Evening Star Newspaper, December 2, 1895, Page 9

San Philad | Mted increase In the ee THE DISTRICT (Continued from First Page.) gress of September 27, 1890 (U. S. Stats. at L., vol. 26, p. 492), was repaid to the United States, with the interest due on the enttre $600,000, with which the District was charged. The interest amounted to $27,000. Floating Debt. Under the organic law of the present Dis- trict government, which prohibits the mak- ing of any expenditure or incurring of any obligation unless pursuant to authority pre- viously granted by Congress, the floating’ indebtedness is substantially limited to judgments of the ccurts rendered after the passage of the appropriation laws, and small amounts needful to give effect to re- quirements of law. The District was also under obligation at the close of the fiscal year to receive in payment of general and spectal taxes $11,- OS4.17 of drawback certificates issued for rebate on special assessments. Rate of General Tax. The rate of general tax for the year was fixed, pursuant to law, at $1.50 on each $100 for all taxable personal property and for all real property, except that used sole- ly for agricultural purposes, the rate of which was $1 per $100 of assessed vaiua- tion. General Assessment of Real Property. Under the provisions of the act of Con- gress “To provide an immediate revision and an equalization of real estate values in the District of Columbia,” et¢., approved August 14, 1894, James A. Bates, S. T. G. Morsell and J. Harrison Johnson were, on the 16th day of August, 1894, appointed members of the rermsanent board of as- sessors. This board entered at once upon its work, and it is confidently believed that the result fs a satisfactory valuation for as- sessment purposes of the real properties of the District. The amount of work to be done by this board in making the assessment of real property in the District of Columbia, on which it is now engaged, is so extensive that it will be impracticable for them to complete the assessment of the entire Dis- trict in time for the collection of taxes based thereon within the period now pre- scribed by law. It is believed that by ex- traordinary exertion on the part of the as- sistant assessors the assessment for the city of Washington may be completed by the first Monday in April, 1896, instead of the first Monday in January as now re- quired, but so far as can now be fore- seen the dssessment of the portion of the District outside of said city cannot be fin- ished until long after that time. The Com- inissioners will, therefore, be under the necessity of requesting Congress to ex- tend the time for completing the assess- Tent in Washington until the first Mon- day in April, 1896, and in that portion out- side of Washington until the first Monday in September, 185, and make the collec- tion of the tax for the latter section pay- able in one installment during the month of May, 1897. They have prepared a joint resolution to effect that result and will submit it to Congress early in the coming session. Defects in the Tax Sule System. By a decision of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, in the case of John H. Brewer agt. the District of Colum- bia et al., Equity No. 9513, decided No- vember 1, 1886, In the Supreme Court of d District (th Mackey’s Reports, p. 4 et seq.), the District has been deprived of a large amount of money derivable from taxes. The substance of this decision is that a deed of property made in pusuance ale for arrears of taxes for any cer- passes the property involved to vhaser, discharged of the liens of remaining due and unpaid at the sale, so far as the District is . Many persons take advantage is rule and omit to pay their taxes, thus imposing undue burdens upon_ those thelr taxes promptly. A Wall, H igned to remedy this defect, 3 ed in the House of Represen- tatives. Commissioners will, during the present session, again submit a bill em- Lodying their views on this subject. An essential fault in the existing law re- lating to tax sales is the peremptory re- quirement that at the expiration of two ycars from the date of the sale of a piece of real estate for overdue taxes the Com- missioners must, on demand of the owners of the tax sale certificate, issue a deed for the property. As the deed carries with it a clear title against any claim of the Dissrict for taxes due prior to its issue, it is a ton- venient agency for the evasion of the pay- Iment of back taxes. The bill prepared by the Commissioners proposes to correct the statute by providing that no tax deed shall Be issued until all taxes appearing on the tax books against the property embraced in the deed, with the penalties, interest and costs, including the taxes for any years for whic District shall have purchased ee SPRCHaRey at tax sale, shall have been paid. Reassessment of Invalidated Taxes. The Commissioners again invite attention to the importance of legislation giving them authority to reassess general and special taxes which have been rendered uncollectable by judicial rulings upon grounds of technical errors in the assess- ™ents or in some of the preliminary steps in connection therewith. The amount of zevenue lost to the District from such rul- ings is so great as to threaten serious em- ment to the municipal interests In- and the evil will not only continue, but will indefinitely expand, unless the nec- y legislation be interposed. Hills for { conferring this power upon gioners have been submitted to . with urgent recommedations for their enactment, but nore of them have become Inw. A draft of a bill designed to remedy this deficiency in the law will soon be submitted to Congress. Municipal Building and Court House. In June, 1895, the offices of the District government, theretofore quartered in the building upon Ist street northwest, were mo to the larger building upon Lou- t avenue between 42 and 6th street: northwest. The r rented quarters a far more ¢ fent to the public and more ipit purposes than any it was found 1 possible to acc jodate in them the si veyor, the attorney, the inspectors of fuel, flour, lumber, ete., or the large accumula- tion of old records pertaining to the pres- ent and to former acimintstrations, After having secured the most available building which could be had, the ers found that some depart- re provided with only Hmited ac- ions. The rooms assigned tu the artment and to some others are 1 inconvenience is dd by taxpayers, who assemble Mtice of the collector of taxes in ambers at and near the close of month. The Commissioners, there- earnestly rerew their recom- for an a priation to begin tion of a building for municipal ew of the fact that the courts of the re lly accommodated in the old uilding, they are of opinion that vuilding, having two separate parts, should be erected on Judiciary square, upon and a nt to the site of the city hall, for pee uses of the courts and of the municipal- ty ‘The Commisstoners are informed that the cost of the city hall buildings in certain of the reed cities of the United States was as follow 8,000,000 5,000,000 14,000,000 building for the combined uses of the courts and of the municipality which The Keeutes the will of the Co: United States as to District be in ke Mtal, ar vol ss of the fairs should ning with the dignity of the cap- its proper construction would in- st of about ommissicners ea nesuly recommend an appropriation of $100,000 for the begin- ping of tne construction of such a buitd- ng. f Fire Depariment. The fire department has during the past fiscal year fully nta 1 the high rec- ord of ef ency which has characterized its work, The Commissioners renew thelr recom- mendation for an increase of fifteen per centum fn the pay of this fc THE EVENING STAR, MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1895-SIXTEEN PAGES. 