Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-01-14
The City Councils and tho Board OF
Health.


The City Councils and tho Board of
Health.
The corporation act of January 10, 1870, Ia
relation to the Board OF Health, gave the board
certain necessary powers to enable IL "to de-
termine what it may regard as nuisances or
sources of disease in the city of Washington.
and 70 direct the removal or abatement thereof
Cd notice to the parties creating the same; or
summarily and Immediately, without notice,
whenever they shall deem it necessary for the
preservation Of life or security OF health" The
act also required the ward commissioners and
tie POhce Department to cooperate with the
Board Of Health in the abatement OF nuissnces
anu causes Of disease.
Under the provisions of this act, the Board Of
Health. previously a mere nullity, in conse-
quence Of want of power, entered actively upon
the work OF correcting various evils that have
given our city bad name thrOug hout the coun-
try. They found poudrette factories in opera
ton within the city limits; hogs, goats, cows and
geese roaming the streets at will in defiance of
law egiected priyies: andmany other nuisances
threatening to the health or the property of our
CIt-zeDs, such as are tolerated in 10 well regu-
lated community, and they proceeded, with
more or less opposition from interested parties.
TO correct these abuses. And among the most
troublesome to deal with they found to be
the strongly entrenched animal nuisance.
Not only has the city been a common pasture
ioT hogs. COWS, goats and geese, but a pestife-
rOue nuisance IN the shape of hog-pens con-
ta.Lirg dozens OF filthy swine was maintained
IN -orue OF the most populous neighborhoods
S;TinEt Il laws exist the statute books against
animals running large, but they have never
been enforced by the corporation authorities
iCs lie reason that the pigs, and the COWS, and
81
tie Board OF Health, composed of prominent
physicians, and OF Zen having some interest
IN ;le welfare Of the city, undertook to 90 what
TIE corporation authorities had failed to do
and Il SOiUtely set aSout the abatement OF tie
nuisance. The result was a great hubbub
anon ct the pig owners. thus disturbed in their
Vesssd rights OF free pastuTage, and finally
tie hoard, TO 60 10 injustice in the matter
extended tie time for the enforcement OF the
cIc5r until tie LIST of January, to give opportu-
lily for '.killing and curing" the animals We
expressed our belief then that the animal-owT-
ers EoCld be 10 more willing to give up their
privileges in January than they were in July,
and so IL has proved. When, on the commence
ment Of the new year, the board again under
tOoA 20 carry outth order, these parties imme-
diateiy hurried 10 the Councils and absolutely
brought so much pressure to bear upon the
members that bill repe0liag oU tie po,-ers given
10 the Board Of Health By the act of 1870 was
rushed through both boards in a single nj ght.
Tie bil was pushed through the lower board
without a division, hurried 10 the upper board
and put through there the same night By a vote
oi9 TO ?. There was the usual cant about rob
b,ng the peer man and all the rest of II
20 stale now as not TO delude the large
lumber o. poor men who read the papers,
AID The session OF the board was extended
-
fa-s the bin paralyzing tie Board of Health.
Tie Beard = now 80 shOrn OF all Jurisdiction
that IT II the merest farce for it to undertake
O. keep up its organization. And, als,, BIZ
the repeal OF the act, the old corrupt and
dsinoTalizing state OF affairs in regard to ward
matters L restored. Cnder the law previous To
800 now revived, the ward commissioners had
POWER 20 declare nuisances, and this is the way
II NcIAedi suppose stagnant water settled on a
vacant s. uare, the commissioner would decide
10 % &c a nuisance, he would notify the Sur
yeyor, and every lot had to bear a tax OF -
which went into that officials pocket man
might have twenty lots together, and the Sur
yeyOE would rocket 50 for each one. making
- where - would have been ample PAYMENT
Tor tie services rendered. There are now about
2,ttO claims OF this Kind pending i'm the CITY
Councils, amounting to ~ ,OOo.
We see no remedy for this disCraceful state of
things but through the establishment Of a
Metropolitan Board OF Health by CONGRESS.
outside the control and influence of local poll
Ucisns. In every well-governed city the fact
i low recognized, that all questions pertain
M 10 sanitary law and the healthfulness of the
community should be vested In the Board OF
Health, and absolute power should be given 70
Z 70 enforce Its own ordinances. Its for nation
should be beyond the reach of any political
rover, and IL should be constituted for the pur-
lose Is name implies, and composed OF men
educated, skilled, and experienced in this
branch OF science.
We have no doubt that bill providing for a
Metropolitan Board OF Health would be promot-
y Passed by Congress. The members are all
Interested In the preservation of the health of
the city, and many OF them have property here
deirimertaliy affected by the maintenance of
The nuisances which the Councils have lust De
IriTed the Board Of Health of the power 10
state.