Evening star., 1922-06-30

lowed to rest until some action was
taken. Pending his conference with
the District Commissioners. Col. Sher-
ri.l said he would not care to state
whether or not he would recon-
mend that immediate steps be taken
to obtain deficiency appropriation, SO
that the whole matter would not have
to wait until 1924. Mr.. Gordon indi-
the money for 1894 thatlhe project
could be completed within that fiscal
year.
Col. Sheriff. also indicated that ii a
further investigation of the matter
warranted it. together with results Of
his conference with the District au-
thorities, he thought that the Seere-
tary OF War and chief of engineers
would stand firmly behind pushing tho
whole project vigorously TO u rapid
conclusion.
The stand of the washin ston sub
urban commissioner. as contained In
the letter to Col. Sheriff.. which was
signed by T. Howard Duckett. Emory
H. Bogley and ], Bond Smith. COM
missioners. 10 frank one.
Text Of Letter.
The letter follows:
Responsive to your request for
statement of this commissions plans
with respect to relief from the pollu-
tien Of Rock Creek by sewage from
nearby Maryland territory within the
area of the Washington suburban san
itary district, this commission desires
TO CONFIRM in a general way as fol-
lows the statements made BY the
chairman at the conference between
you and Maj. Baker and the members
Of the commission, on the Esd instant.
This question has been given seri-
Gus and extended consideration by
the Maryland authorities for some
years. and in fact, the creation OF thta
commission by act Of the Maryland
legislature may be said to be direct
outgrowth Of the con:iderati given
and other allied problems affecting
the sanitary condition of the nearby
Maryland territory In Its relation to
the District OF Columbia.
Started in 1919.
"As early as 1910 agitation was begun
looking to the correction of insanitary
conditions In Little Falls branch and
increasing pollution Of Rock creek. which
10, Of course. due to the fact that
nearby Maryland territory naturally
drains into these streams.
IN 1912 the Maryland legislature
passed q joint resolution auehorisine
the governor to appoint commission
from the two Maryland counties ad.
Jacent to the District OF coIumoia; . Ina
commission was known as the 'Frince
Georges and Montgomery counter sew
erage commission and, in co-opsration
with the Maryland state board OF heaith,
made a full report to the governor IN
1914. at the Same time recommending
the enactment Of q law to remedy tho
conditions which the commissions In
vestiratjon had disclosed. This Dill,
however. failed Of passage.
Reported In 1918.
The present commission was created
by an act OF the 1916 legislature to
investigate and make further report to
the 1918 legislature, and the sum OF
81 900 was made available for this pur-
pose.
In 1918, as required by the 1915 act.
this commission made q full report
on the advisabiiity OF creating 9 SAM
tsry district in Maryland contiguous
to tho District OF Columbia, and pro-
vidine II with water and sewer serv-
Ice. For your information there Is
transmitted herewith copy OF the
last named report. which. As you VIII
note, is quite comprehensive ana IN. IN.
Cludes Dill III tho ioAhn 49,
commission believed necessary Tor tne
accomplishment of the purposes men
tfonad in the report. This act. with
some minor changes, was epactea ny
the Maryland legislature OF lSae 'sss
chapter l;i 5v OF chapter 'as A''' SIS 8 of the
Acts Of 1890. Under the authority
vested in 1t by these Maryland stat.
utes. this commission is authorised
and empowered to CONSTRUCT CIV "sted nd
and sewer systems ana 10 tssu, 81
sell bonds for the purpess OF ralsths
the necessary money, without further
enabling legislation.
Authorised BY CaRsress.
"The. Congress of the United States
a paYt of the District Of Columbia
appropriation act for the year ending
June 30, 1917, enacted legislation TOT
the protection Of streams no"'hs
through the United States government
marks and reservations ia the District
of Columbia from pollution by sewage
discharged therein from sewefass
systems of Maryland towns ahI
VILLAGES bordering the said District.
and authorixing the Commissioners or
The District of Columbia to enter into
an agreement with the Maryiano
authorities providing tor the d,ainass n sss
threush the District sewer system.
That act further authorised ths DIS
trict commissioners to permit con-
r,actions of Maryland sewers with tne
Distriet of Columbia sewerage sys-
tenn at or near the District line, wheh-
ever in the Judgment of the ComMis-
sionsrs the sanitary eenaitlons OF @ .ne
District streams flowing through seV-
ernment marks and reservations IN the
District required the elimination OF
such pollution. . d,,
and. willing since the enactment ny
Congress of the sald act an% surther
ieSisiatien by Maryland being neees-
sary-to construct adequate sewers
for the purpose OF taxing care OF
an .swers{ss es{{ss How How tSSeonEh Se1ns the the Dis
trict of Columbia.
Ready to Begin Work.
1.-THE construction by the commits
sion of the necessary truHk.line
sewers in Maryland to bring the
sewerage to the District line can
be made forthwith, and the COM
mission stands ready to begin such
construction az soon as 1t 10 assured
that the District sewers will actually
be constructed to the District line
to take care of this Maryland sewer
age. You will readily appreciate the
fact that If the Maryland sewers
were put in operation before the
District aewers were constructed. the
result would be q dumping of the
Maryland sewerage into the District.
streams at the District line. which
weuld ereatly aHsFayate existing