9 —— compensation approximate the amounts paid for like services in other cities. Public Schools. The annual report of the superintendent shows chat the public schools are in a satisfactory condition. Their growth 1s ccmmensurate with or greater than that of the population of the city, while their ef- ficiency increases correspondingly: The Commissioners ask for a continuation of the generous action of Congress in a full appreciation of the needs of the schools for the sake of the city itself and in consider- ation of the desirableness of maintaining in the capital city a system of education that shall be a model of efficiency and related economy. The record before us shows that in round numbers 45,000 pupiis attended the schools, about 3,000 of whom were enrolled in the night schools. Of these 45,000 per- scns more than 3,000 were enrolled in the High Schools, including those in the night High Schools. The Commissioners are pleased; first, with the value of the schools themselves, and second, with the estimate that the citi- zens of the District place on education and with the apparent gratification they mani- fest in the results secured by these schools, demanding as they do so large a portion of the revenue of the District for their maintenance. But the Commissioners de- sire to call your attention, and that of Congress, to the economy with which the affairs of the schools of the District are administered. Although text books and other articles necessary for use in gaining an education are furnished to all pupils be- low the High Schools, and although the schools provide diverse courses of instruc- tien, including sequential lines of physical, manual and business training, sulted to the wishes of varied opinions on the parts of Parents and guardians, the annual per capi- ta cost of instruction is below that of most of the large cities of the United States maintaining efficient and satisfactory sys: tems of education. Civil Service the District. Inasmuch as the affairs of the District of Columbia should be conducted upon the principles and in the menner applicable to other large business interests, and especial- ly In view of the fact that Its government is non-partisan in character, reasons which enforce the civil service system for the federal government apply in a higher de- gree to this municipality. During the past fiscal year the Commis- sioners began a system of competitive ex- aminations for clerical, professional and police duties, the results of which have been of such a satisfactory character that they have been confirmed in their belief in the efficiency of that system. But haviug no funds at their command for the expenses attendant upon the many kinds of examinations which are required, the Commissioners believe that the District should be fully included within the pur- view of the gereral law, and they purpose to urge the necessary legislation therefor at the approaching session of Congress. Street Clenning. The operations of the department of sprinkling, sweeping and cleaning streets, avenues, alleys and suburban streets are stated in detail in the accompanying re- port of the superintendent of that serv- ice, During the fiscal year 1895 the area cleaned amounted to 289,553,181 square yards, au increase of over 41,000,000 square yards over the area cleaned in the fiscal year 18%. The contract price is 24 1-4 cents per 1,000 square yards. Owing to the limited amount of the ap- Propriation for the past year, about 1,000,000 square yards could be cleaned only once a week, all of which should have been cleaned more frequently. The Com- missioners have therefore estimated for an additional appropriation for this serv- ice of about twenty thcusand dollars for the year 1897; and for ten thousand dol- lars for the moval of snow and ice, un- der the provisions of the act approved March 2, 1805, The existing contract for the street cleaning by sweeping machines will ex- pire June 30, 1897. The Superintendent of Chariti The Commissioners transmit herewith the interesting and comprehensive report of the superintendent of charities for the year. The fullness and interest of this report make It a valuable contribucion to the offi- cial exhibits and discussions of the import- ant subject of which it treats. i Metropolitan Pelice. There has been a gratifying increase in the appearance and efficiency of the force during the past year, and, as stated by the major and superintendent, “it is common report that the District police force pre- sents a neater uniform inspection than any other in the country."" The following new paragraphs were added to the manual, which, together with the adoption of strict clyll service rules in ap- pointments and promotions, have assisted materially in reaching the present high standard: “The lieutenant of each precinct will keep a daily record of the efficiency of each sergeant and private in his precinct, based upon daily reports from the sergeants and his own observations, and once a week he will make a consolidated report of this rec- ord to the major and superintendent. This record will show each sergeant or private to be ‘efficient,’ highly efficient or ‘ineffi- cient,’ as the case may be. Promotions to the second class will only be made from those who have been rated as ‘highly efficient’ for at least one year. “The major and superintendent will make a consolidated monthly report of the efli- elency of the force to the Commissioners, and will recommend for removal such mem- bers of the force as have been found contin- uously ‘inetlicient.’” “In making up the record for efficiency, carelessness in dress, demeanor and ap- pearance while on duty and neglect to ob- serve the requirements of the manua! will be taken into consideration. “Drinking intoxicants in bar rooms or oth- er public places while on or off duty will be sufficient cause for removal from the force, ‘There has been a marked decrease in the Offenses of intoxication and “hoodling,” Gue partly to the amendments to the man- ual and largely to increased vigilance on the part of the superintendent and his of- ficers. Next to the health department, this department comes nearer to the peo- ple than apy other, and is second to none in its importance. Protection to life and property are its chief duties, but it has many other important duties, all of which are performed with credit to the force and satisfaction to the public. The intelligent and exhaustive report of the major and superintendent gives a clear account of the operations of his department, accom- panied by important recommendations which have the earnest approval of the Commissioners. The Commissioners again call attention to the fact that the increase in the force has not kept pace with the increase in the population and the almest daily increase in the duties which devolve upon it. Buffalo, with a population but little fn excess of that of Washington, has a larger force by more than ane hundred, while Chicago, Philadelphia and other large cities have a much greater force in proportion to population and area. The necessity for the increase asked for by the major and superintendent is urgent and imperative. Health Department, The report of the health officer is an tm- portant and comprehensive document. It is a clear and concise statement of the oper- aticns of his department, accompanied by valuable statistics, and contains important recommendations, upon which the Commis- sioners urge favorable action by Congress. ‘There has been a gratifying improvement in the general health conditions, with few exceptions, and a continued decline in the death