The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-01-03

carry Ii out, that the work may be commenced as soon
the spring opens.
IL is we'll known that great numbers of strangers are
attracted To this city in pursuit Of different objects Many
Of them taken sick and a few are destitute OF tho
means OF procuring the of life and medical
treatment Ii would be unjust for the city be sadded
with the expense of taking OF this class Of persons
To provide Ion its destitute sick Is much be
expected Of it, Congress- actuated by humane and be-
neyolent spirit annually makes appropriation for the
admission Of eighteen sick resident paupcn in the
Washington lntnnary, where they well provided with
every necessary comfort, good and skiliu ply
scans 1t will be perceived reference to the report
Of the resident physan hereto appended that during
the year ending the 30t OF June last hundred and
nineteen patients nsdicslly treated in this nsu
ton the charity Of tho government Of which number
eighty nine discharged cured or improved only
eleven died. and nineteen still remained under treatment
1t is useless to make any comments upon this report
tells for itself of the great amount Of human suffering
leved and of human life preserved This field OF benevo
lence might be greatly enlarged by increased appropr
alton, have vastly more applications for admls
sion than the number have the right TO send to the In
Urinary Judging the favor with which this charity
has heretofore been regarded by Congress- have every
believe that the sphere OF its usefulness will be
chcerully extended.
The drainage the city Il mainly accomplished above
ground and tho consequence is the streets
flowed whenever there heavy fall Of rain, from the
ncapaty OF the cutters TO receive and carry of the vast
quantity of water that seeks outlet through them
1t almost impossible to keep streets clean that sub
ect 10 be overowed and the sediment which IL loft In
them when the w4er OIL becomes offensive to
the smell exposure to the The fact IL well
tablished that countries liable TO nundatiOn gener
ally sickly owing the auvial deposits and the
might reasonably be expected 10 produce disease in
cities Washington, however to be exception
to the rule Of induction for, notwithstanding the fire.
quent overflow of the streets from heavy rains medical
statistics prove beyond doubt that it Is one of the
heahest cities In the country To obyiate tho nconve
nence resulting from the Overlooking of the Streets and
to prevent the possibility of sickness arising from this
cause jucoas system Of sewerage should be adopted
and carried into effect In most of large cities great
attention has been bestowed upon the arrangement and
construction of Sewers and they have rsaped the benefit
of them in the publication of the atmosphere and
ponding improvement IN health The government has
sructed several large sewers thscy and the corporation
like number but still there great deficiency for the
wants the CITY, has already been done in the way
speedy attention should be given to the subject not only
for sanitary purposes but TO provide for the disposal of
the reatyncressed quantity of water that will be used
for bathing washing pavemcnts cleaning Streets and
other similar objects when the aqEeduct shall have been
finished and shall introduce into the city abundant
supply from the Great Falls of the Potomac.
To construct the necessary sewerage will require large
outlay money and considering the interest the United
States in property in the city, tmay be deemed but
lust that the government should bear fair proportion OF
the expense 1t is potnt that Congress should take this
provide in some way for its accomplishment.
hereto append statement of receipts and cxpendi-
lures for the fiscal year ending June 80, 1851 s
Very respectfully, your obodient servant
A8y ~ ~ JNO. B. BLAKE,
"a a8Haf Commissioner.
Hon JACOB THOMPSON
Secretary of the Interior