Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-03-21
LOCAL NEWS.

from the Senate Committee on the District, TO-
day reported back the bill to define more
clearly the jurisdiction and powers of the
Supreme Court OF the District of Columbia
with q slight amendment of the fifth section in
regard TO the manner of issuing writs of attach
ment
Mr. morrill, introduced bill TO incorpor.te
the General Hospital of the District of Column
bia. 1t names as corporators James Henry,
Richard Wallach, George w. Riggs, Grafton
Tyler, Henry ID. Cooke, ID. w. Middleton,
Charles Knapp, Benz. Is. French, James O.
Mcclure, Charles IL. Nichols, william b
Todd. VIM. Gunton, Ed. Simms, and Thomas
Young, who are empowered to establish hos
pliai IN This District for the care of such sick,
themselves under the care of said corporation
Ii is provided that the annual in come from the
property OF the corporation shall not exceed in
value the sum OF S25,OC0. The bill was REFER ed
to the Committee on the District of Columbia
CoSDITIoN OF THE CoLoRED PEOPLE II
TIE DIsTRICT.-ImportoHt Letter Of the Ssper-
i15eEdedt Of Police.-ln The Senate Yesterday
while the bill apprspriating S250OO for the
relief of the destitute coloTed popu lation an the.
District OF Columbia, 10 be expended under
the direction OF The Conn miss Toner OF the Freed
men $ Bureau, was under consideration, a lat
ter of the superintendent Of Police, addressed
10 the Commissioner, was read At the re-
quest OF Senator MoTrlll, which. as showing
the destitute condition of a large rroportion
OF our CO ored people, and containing many
lacts OF interest TO our citizens, We copy entire
as follows:
Department Of Metropolitan Police, Ofcs Of iCu-
pertnteEdeEt. No. 4S3 Tenth street west, Wash
lngton, March q, ic06.-CentIemen: have the
honoT Al TINS time to submit a report, based
mainly upon personal inspection, OF the sani-
tary condition OF certain localities in the civ
OF Washington inhabited by colored people
mostly known as ''contrabands," together with
certain other facts connected with the condi-
ton Of these people
The first locality visited is known as "aIur
der Bay and is situated between 18th ana 18th
hpl
ing on the Washington canal. Here crime
Nth, and poverty seem 10 vie with each other
IN career OF degradation and death. Whole
families, consisting Of fathers, mothers, chill
dren, uncles, and aunts, according TO their own
statements. are crowded into mere apologies
for shanties, which are without light OF yen-
ulation. During the storms OF rain or snow
their roofs afford but slight protection: while
from beneath few rough boards used for
floors, the miasmatic efftuyia from the most
disgustingly filthy and stagnant water, min
gied with the exhalations from the uncleansed
bodies of numerous inmates, renders the at
mosphere within these novels sitting and sick
enlng IN the extreme. Their rooms are usually
not more than six or eight feet square, with
not a window or even an opening (except a
door, for the admission OF light. Some of the
rooms are entirely surrounded by other rooms,
so that no light at all reaches where persons
live and spend their days and nights. In a
space about fifty yards square, found about
one hundred families, composed OF from three
to ten persons each, living in shanties one story
IN height, except in a few instances where ten
ements are actually built on the tops OF others
There is a distance OF only three or four feet
separating these buildings from each other
not even as convenient as an ordinary three
feet alley. These openings lead in so de yious
course that one with difficulty finds his way
out again. Thus pent up, not even these paths
are purified by currents of fresh air In one
building visited, seventeen families Were
found upon the ground floor, consisting of
from two to seven persons each. one restaurant
and one boarding house. The second story is
a large dance-hall, where these people nightly
congregate for amusement
Nearly all of these people came from Virginia
during the rebellion, and some of them propose
to return whenever they are assured that they
can work TO do there, and will be well treated.
1t was found that from five to eight dollars per
month are paid for the rent of these miserable
shanties, except in some instances. where n
ground rent Of three dollars per month Is paid
Tor little spet covering few square feet
there some of the more enterprising have
erected cabins of their own. These also are in
equally close proximity 10 each other. so that
il is with Guilty that one can crowd between
them.
On the west side of 18th street, near the same
locality, are large numbers OF small build
ings, which, however, are kept in a some what
more cleanly condition, and are opened TO light
and ventilation. Here some of the occupants
OF houses boast Of small back yards, but so low
and wet their surfaces that they are a
curse rather than a benefit Filthy water here
accumulates, from which, with the advent OF
warm weather, the seeds OF disease must spread
among and destroy the wrstched people
III VI tuesc iOcsiillieS tDere are no proper
priyy accommodations and those that exist are
IN leaBy and filthy condition generally. Nor
can the sanitary laws be properly enforced
against delinquents, for they have no means
wherewith to pay fines, and a commitment 10
the workhouse is no punishment. 1 can see no
ef1icient mode Of remedying this evil except
that scayengers be employed at the public
expense, TO visit these localities; though by far
the best remedy would be TO req ire that these
buildings be RACED TO the ground.
Under the best sanitary laws that can be en-
acted, stringently enforced, these places can
be considered as nothing better than propaga-
ting grounds Of crime, disease and death; and
IN the case OF a prevailing epidemic, the con-
dition OF these localities would be horrible 10
contemplate.
A similarly crowded lot of shanties exists on
Rhode Island avenue, between 10th and 18th
streets, though As TO fresh air and cleanliness
4 somewhat better condition OF things exists
Here, in 4 space some two hundred feet SQUARE
two hundred and thirteen persons reside
mostly known as "contrabands." There are
several other places equally crowded within
the city limits, which have not yet had time
to visit and inspect personally: tor which pur-
pose respectfully ask for further time.
A. &. RICHARDS, Superintendent.
To rhn 1nT