rate, which was the lowest in twenty years, both for white and colored popula- uon. The number of deaths from all causes was 5,565, a decrease of 474 from the previous year, and a decline in the death tate frem 22.73 to 20.57. The decrease in the death rate per 1,000 from 1876 to 1895 was m 40.78 to 28.18 for colored, and from 19.54 to 16.07 for white population. In noting the great decline in the death rate among the colored population, Dr. Wood- ward says: “It is a matter of regret, how- ever, that it remains so high, and is so potent a factor in maintaining a high gen- eral death rate for the District.” This is the most important and signifi- cant fact revealed by this valuable report, and should be pondered well by all who desire to aid in lowering the death rate in this District. *The low mortality rate among the white population, comparing favorabiy as it does with that of the most favored cities in the world, only serves to emphasize the other more alarming fact that, notwithstanding the reduction im the death rate among the colored population © IS76 of 12.60 per 1,000, it is still 11.21 1,0 or sixty-six per cent in excess of that for the white population, which ac- counts for the high general death rate for the District. Moreover, it is almost of equal significance that the average age of all colored decedents during the preceding.fif- teen years was twenty-two years and seven months, while the average of all white de- cedents during the said period was thirty- three years and seven months. The deaths from zymotic diseases number 1,036, of which 455 were colored. Less than one-third of the total population, it thus ap- pears, furnished nearly one-half the victims of this class of diseases. Washington, with its broad, well-paved streets and superior natural advantages, ought to be the healthi- est large city in the world, and to show the lowest rate of mortality. That it falls short of its proper place in these respects is estab- ished conclusively by comparison with sev- eral large cities of Europe, nor can this fact be disproved by its lower death rate than that of New York, Boston and some other large American cities, which, to their dis- credit, show a much higher mortality record than many European cities. The eighth re- port of the commissioner of labor and Albert Shaw's “Municipal Government in Conti- nental Europe” show reductions in the death rate of large cities, as follows: London, from 24.4 in 1870 to 40.5 in 1990: Edinburgh, from 26.26 in 1874 to 17.51 in 1890; Copenhagen, frrm 24 in 1884 to 18.7 in 1804 Stockholm, from 24.6 in 1884 to 18.3 in 1894; Paris, to 20 in 1894; Holland, from 25 in 1870 to 19.1 in 1893; Amsterdam, from 24 in 1884 to 18.3 In 18; The Hague, from 19.1 in 1803 to 189 in 1894; Brussels, from 25 in 1876 to 18.1 in 1894; Hamburg, from 30 in 1865 to 20 ia 1894; Rome, from 30 in 1876 to’ 19.4 in 1994; Antwerp, to 19 in 1894. The value of these statistics cannot be overestimated. They show what has been accomplished, not in one, but in a dozen cities, larger and more densely populated than Washington, and under more unfay- orable conditions than exist here, by an intelligent application of proper sanitary methodse They prove beyond controversy ; thas our death rate is too high, and that it can be reduced to 17 per 1,000. This means that, on the basis of’ our present population, we are sacrificing at least 1,000 lives per annum by neglecting the means so successfully used in saving Hfe in other cities. Can we afford to con- tinue this sacrifice any longer than abso- lutely necessary? With our superior nat- ural advantages we ought to be able to ac- complish what has been done under such great disadvantages in Amsterdam and The Hague. Mr. Shaw, in speaking of this, gays: “With a harsh and capricious climate, and with great difficulties in the way of thorough drainage and a satisfactory sup- ply of water, it is nothing short of a bril- ant triumph of sanitary science and en- lightened raunicipal administration that Holland {fs able to accommodate half a mil- lion additional inhabitants every decade, without further aggravating any of the evil consequences of overcrowding, but, on the contrary, with steady improvement in the average healthfuiness and social well- being.”” The tables furnished by the health office not only show the ugly fact that our death rate is much higher than that of the large cities mentioned, but they also show in a striking manner why, and pcint to the remedy. A death rate among the colored race, rumbering almost one-third of the popu- lation, of 66 per cent in excess of the death rate of the entire white population of near- ly_ 200,000, and a reJatively less duration of Hfe of 33 per cent, if not strange, is none the less alarming, and calls for heroic treatment. From this class come most of our servarts, who have free access into al- Trost every house in the District, and thus the opportunity to scatter the seeds of con- tagion everywhere. This fact was striking- ly illustrited by the recent smallpex epi- demic and emphasizes the appeal to Con- gress to grant the needed legislation, and to the courts to assist the Commissioners in enforcing rigidly all laws end regula- tions framed to preserve the public health. So-called private or individual rights should give way to the rights of the public, and autocratic power, if necessary, vested in the Commissioners in all matters conce: ing the health of the community. All good citizens will cheerfully yield prompt ac- quiescence to all measures adopted for the preservation of the public health, and all others should be compelled to do so. Under the head of Disposal of Refuse Dr. Woodward points out some of the most prolific causes of our large death rate and the remedy therefor: “The most important items in the main- tenance of the health of the community are pure air, pure water, soil free from pol- lution and a pure food supply. The purity and cleanliness of these depends largely upon the prompt and proper removal of all kinds of refuse matter, including excre- ment, garbage, ashes and general refuse. “Excrement.—This Is now accomplished by means of box-privies or water-closets. The former method is in many instances rendered necessary by the absence of any sewer available for the premises on which the privy exists. “It is not necessary to explain the im- portance of sewers or to give a detailed statement of the localities where they are needed. It may be broadly stated that they are needed in every part of the District, and especially in our rapidly growing sub- urbs, as Brightwood, Tenleytown, Takoma Park, Brookland and others. It is greatly to be hoped that some general system of sewers will be constructed and in operation before an epidemic of cholera or a further increase in our already too high typhoid fever death rate occurs to emphasize the need of such a measure.” These recommendations of the health offi- cer, important and urgent as they are, can- not be carried out except to a limited ex- tent until a system of intercepting sewers and sewerage disposal and protection against floods be constructed In accordance with the plans recommended by the board of sanitary engineers in their report to Congress upon the sewerage of the District of Columbia in July, 1890. (Ex. Doc. No. 445, Fifty-first Congress, first session). Partial appropriations have been made to begin this work, but provision for its com- pletion shovld be made at the earliest prac- ticable moment. This is the foundation of any comprehensive sewer system, and de- lay in executing the entire work will per- petuate if not increase existing evils which figure as potent factors in our high death rate. It wus the very work contemplated