Evening star., 1936-12-31
ACTION TO CONTROL
'ANACOST|A FLOODS
URGED AT HEARING
Prince Georges Development
Held Retarded 100 Years
by Waters Ravages.
SESSIONS CONCLUDED
ON POTOMAC PROBLEM
Two Urge Report to Congress De-
signed to End Devastation
Over Entire Area.
BY LESTER N. INSKEEP.

BY LESTER N. INSKEEP.
The development of that section Of
Prince Georges County, Md, through
which the Anacostia River flows has
been retarded 100 years because Of
continual floods which make a large
part Of the property adjacent to the
river worthless, 1t was stated by T.
Howard Duckett. member of both the
Washington Suburban Sanitary Com
mission and the Maryland National
Capital Park and Planning Commits
sion. at the final hearing on Potomac
River flood control, held yesterday at
the Navy Building by Lieut.. w. J.
Matteson and his assistants.
Among more than a score of per-
sons who spoke at the hearing were
Representatives Gambrill of Maryland
and Randolph Of West Virginia, both
urging report to Congress which will
result in the control of floods through
out the entire Potomac River basin.
In its present condition, Duckett de-
clared, the Eastern Branch throws a
barrier across Prince Georges County
that has already caused untold prop
erty losses and, unless conditions are
corrected. will result in the loss of
millions Of dollars in the future.
Flood Conditions Told.
Attention Of the District engineer to
long-standing flood conditions in Bla-
densburg. Hyattsville. Brentwood and
Colmar Manor was brought not only
by Representative Gambrill but by the
Mayors Of the towns affected and the.
chief engineer of the State Roads Com
mission Of the State. Gambrill said
the development of the Peace Cross
area at Bladensburg, together with
many other improvements planned for
the territory, are being held up to
await the possible control of the floods
by the Federal Government.
State Delegate John S. White de-
clared the Bladensburg district suffers
several floods annually. It Is seldom
affected by general floods. but is COW
cred by several feet of water each time
there is hard rain, he said.
Two possible methods of control
were discussed, both having been de-
veloped by an earlier survey. The first,
which was favored by park officials
OF both the Federal and State govern
ments. was the construction of levees
to protect each of the towns separately.
This would leave the remainder for
park development.
River Would Be Dredged.
Under the second. the river would
be dredged and widened and levees
constructed for a sufficient length to
protect property throughout the entire
area. Local officials and real estate
developers expressed satisfaction with
this plan, since it would restore many
building sites which are now worth
less.
The Federation Of Citizens Associa-
tions of Prince Georges County.
through its president, A. D. Bailey,
submitted report showing annual
local losses of approximately $4,000.
There are % business houses and
240 residences with assessed valuations
of 100000 affected. The health of
1000 persons is endangered with each
flood.
Nathan L. Smith, chief engineer,
Maryland States Roads Commission,
promised the aid of his department,
even to the extent of allocating
funds to raise the highways some dis
tance if the Federal Government will
meet it half way with flood control.
Among others who spoke were John
F. Nolen. city planner of the National
Capital Park and Planning Commis-
sion, who said both his body and the
Fine Arts Commission object to the
erection Of any more levees here, pre-
ferring rather to suffer an occasional
flood loss than permanently mar the
beauty Of the park systems; Thomas
S. Settle, secretary of the park body,
who suggested the proposed Jefferson
Memorial could be constructed on q
base high enough to protect it from
floods; William S. Canning of the
Keystone Automobile Club, who asked
that everything possible be done to
relieve conditions at the intersection
of the two Maryland roads: Carl Bud
wesky, Alexandria. Va. city attorney,
who asked and received permission to
submit f1ood-control data at a later
date; Miss Elaine Eppley, represent
ing both the District of Columbia
Federation of Citizens Associations
and the District Federation of Wom-
ems Clubs, who asked that Maryland
be given relief so its sewage will no
longer pollute the Washington area,
and many other Maryland officials
and residents.
In letter, the Interior Department
asked the construction Of a levee on
the Virginia side of the Potomac to
protect the Arlington Experimental
Farm, the Washington Airport and
adjacent highway and railroad rights
Of way.
The data already gathered, together
with other figures which have been
promised, will be used to determine
whether an actual survey will be made
Of the river basin in preparation for
q report to Congress.