Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-05-16
SECOND EDITION,
THREE O'CLOCK r. n.
THE SANITARY CONDITION OF THE
CITY.
IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS BY COM.
MISSION OF INSPECTION DESIGNA-
TED BY THE WAR DEPARTMENT.

A commission consisting of Col. ID. B. Saeket,
Inspector General, u. s. A., and DIR. r. HI.
Coolidge, Medical Inspector u. S. A, designa-
ted by the War Department to confer that suit
able measures may be taken to prevent the ap.
pearance OF pestilence during the coming
summer from the many sources Of disease that
exist around this city and its suburbs danger
Gus to the troops in the city and vicinity, have
made report embodylng many valuable sug-
gestions and recommendations
They report that they had an interview with
the Mayor, who expressed his readiness to do
all in his power to improve the sanitary eondi-
ton Of the city, and VINO informed them as to
the action already taken by the city authorities
to that end.
The Commission afterwards went on a tour
OF inspection, aud report first in relation to
night soil, that they found large deposits in the
vicinity of various hospitals, designated, de-
pesited in open or shallow pits, or scattered on
the ground. In no case was it covered or de-
odorized, and the intolerable nuisance demands
immediate correction.
The Commission recommend that deodoriZng
agents (recently burnt lime and copperas) be
freely applied, the pits covered with fresh
earth of adequate depth, and that in future all
night soil be removed beyond the city limits;
members Of the Levy Court having stated that
ttcv would, if desired, modify the late ordi-
nance of that court prohibiting the deposit of
night soil within the county. Various other
important recommendations are made in this
connection. 1t is recommended that dead ami
mails, which have been heretofore only scantily
covered with earth, if buried at all, be taken
outside the city limits and buried or burned
Stable manure in the vicinity of the corrals
should be piled and burned once a week
sion say that as the principal part of the sew
erage OF this city has its outlet in the canal,
which is to great extent dry at low tide and
all that portion east and south of Seventh street
so filed with sand and mud as to be unnayi-
gable that the importance Of keeping it filled
with water cannot be oyerestimated, and they
recommend that it be kept thoroughly dredged,
and that tide gates be placed at each end of the
canal. The drainage of the low grounds north
OF K and west Of Sixteenth street, and the low
grounds east of Four and a-half street and
south of Maryland avenue, to the AnacoStia,
near the Arsenal, is considered essential.
Drainage in the vicinity of Lincoln Hospital,
and tie filling Of the pond adjoining the canal
at the foot of Nineteenth street west, is also
recommended.
AS the streets have been very much injured
by Government transportation and require i'm
mediate attention, it is recommended that the
Government assist the corporation in cleansing
and repairing Seventh and Fourteenth streets
from the river TO the hospitals; New York
avenue from Fifteenth street to North Capitol
street. and Four and -a-half street from Penn
sylvana avenue 10 the Arsenal The imme-
diate repair Of Seventh aud Fourteenth streets
is required for the more comfortable Transport
tation of our wounded and for the prompt re-
,a1 of ,nht he bow
grounds OF the Presidents House on the south
and east require thorough police and grading
The city laws relating to nuisances and to
the duties of scayenger should be rigidly en-
forced, an d it is recommended that the Provost
General be ordered to cooperate with the city
authorities IN making inspections and enforc-
leading recommendations made, and the COM
mission say III conclusion, that they have en-
deayored to confne themselves to those re-
CONNIE ndations essential and practicable