by this plan for improving the health of Washington which was done at great ex- pense in Berlin, and which, with a filtered water supply, was largely the cause of the remarkable reduction in the death rate of that city. Dr. George M. Koler, who, by request of the Commissioners and the health officer, has, since September 19, been investigating typhoid fever in this District, has just sub- mitted his report. He A most conservative estimate demon- strates ihat the number of cases of typhoid fever for the four months ending October 31 was scarcely less than 795. * . . . . . . Sewers will not, however, serve their pur- pose unless the owners of abutting property can be made to connect such property with them, and to replace box privies with prop- er water closets. A law should be speedily enacted to ac- complish this purpose. Since sewers are constructed chiefly at public expense the government should require that their use be not neglected by the individual to the detriment of the community. Until the recommendations in the preced- ing paragraph are carried into effect {t is well to rly recognize the existence threughout the District of an_ indefinite number of privies constantly polluting the atmosphere, and, in many instances, the soil and the well water. Since these essarily exist, for some time, at should be regulated by proper law place or to supplement those now in force. The present law is defective in that it does not require that the privy shall be placed upon an impervious foundation, and so that it can be thoroughly inspected. A box half buried in the ground may leak around the bottom, and such leak pass undiscovered al- most indefinitely. Another defect in the present law is the omission of any require- ment for a permit for the erection of a privy. The result is that owing to the small force of inspectors allowed to this department many defective privies exist for a long time without being discovered and inspected. The present system of cleaning privies is radically bad, making it to the interest of the housenolders, from an economical standpoint, to have them cleaned as seldom as possible. The result Is that in. many ses they are allo: to overflow and be- come foul and filthy, and that the contents. of the chamber utensils are sec posited in the neares' the {mperfectly flushed sewer in the yard. The m {s analogous to a system of garbage disposal, requiring the household- ers to remove and dispose of garbage at their own expense, and is about as bad. It need be no more expensive to the aver- age householder, and would be far better from a sanitary point of view, to levy a tax on privies, the income to be applied to the retly de- sewer or in maintenance of a public scavenger servic By such a system every privy in the Dis- trict of Columbia would be numbered and {ts location known. It would be cleaned and at the same time inspected at regular intervals by government employes, any de- fects being quickly discovered and correct- ed. Owners of rented property could, if they desired, collect the privy tax from tenants by andine eothe rent, as is now usually done in of water rent. His report in full, containing important conclusions and w?eegmmendations, is ap- pended to the repbrt Of the health officer. If anything further should be needed to illustrate the m by immediate action by Congress in provitiing the means to pro- tect the public . We have it in the statement of the , th officer that— “The entire number of nuisances inspect- ed during the year was 21,423, an increase of 1,193 over the year previous. The prin- cipal ones were as follows: Privies. full, filthy, leaky, unl&wfully located, etc., 10,- 909, an increase oF 6,102; filthy yards, 2,240, decrease of 1,003; defective sewers, public and private, 933, @ @ecrease of 464; defec- tive surface drainage, 550, a decrease of 1,000; filthy and unwhoilesome stables, 223, a decrease of 83, and hog pens, 25, a de- crease of 53. Alleys were reported as filthy in 424 Instances, an increase of 203 over lest year.” ‘destruction of the poor is their poverty,” it is also, in these matters, the destruction of the rich. It fs the poor that are forced into damp, overcrowded, un- wholesome tenements, without sewerage or water, and are with insufficient light and ventilation, but-it)is generally the cupidity of the rich that forces them into such un- healthy quarters. It is usually the wealthy landlord or his agent who takes advantage of the defects in the law, and refuses to obey it, to the imminent danger of the life of the poor tenant and the whole communt- ty. ‘The city of Berlin found it necessary to prohibit the erection of houses on unsew- ered lots, and to provide by law that at least one-third of the lot area shall be left vacant fer light and ventilation, and simi- lar laws have been adopted in all of the large cities mentioned ‘as one of the means for reducing the mortality rate. The Commissioners several months ago adopted a similar regulation, which has met with great opposition from speculative builders, particularly the owners of corner lots. It is, however, rigidly enforced. Overcrowding is an evil so prolific of dis- ease, that it should be prevented at any cost. Expropriation is an expensive but often the only 1emedy for neglect to en- force proper sanitary conditions at the out- set. It has cost European cities millions of dollars to remedy early mistakes in this and we should profit by their ex- Formerly there was no law in respect, perienc of speculators regulted jn the erection of a large number of badly constructed and insanitary tenements in narrow alleys. These alleys pre now principal sources of disease and crime, and we are paying the penalty, and a large one it is, for neglect to prevent this fungus growth. Congress some years ago wisely prohibited the erec- tion of dwellings on alleys less than thirty feet in width. This law has checked the evil, but has not eradicated it. The records of the health office and the Police Court show how costly these pest spots are to maintain. Provisions shouid be made for discontinuing their use as dwellings. The building regulations are being re- vised by the building inspector, assisted by a competent committee of architects and experienced builders, who have generously given their valuable time for the purpose, without compensation. The best features of the regulations in force in all of the principal cities of the world will be adopted, so that no badly constructed or insanitary buildings can be erected after the new regulations go into force. Isolation Hospital. Among our most pressing needs, the ab- sence of which is a continual reproach up- on the District, as“Dr. Woodward aptly says, “not for the care of the sick so much as the protection ofthe well, rich as well as poor,” fs an isolation hospital. “Repeated, unsuccessful efforts were made to secure a suitable site until June, when lots 6, 7, 22 and 23, block 3, 8 subdivision, were pur- for the purpose, the entire cost 74.50. These lots contained 30,000 nd were situated between Bis- Princeton sireets, 7th street rman avenue. site was rendered unayailable by the following clause {9 the last appropriation act: “That hereafter no other butlding fi a public or private hospi us diseases ghall be € District of Columbia within 30) feet of any building owned by a private Individual or any other patty than the one erecting the building. “The site almeady purchased could not be used on account of this law. There was ro inoney availavie for the purchase of a new site. The distance of the hospital from ad- jacent builditrs, as fixed by law, 300 feet, is unnecessarily great, but if an appropria- tion be granted large enough to secure the recessary site in