Evening star., 1933-01-22

The following news item in The Star
OF January l6. 1883, indicates the early
resumption of ac-
fotomac flats tive operations in
)nero+;ors the reclamation of
the Potomac fats,
for which Washington had been long
waiting:
Mr. p. Sanford Ross the contractor
for the improvement of the Potomac
fats, arrived in the city last evening
and was today occupied in superintend-
ing the unloading of the cars and tools,
which had been sent on from Balti-
more, and arranging for the continu-
ance of the work. The locomotives that
are to be used on the trestle work have
been completed and will be sent here
in a few days. The newly finished
steam dredgers, two in number, are
now in Jersey City, waiting for good
thing is at a standstin just now on ac-
count Of there being no piles of suf-
ficient length. Mr. Sanford, the part
ner of the contractor, is now in the
Rappahannock Valley experimenting q
gang Of men who are cutting piles.
Some are already on the way here and
as soon as they arrive, with favorable
weather. the work will be resumed in
ernest"
4 X
The problem of keeping the side
walks Of Washington clean in Winter
time was as difficult so
otreets IN years ago as now, as the
W;rtar following in The Star of
"'A''A' January 10, 1883, indi-
Gates:
The action of the authorities in
bringing up with round turn those
who refuse or neglect to remove the
snow from the front Of their premises
is proper and Is to be commended. Peo-
pie who shirk their plain duty as citi-
zens in this respect show little regard
for the safety and comfort of others,
as we'll as a disregard for the laws. ana
they should be punished accordingly.
So far as the general public is con-
cerned, however, its interest would be
still further promoted if the authori-
ties would remove the beam from their
own eyes, as we'll as require the re-
moval of the mote in the eyes of other
people There is little advantage to
pedestrians in finding the sidewalks
clean and dry if they must wade
through snow and slush at every street
crossing every time there is fall Of
snow; and 1t is to this point that those
in authority should direct their atten-
ton, as we'll as to shortcomings in in
dividual cases. Whenever there Is need
for cleaning the sidewalks there Is
equal and generally greater need for
cleaning the street crossings, and when
the one work Is required the other
should be promptly undertaken. II 1t
be said that the Commissioners have
no money with which to defray the ex-
pense Of such work, the answer might
very properly be made that the neces-
sary labor for the purpose should be
furnished from the workhouse. The
people who pay the expense Of carry
ing on that establishment are entitled
to some substantial and visible return
for their outlay and in no way could
its inmates be more advantageously
employed than in keeping the streets
and street crossings in clean!y and
passable condition for those who are
obliged to 60 about the city on foot"
Minister Lowell has written a let
ter to Speaker Keifer." says The Star
Parliament 1855. in which he
And Congress. ne,Osss adaOssS tne me newly ~
procedure by which it Is hoped to con.
troll and expedite business in the House
Of Commons. Mr.. Lowell takes the op-
portunity to say that he regards the
new rules as Of doubtful efiicaey, a.
in his opinion it is rather the multi
plicity Of business that Is the great
hindrance to prompt and useful leeis-
lation.' In this view of the case he Is
probably right and the criticism ap-
plies to our own legislative methods
with equal force. Year by year the
business legitimately before Congress.
and Of such importance as to demand
its attention, Is increasing until it is
already physically impossible to cope
with it. A thousand bills are now on
the calendars, with favorable and in
most cases unanimous reports, many of
them important, and ali of them de-
serving consideration. Yet probably not
more than q score will be finally dis
posed Of by Congress. Routine busi-
ness fares q little better in Parliament,
but tmpedtments exist there as well as
hare TO harass both the government and
the citizen. We 20 stumbling and
blundering along said John Bright
once: It Is the price we pay for
nt'