens Association.
Remarkable leadership in little
group OF highly energetic, enter
prising, public-spirited men, and
harmonious, efficient internal or
ganization through a period OF
twenty mine years have made the
Northeast Citizens Association one
of the most widely recognized and
respected in Washington. A series
of accomplishments such as the
viaducts OF Washington, reduced
gas rates, extension of car lines
through the northeast section, the
construction Of nine public schools
and the reclamation of the Ana
costa swamps and their conversion
into beautiful parks, all won by
hardest fight against Congress and
moneyed interests, stand as pnoof
OF the organizations high place in
the history Of civic development in
the District
"Anu-gradc CrOsslns
When the willard Hotel was a
plaster house before which horses
paved at hitching posts, twenty
nine years ago, there was little
group of men in the sparsely set
ted northeast section whom GER
tain conditions had driven to the
end Of evaporation. Through their
section at that time ran the Balti-
more and Ohio and Pennsylvania
railroads, cutting the district IN
half Those roads were unfenced
and without any equipment to pre-
vent accidents, and as a result
deaths had been steadily increasing.
To intensity the condition, the
children of over half the district
were separated from their schools
by the tracks, and. as a result. were
the victims of half OF the accidents
1t, was to remedy these conditions
W hch that little group OF mes
gathered together.
Under the title of the Anti
Grade Crossing Association" they
elected W. ]. Frizzell. president;
George Leuben. vice president. ]. D.
Hinternesch. treasurer; and A. J.
Donaldson, secretary. Three Inactive
months passed; then the group
changed into the Northeast Citi-
AEhS ASSOCAdlAOHy began us 4
fight A list OF accidents and casu-
alties resultant from the unprotect-
ed crossings was compiled by Evan
RI. Tucker and presented to Con-
Eress As a result the tracks were
fenced. safety gates erected at
crossings and all-night watchmen
and lights obtained.
The yiaduct Battle.
The men were not satisfied Ras-
ing their plans on the viaduct sys-
tenn in Frankfort, Germany, they
began their fight for the use of
viaducts, a system unthOught of in
Washington at that time. That
struggle lasted ten years. In 1901
an act was passed moving the rail-
road station to a less Objectionable
section But at that same time SEN
s1tor Mcmillan, on the Senate Park
Commission conceived the idea of
one big, union station for the Dis
trict- In 1903 a new act was pass
cd granting the proposed station
and providing for the use of via
ducts at all crossings
During this long fight the or
ganlzation had been growing and
accomplishing much along other
lines Parallel with the railroad
crossing situation which created
the was the sewer
problem which was Just as much
red flag in their eyes. Eight main
sewer lines from the District emp
tied on the fats Of the Anacostia
River nearby, creating in addition ;
to the expected discomforts an
epidemic OF malaria so severe that
no family IN that section was free
from IL, and suffering was most
acute.
The Flats Are Drained.
The condition was abominable.
The place was filthy and insanitary
in every respect. Again MIR. Tuck
er gathered statistics. this time
about the malaria caused from in
oculation by mosquitoes. He gath
cred figures from the city Jail, the
aims house, the navy yard, the
work house and st. Elizabeth's
This was a longer fight than the
other one. but il was carried on
without encouragement or weak
ening, and finally, in 1907, the first
appropriations were made by Con-
sress for the draining of the fats
and the connection of the sewer
lines with others in the District.
Two or more big fights such as
these were never enough to les
sen the organizations interest in
4
rectifcation. The Gas Light Com
pany at that time was making ex-
horbitant profits, 1t was charged.
and charging s1.25 per thousand.
All Heizens of the District wanted
dolls gas. but they were passive.
The 6mmittee on legislation, head
ed by Mr.. Tucker took the matter
up. Great odds were against the ,
organization. In the first place the
gas company was affiliated with
the National Association of Gas
Engineers and was backed by end
less resources. Furthermore. the
chairman Of the Senate Committee
before whom this case appeared was
a former president of gas COM
pany.
The Political Weapon.
Politics had to be called in as a
final weapon. Year after year the
House had passed the bill recon-
mending dollar gas, but equally (
regularly the Senate had defeated
it The bill was being constantly
considered by prejudiced sub
committee. By bringing political
pressure to bear the bill was final q
ly brought into an open hearing. I
Politics on the other side en-
gfneered the bill into a deadlock. Z
Mr. Tucker brought out his last !
trump then and pleaded for COM 7
promise. 1t was gained, and the v
result was that gas was reduced 5 /
cents a year until dollar gas would
q