a location not too remote from the city, the amount of ground re- quired will add greatly to the beauty of the institution and the comfort of the inmates. It will require, however, a tract containing not less than fifteen acres, and unless ground can be secured exactly adapted to the purpose, a greater area. “This, with the hospital bulldings and equipment, will necessitate an appropria- tion of about $100,000. If the distance from the adjacent buiidings be fixed at forty feet, which is ample, a site containing about four acres will be sufficient, and the ccst will be proportionately reduced.” The Commissiorers are of the opinion that"the site selected is an ideal one and might advantageously be used for the pur- pose intended. It possesses the great ad- vantages of considerable elevation, good Urainage, accessibility by two rapid transit street cag lines, as well as being within easy driving d’stance from the center of population. In fact, {t combines in an un- usual degree all of the requisites for such a hospital. To this end they recommend the purchase of all the residue of the land in the square except lots abutting on 7th street and Sherman avenue, which can then be separated from the hospital grounds by alleys, and a modification of the 300 feet limit provision in the last_appropriation act, or an appropriation of $100,000 to pur- chase a site elsewhere. Collection and Disyosal of Garbage and Dead Anim Under the authority contained in the last appropriation act for the District, the Com- missioners have canceled, by consent of the contractor, the then existing contract, and entered into a new contract with Joshua N. Warfield of Maryland to collect and incin- erate all garbage, in accordance with the conditions of said act, for the sum of $57,000 per annum. They “have also made certain regulations prescribing necessary rules for hous#hol/- ers in making garbage accessible, etc., to which they have annexed suitable penalties for violation of the same. A copy of said contract and said regulations is contained in the health officer's report hereto appende 1. After a careful investigation of the dif- ferent methods of garbage disposal by the health officer and the Commssioners, incin- eration was found to be the only perfectly sanitary method in use in this country, and the only one adapted to our present con tfons. It was found that neither the Pennsylvania Railroad Company nor the Baltimore and+ Ohio Railroad Company would haul garbage out of the city, and transportation by river, owing to ice in winter and large excursion travel in summer}:swhen garbage 1s most offensive, has proven uncertain and unsat- isfactory. Moreover, should Washington be visited by an epidemic of cholera or other dangerous disease, we would not be permit- ted to deposit garbage in Virginia or Mary- land, and would, therefore, be without any method of disposing of our garbage at a time when it would be most needed for the pro- tection of the public health, Two crema- tories of most approved types Will be erected. One, the Brown furnace, located on the site of the old reduction:plant at the foot of South Capito! street, is nearly ready for operation, and a furnace of the Smith type will be erected in the northwest section. The Commissioners believe they have se- lected the best system of disposal, and are pleased to note that the reports of recent in- vestigation by the health authorities of Chi- o and other cities confirm them in that view. The contract is the most stringent in its requirements, and adequate system of fines for enforcing the same, of any of which they have any knowledge, and the Commis- joners believe we shall soon have a model garbage service. Wholesale Market Square. ‘The suit of the District against the Wash- ington Market Company for possession of the square between 1th and 12th, Little B and B streets northwest, containing 89,486 square feet, long pending in the courts, was finally decided im favor of the District. The Commissioners took possession of the same on April 1, 189%. At the urgent request of the farmers who ve used the square for a hay and cattle market many years, the Commissioners have fitted it for use as a farmers’ whole- sale produce market, as well as the limited Y use means at their disposal would permit. It is ccntemplated to make additional improve- ments as rapidly as the revenues from the market, or appropriations for the purpose, will allow. Excise Board. The important and delicate duties of the excise board have been performed with in- telligence and due regard to the public in- terests. The knowledge as to the locations of bar rcems and their surroundings gained by this board In the discha-se of their duties as assessors peculiarly fit them to act as an excise board. The Commissioners commend the efforts of the board to prevent the sale of adulter- ated and poisonous liquors, and to reduce the number of bar rooms, and invite atten- tion to their report hereto appended, con- taining valuable information and recom- mendations, which are also approved. Harbor Master. There was used of the $5,000 appropriated for cleaning the river of ice last winter when an ice gorge was imminent the sum of $3,482.69, leaving an unexpended balance of $1,517.31. . This necessary expenditure calls forcible attention to the urgent necessity for a new arbor boat, large enough to serve as an ice boat and fire boat, as well as for polic- ing the harbor. Such a boat is considered indispensable to the proper prevervation of life and property fn all harbors. At pres- ent we are limited to the use of a small tugboat, which, in addition to being old, is almost wholly unsuited to the duty re- quired of it. The Commissioners have in- cluded in their estimates $50,000 for a new boat. Street and Alley Improvements. Nearly 54,000 square yards of sheet or block asphalt were laid on roadways, prin- cipally in Washington. The area of asphalt at the beginning of the fiscal year, includ- ing soms remaining coal-tar pavements, Was about 2,500,000 yards. About 20,- 000 square yards of vitrified block or asphalt block were laid on alleys. The prices for standard sheet asphalt, due to active competition, were the smallest yet obtained, being $1.53 and $1.68 per square yard on four-inch and six-inch con- erete, respectively, exclusive of grading. The prices for asphalt block were $1.78 and $2.25 per square yard, on gravel and con- crete, respectively. The contract prices for 1896 are $1.04 and $2.19 for sheet asphalt and $1.34 and $2.25 for asphalt block per square yard. From each of these prices tive cents should be deducted for comparison with previous years’ prices, since wages of inspectors proportionate to that amount are, by the last specifications, charged against the contract cost. About 8,000 square yards of sheet asphalt were laid upon cobble, old stone or macadam base. It is contemplated to nlake more extended use of existing cobble and old stone pave- ments by covering them with asphalt. The street mileage on July 1, 1895, of smooth pavements was 116.4; of standard granite block or vitrified brick, 29.6; ma- cadam, 16, and cobble or old stone, 14.4. On alleys the mileage of smooth pave- ments was 23.4, and of granite block or cobble, 31.5. The mileage of unimproved streets in Washington was 78.2. Owners of property on many of these streets are urgently demand- ing pavements, o1, at least, grading and regulating. The annual appropriations for street improvements for the last four years, inclusive of 1896, averages $192,000; the average for the preceding four years was $600,000, Now that the laying of water mains and sewers in Washington is well advanced, and since a late law secures the making of service connections