Evening star., 1922-02-26
Police Turn Lifeguards When
Rains Flood Muddy
Thoroughfare.
BOY SINKING IN MIRE
RESCUED BY NElGHBORS
Residents in Vicinity of Kansas
Avenue and Randolph Street
to Storm Congress.

Danger of drowning in a street in
a new section of Washington was SO
great several days ago that buoys
had to be put up to mark the areas
of safety, and a special police detail
from the tenth precinct station had to
be assigned to stand a continuous watch
to keep children from drowning
and residents Of the vicinity Of Kan
sas avenue and Randolph street
northwest, during and following the
recent rains. Hundreds of thou
sands Of dollars have been spent in
the construction of homes here and
the people cannot even cross the
streets in wet weather for fear of
being drawn into the mire. There
Is no danger to traffic, simply because
automobiles cannot negotiate the
streets.
There is the case OF record Of lit
tleo John Carson. four years old.
weighing approximately forty pounds
and living in the 5000 block OF 18th
street. John had on a pair Of new
birthday anniversary and elected to
go on the other side of 18th street
to seek the company OF few play
mates. He started and about midway
his little feet became heavy and John
felt himself sinking fast. He let out
a few lusty yells for help, which
brought out more than a score Of the
neighbors to witness the spectacle Of
John fast disappearing from view.
1t took the combined efforts of
number of them to rescue John and
then extricate themselves.
Improvements to Be Demanded.
The residents in this general Sec
tion are in no even frame of mind.
They are preparing to charge on Con-
gPess and demand. so far as it is pos
sible for a resident of Washington
to make demand. that they be re-
lfeved OF these dangers lurking just
without the confines of their own
property. Johns father last night
WAS engaged in writing a petition to
the Senate subcommittee handling
District appropriations asking for
relief. Houses have been built here
for the past two years. and the streets
are yet impossible. with no relief in
sight, and the taxpayers want re-
lief. Thirteenth street from Spring
road north to Shepherd street is just
one continuous stream Of mire, with
little cinder thrown in. In the
winter time and during wet weather
the streets are impossible and dan
gerous, and in the summer time the
accompanying dust plays havoc with
the interiors of the homes.
The case Of little John is not an
isolated one. Residents of the sec
tion say that grown people become
stuck in the mud almost daily. and
sink almost to their knees. The resi-
dents know the dangers and do not
try to cross the street, but they have
visitors who do not know the troubles
until they find it necessary to call for
help.
Inspection of the section on both
sides of Georgia avenue from Rock
Creek road to the District line show
ed that there ale many streets in as
bad, If not worse, condition than 18th
street, Kansas avenue, Randolph and
other cross streets, all sites of much
home development during the past
couple of years.
Ruts and Bumps.
Aside from the streets that are
nothing but mud. there is Georgia
avenue, from Military road north a
continuatio Of ruts and bumps, which
is badly in need of resurfacing. The
road has been worn out by the heavy
traffic which it must bear, as it is a
main road, connecting with Maryland
suburbs. The Commissioners tried to
get section Of it paved. They in
serted an estimate of $4,000 for re-
having this thoroughfare from Mill
tary road to Piney Branch road.s But
it was cut out in the bureau of the
budget.
Butternut street from Georgia ave.
nue. to Piney Branch road is in a bad
state of repair, The Star man found.
Farther down Georgia avenue there
is Jefferson street, west of Georgia
avenue. It is lined on both sides by
new homes. but the "street' is such
in name only. 1t is just a river of
mud-sticky red clay. Automobiles
cannot negotiate 1t. and heavy rains
CONTINUED on Page 3, Column 81