Evening star., 1937-12-11
OFFICIALS PLEDGE
FLOOD RELIEF AID
Mass Meeting Told BIadens.
burgz Project Is "First
on the List"
By stafI Correspondent OF The Star.

b. Stan Correspondent OF The Star.
BLADENSBURG, Md, Dec. Ii
Assurances that the metropolitan area
Of Prince Georges County is first on
the list Of flood control projects to be
undertaken by the War Department"
as soon as funds are made available
were given by Senator Millard E. Tyd-
ings here last night.
Speaking before a mass meeting
called by the Bladensburg Board of
Town Commissioners, in the high
school here, Senator Tydings declared
"the biggest hurdle" had been taken
when Army engineers reported IA
vorably on the project following a
survey. The next step, he said, will
be cost survey, which will be under
taken when Congress votes sufficient
funds.
Senator Tydings said he hoped funds
will be made available for the survey
before Congress takes the Christ
mas recess"
1000 at Meeting.
Pointing to the Passamaquoddy tide
and Florida ship canal projects to
illustrate how such venture can
fail without an adequate cost survey.
the senior Senator from Maryland as
serted it would be unwise to rush into
this thing"
More than 1000 residents of the
area around Bladensburg sat in the
school auditorium for more than four
hours while a score Of speakers re-
ported on various plans for relief from
flood dangers, damage to health and
property and on progress made in the
long fight for control of the tributaries
of the Anacostia River. Vincent A.
Osterman, president of the town COM
missioners, presided.
Flood control was advocated by the
three candidates for the Democratic
nomination for Governor. They were
Lansdale G. Sasscer, president of the
Maryland Senate; Mayor Howard w.
Jackson OF Baltimore, and Herbert r.
O'Conor, attorney general.
Sasscer Suggests Committee.
Mayor Jackson said Baltimore
stands ready and willing to do her
part" with the necessary funds. He
said the city is vitality interested in
controlling the food waters because
they retard the flow Of traffic between
the North and South.
Senator Sasscer suggested appoint
ment Of standing committee COM
posed of officials OF the various towns
in the area and State and Govern
ment officials to coordinate action.
Without exception, the speakers laid
the responsibility for flood control on
the Federal Government.
Senator George L. Radcliffe con-
CURED in the opinion OF Senator
Tydings that the start Of the project
depended only on the voting OF funds
by the Congress, and promised ais
full cooperation in getting tnese
funds"
Plan Being Drawn.
T. Howard Duckett, chairman OF the
Washington Suburban Sanitary Com
mission and member of the Maryland
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission, said the latter organiza-
ton is now formulating a plan for
flood control at the request of the War
Department District engineer, Maj. W.
D. Luplow.
Other speakers included Mr.. Oster-
man, Mayor John N. Torvestad of Col
mar Manor, George N. Palmer, chair
man of the Maryland National Capital
Park and Planning Commission;
Thomas S. Settle, secretary Of the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission; DR.. A. B. Hooton, Prince
Georges County health officer; DR.. j.
F. Bogardus, secretary Of the Pennsyl-
vania Forest and Waters Commission;
Representatives Stephen w. Gambrill,
T. Alan Goldsborough, Vincent L Pal
misano and Ambrose j. Kennedy;
Smith w. Purdum, Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General; John S. White
and Charles c. Marbury, members OF
the Maryland House Of Delegates:
Harry w. McNamee, president Of the
Prince Georges County Board of Com
missioners.
Mrs. Edna Pitts, member County
Board Of Education; Folsom B. Taylor,
president Of the United States High
way No. l Association, and S. w. GAL
loway, vice president Of the Baltimore
& Ohio Railroad.