with premises when the street is about to be paved, there is additional reason for more rapidly extend- ing the paving than done in the past few years. Nearly 29,000 square yards of concrete walk were laid during the year, or more than the whole amount for the five years preced- ing. The mileage has increased in a little greater proportion than the area on account of the later policy of leaving nearly contin- uous tree spaces on residential streets. The contract price for this pavement was $1414 per square yard; the contract price for 1896 is $1.35 per square yard. About 18,000 square yards have been laid since July 1, 1805. About 20,000 square yards of brick side- walk were laid, at an average cost of sev- enty cents per square yard, and generally upon new or partly improved streets. The assessment and permit law of INM, under which sidewalks are laid and alley improye- ments made, and at half cost to owners of abutting property, has generally proved sat- dsfactory. The repair of pavements—roadway, alley and brick sidewalks—is an extensive work, although effort is made to curtail cuts in pavements to secure excellence of work in tirst construction. : Street Trees and District Parks. The trees along the curbs number about 000; these were partly cared for, the ap- propriation having been too limited for full service. Six hundred and forty new trees were planted, and 580 dead or obstructing trees removed. Special care is taken in selecting, spacing, planting and protecting the trees. The im- pervious pavements are becoming so exten- sive that they retard the growth of the trees. It is considered desirable to give ample tree spaces, cultivate them around ycung trees and improve the spaces between trees; these betterments were made as far us practicable with available funds. Operations of this service are under the advice of a commission of three experienced arvoriculturists, who serve voluntarily, and without compensation, and to whom the public are much indebted for théir aid in establisl ing and preserving the street trees; no other single feature adds more to the beauty, comfort and even healthfulness of Washington. The District has thirty-six small parks, a very few of which have been partly im- proved. It is desired to replan and improve the District park north of the Center Mar- ket, for doing which an amount is included in the estimates for 1897. Water Service. Nearly twenty-five miles of water mains were laid, exclusive of replaced mains along street railway conduits and of connections to fire hydrants and premises. More than one-half of the mains were laid in Washing- ten. A 5,000,000-gallon high-duty pumping en- gine, with two boilers, was furnished and rartly erected at the U street pumping sta- tion, under contract, by the Nordberg Man- ufacturing Company of Milwaukee. The erection of the engine has since been com- pleted, the engine and boilers tested, accept- ed and put in service. New plans and specifications for the high- service reservoir at Fort Reno were drawn. The masonry construction of the reservoir has been commenced since the end of the fiscal year, and is now nearing completion. Additional land was purchased at the U street station for storage ground and future extensions. Plans were drawn and arrange- ments made for the erection of a new stone, brick and metal pump house on the site of the old frame building, without interrupting the pumping. The new pump house ts un- der construction. Forty-seven public wells were abandon- ed and filled, leaving 171 in use on June 30, 1895. Two deep wells were driven, one of which is on the Brightwood road, at Brightwood, and the other at 6th and G streets southwest. Both of the wells were driven to a depth of about 150 feet with six-inch wrought fron pipe, except througn rock. A supply of water of good quality was obtained in each well. The existing public wells are located where they would be of service were the water above sus- picion, and, in that case, would undoubt- edly be a great benefit and comfort to peo- ple who cannot afford to pay water rent cr to buy ice. If polluted shallow wells could be replaced by deep driven ones properly fitted and furnishing good water, much benefit would be conferred. The two experimental driven wells, together with experience from similar wells elsewhere in the District, indicate that good water can generaily be had at a reasonable depth and cost. The estimates for the year 1897 in- clude an item of $10,000 for driven wells, Referring to the ordinary shallow wells, the report of the engineer in charge of the water department properly says: “In any metropolitan district such wells are liable to contamination from sewage and surface drainage, and {t may be con- fidently asserted that sooner or later the water in all of them will become unfit for potable purgoses. Continued efforts are being made ‘to have the water from the public weils in the District frequently ex- amined chemically, and upon the concur- rent showing of two examinations by dif- ferent chemists that the water in any well is 80 contaminaied as to be unfit for use, the well has been closed. These wells are frequently located in close proximliy to sewers and in places that are otherwise insanitary. Since sewers are rarely abso- jutely water tight, all wells near them are surely Hable to contamination with sewage at_no distant time. As a matter of fact, a large percentage of all the wells so far examined have been found to be polluted, and it Is safe to assert that every shallow well in a densely populated metropolitan district is, or soon will be, a menace to the public health.” Twenty-nine water meters were placed on premises during the year, making the num- ber of meters in use at the end of the year, 202. It was desired to extend the meter service for all consumption of water for commercial purpcses, and generally to all large consumers, as the law contem- plates. An objection by the consumers to the introduction of meters is the first cost of good, reliable meters of suilicient ca- pacity. Private ownership of meters has proven unsatisfactory for the public in- terests. To obviate the objection, and to select, own and control the meters, the water department proposed to buy them, only requiring the consumer to pay for erection and maintenance. The controller of the treasury decided, however, that the consumer should, under the law, provide the meter as well es place and maintain it. Rigid measures, as far as legal, were then applied, with the result that since June 30, 1895, 175 additional meters have been put in use. A late decision of the Court of Appeals making watee main assessments invalid where laid by the Commissioners and not by the water registrar, an office which has been vacant for several years, has result- ed in a severe reduction of the expected revenues of the water department, and will thereby curtail intended extensions of the service. The granting of authority in this case to make reassessments appears just to the property owners who have paid their assessments and otherwise prop- er, and may obviate the necessity of an appropriaticn from the general revenues for the aid of the water department. The urgent needs of the water service are a greater supply of water and especicl- ly greater facilities for bringing water to the city, and thus restoring water pressures to what taey were in 1890, when the forty- eight-inch main was laid. The area which ceuld and should be served by gravity is bounded by elevations of about 100 feet. But from lack of sufficient pressure there is a continuing expense of pumpihg for the are& above the eighty-five-feet con- tour. The gravity area is gradually being further contracted from increased draft on the mains and consequent diminution of pressure. Street Lighting and Inspection of Gas and Meters. Proposals were received, after advertise- ment, for lighting the public lamps by min- eral ofl and naphtha only. No proposals were received for gas or electric lighting. A contract was made for naphtha lighting at $17 per lamp per year for burning from forty minutes after sunset to forty min- utes before sunrise, or 3,828 hours per year. Such lamps were substituted for oil lamps previously used. The naphtha lamps are in alleys and outlying districts, and numbered at the end of the year 868. Gas lighting was continued, but not un- der formal contract. The gas companies insisted upon payment of the maximum price, $20.50 per lamp per year fer the min- imum period, 3,000 hours, as named in the appropriation item, with an allowance or deduction from such period of one hour per night for times of lighting and extinguish. ing. The Commissioners offered to make this allowance one-half hour. The offer was declined. The period of full burning of the gas lamps which actually obtained for the year was 2,668 hours, and the num- ber of lamps ai the end of the year was 6,138. ‘The existing service of arc lighting in Washington was likewise continued with- out formal contract. E'ght lamps were acded during the year as nec. sions, making the number in end cf the year 338 The average price paid was a little less than 40 cents per lamp per night, the maximum price named in the appropriaticn act. The time of lighting was reduced in nearly the same ratio below that to which the maximum price applied, viz., from sunset to sunrise, or 4,309 hours per year. 'The gas and electric lighting companies failed to submit bids for the fiscal year 1896. A bid of $20 per lamp per year was ac- cepted for naphtha lighting. This is_an in- crease of $3 over the price for 1895, not- withstanding that the new specifications secured an increased number of lamps of at least 132, and a decrease of period of burning from 3,828 hours to 3,600 hours, with an allowance to the latter period of one-half hour per night. Two thousand seven hundred and thir- teen gas meters were inspected and proved during the year. The average candle pow- er of gas supplied by the Washington Gas Light Company was 19.63 candles; that sup- plied by the Georgetown Gas Light Com- pany was 16.97. Sulphureted hydrogen was found present on many occasions in the Washington gas. This offensive and dele- terious impurity is not Included in the list of impurities named for supervision in the act of 1874 regulating gas works. Excess of ammonia was found in the Georgetown gas eight times, and excess of sulphur twenty-nine times. The Commis- sioners renew their recommendation of last year for the enactment of a bill increasing the quality and candle power of gas in the District, and Nmiting its price to private ccnsumers and in public buildings to $1 per thousand cuble feet. Sewer Department. A feature of last year’s sewer construc- tion was a more extended use of concrete in large sewers. In concrete sewers the In- vert surface is of vitrified brick; the re- mainder of the sewer is entirely of concrete. In eacn case bids were less for the concrete sewer than for the brick sewer. Besides the work of cleaning and repair- ing sewers, replacing obstructed sewers and building relief sewers and main and branch sewers, the following named larger works were constructed: The 6th and 12th street trunk sewers southeast were extended to tidewater. The authorized part of the large Easby’s Point sewer, whose construction has been under the continuing contract system for two years, was substantially completed. This pert extends from the Potomac river at Easby’s Point, passing south of the old ob- servatory site and across the White Lot to th street west and Pennsylvania avenue. he sewer receives sewage and drainage from a territory whose northern limit is at Iowa circle and eastern one at 7th street west, and diverts to the river the principal pert of the sewage_ which was formerly emptied into the 17th street canal. The Rock creek intercepting sewer was extend- ed to the Zoological Park from next below Woodl=y road; construction is now in prog- ress on the part through the park to the outlet of the Piney branch trunk sewer. The last District appropriation act made provision for a part of the Rock Creek and B street interceptor of the adopted plan of sewage disposal for Washington. This part wjll extend from near Q street to G street, ere it will temporarily terminate at the Potomac river. The construction of these links along Rock creek will complete a con- tinuous sewer of large capacity from the Rock Creek Church road to the Potomac river, which will carry the principal part of the sewage now flowing into Rock creek. ‘The estimates for 1897 propose the com- irencement of the Tiber creek and New Jersey avenue high level intercepting sewer of the adopted plan of sewage disposal. This sewer will divert sewage from the James Creek canal. By the scheme thus outlined the condition of the three large open cesspogls in Wash- ington will be much ameliorated; but, after all, the present discomfort and nuisance made by putting sewage in these streams would only be transferred to the harbor front, and would furnish but a partial and ui satisfactory remedy, and for only a part of the present bad situation. The prompt execution of the adopted plan of sewage disposal and protection of the Icw lands of Washington against floods will give a full measure of utility, and be a con- siderable saving of cost below that of con- struction in installments. .At the present rate of progress the execution of the plan would require fifty years, and some of its parts would not be useful until the comple- tion of the whole. Plan of Extension of Highways. The map of the first section, comprising thirty-eight large scale detail sheets for record, was completed and certified and de- livered to the highway commission, ‘to- gether with three index sheets to the map, and an explanatory letter and general maps. The map for record was returned for cer- tain alterations, which were made; the map was then approved in writing by the high- way commissicn, and at once filed and re- corded in the office of the surveyor of the District. Subsequently, a petition was made by the Supreme Court of the District, as required by the highway act, for condemnation of permanent rights of way for the public over all widened or new highways and over reservations shown on the recorded map lying within the forty-seven existing sub- divisions of the first section. This section comprises that part of the District outside of Washington and be- tween Rock creek and the line of North Capitol street. It includes the greater number of the irregular subdivisions of the county and ones where land and improve- ment values are the highest. Much progress has been made in the prep- aration of the plans for all the other sec- tions; those for the second and third sec- tions are well advanced. Frederick Law Olmsted, represented by Messrs. Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot, land- Scape architects, was e! as the law - directs, for aid in preparing the plans, and was assigned the part of the third section lying west of Rock creek and north of Mas- Sachusetts avenue, for preparation of orig- plans. Street Raflways. The Eckingtor and Soldiers’ Home Rail- road Company bullt three branches from G street northwest, on routes authorized by the act approved August 23, 1804, and oper- ates two of the branches by horse power; it has failed to operate the branch from New Jersey avenue to North Capito! street and New York avenue. The Commiss‘oners invited the attention of the Attorney Gen- eral to this failure, April 22, 1805, in view of the fact that whatever action taken in the premises toward maintaining the rights eT public has to be taken through his office. Similar action was taken by the Commis- sioners, May 1, 189%, in reference to the abandonment of the Kenyon street branch of the ishtwood Railway Company. ‘The company afterward resumed operation of the branch. A cat, worked by the electro-magnet‘e system,has been running under the auspices of the Eckington and Soldiers’ Home Com- pany on its North Capitol street track north of New York avenue. The Eckington company’s charter requires that its right to use overhead wires in Washington shall cease July 1, 1895. After some delay, and after instituting objecting measures, the company removed its poles and wires in Washington, except at the eastern end of New York avenue, and has since run horse cars on New York avenue. The Washington and Georgetown Com- pany, now merged into the Capital Traction Company, commenced the construction of a building to contain the union passenger sta- tior required to be built by that company at 36th street between M and Prospect streets; work on the building is still in prog- ress. The extension of the company’s tracks from their former terminus in Georgetown to the union station site has been made. The Columbia company changed its sys- ime to cable of the Broadway, New York, ind. The Metropolitan compeny completed the iretallation on its north and south line of an underground electric system of propul- sion shortly before August 2, 13%, except the part on Florida avenue between th and 7th streets and on 7th street extended; a disagreement, now waiting settlement by the court, occurred between the Metropoli- tan company and the Capital Traction com- pany, formerly the Rock Creek company, as to the joint use of the conduits on Florida avenue. The Metropolitan company is now constructing and has nearly com- Pieted its conduits ard new tracks on the part of its east and west line east of 9th street west. The road beds, tracks, cars and equip- ments of the Columbia mene J and the electric line of the Metropolitan company are first-class; the two systems appear to work satisfactorily. It was required by the permits for construction that the tracks should be laid at approved iocations and the rails and conduit structures should Net project above the pavement surface, in order to reduce obstruction to travel. The Washington and Great Falls com- pany finished che buiiding of tts road from Georgetown to the District line shortly after last August. The company’s charter ces not require that its tracks or cars enter the union passenger station, but fixes the route on Prospect street, beginning at the station; therefore, the Comnissioners have located a single track for this com- pany east of 36th street and close to the curb along the front of the station build- ing; passengers will have to sross the side- walk, enter the station through a covered Way at the Prospect street level and de- scend to the M street level by elevator. The law requiring reciprocal transfers be- tween street railroads whose lines connect is not complied with where the connecting railroads compete for traffic in the same territory. The additional fare, where one is charged, for the reciprocal transfer is 2 cents. As authorized by a provision in the Dis- trict appropriation act of 184 the Commis- sioners adopted a list of certain fenders for mechanical motor cars, and made regula- tions to enforce the use of the .enders; these regulations are now very generally complied with. The adopted fenders consist of a front pick-up fender and an automatic wheel guard; the latter hangs near to the pave- ment and falls to a close and tirm contact with it when tripped. Since the introduction of the fenders eight persons have been saved fro mat least serious injury by the pick-ups, and oe person was saved by the wheel guard. A child fell on the track behind the wheel guard ie suffered injury which resulied in death. Grade Crossings of Steam Railroads. The recommendation in the last report is renewed, viz, that a law be enacted compel- ling steam railroad companies to change their track crossings from grade levels, in Washington, within two and a half years, and in the county within five years, upon plans subject to the approval of the Commis- sione! So as known, no action was taken by any/of the steam railroads in the District towards changing the elevation of their tee from that of the street or road cross- Notwithstanding precautions of fences, gates, watchmen or signals, accidents con- Unue to occur, by which persons traveling on the public highways are mangled to death by passing trains. The list of accidents and rarrow escapes is appalling. The stoppage by trains of street traffic is a matter of serious inconvenience and loss to the public. ———.__. A WONDERFUL LIGHT. a Power Equal to 250,000,000 Candles. From Spare Moments. In the lamphouse of the government lighthouse station at Tompkinsville, Staten Island, is housed the most wonderful light in the world. The light itself stands fif- teen feet high, the face of its bull’s-eye is rine feet across and its lenses are as much as four inches thick. It is capable of flashing a ray of light equivalent to the power of 250,000,000 candies, and the dis- tance from which it can be seen on clear nights is practically limited only by the curvature of the earth. The flash will have the intensity and blinding glare of a stroke of lightning. That part of the light which revolves weighs fifteen tons and so exquisite is the mechanism by which it is moved that the pressure of fingers will turn it. A child could control the machinery, and the mo- tive power which propels it is a single bit of clockwork incased in a box two feet square. The light consists of two concave discs about elght and one-half feet in diameter. These discs are placed back to back about a foot apart, and in position look like tremendous double convex magnifying lenses, so large that they could not be cast in two single pieces, and had to be built up in segments, and the whole strung together cn a great iron skeleton. And this, in point of fact, is precisely the case. Back to back, the lenses inclose a hol- low interior, into which is thrust a pow- erful electric light. This light of itself is about 7,000 candle power. When its light is projected through these huge magni- fying prisms its power is intensified more than 35,000 times. It is altogether beyond the human imag- ination to grasp the possible effect of 250,- 000,000 candles, which is the illuminating power of this new lighthouse wonder. At the present time the finest of] lamp which ingenuity has been able to devise may be seen on a clear night some thirty-five or forty miles at sea. The new Nght may be seen at a point 120 miles away. eee A Savage's Contempt for Clothing. From the Westininster Gazette, The kafir’s contempt for clothing is the occasion for a nuisance against which the inhabitants of the eastern portion of Cape Colony used often to complain. Now, it seems the people of Buluwayo are suffering from a similar grievance. A few inches of leather flappings girt about his loins satisfy his ideas of every-day dress. The Matabele Times holds that this attire .s altogether insufficlert, and suggests that the sanitary board should take up the sub- ject and prohibit kafirs from coming into the town unless they are properly clothed. So does “civilization” slowly make way. ——_—__— Rev. A, Henrich and his wife of Platte Center, Neb., were asphyxiated by gas from their hard coal stove Thursday night. Sev- eral children reside in Denver and have been notified.