Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-10-21
The MesropolItan Police.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CoHAIssIoNERs-IM-
PoRTANT REcoNMENDATIONs.
The annual report of the Board of Metropoli-
tan Police Commissioners was submitted yester-
Gay to the Secretary of the Interior. 1t is very
full and ably written report, and after speak
ing OF the care exercised In making appoint
me nts, gives the total force at Z3s, and notices
Board says
AN INCREASED FoRcE re NEEDED.
Gan increase of the number of the present
force is absolute required in order to perform
enectvely the duties devolving upon them. The
population OF the District Is rapidly increasing
and extending to hitherto unsettled districts.
The population and improved extent of Wash
ington is fully one-third greater than when the
present number Of the force was authorized.
with the present number a single policeman
has from ten TO twenty blocks or squares 70
patrol IN many portions Of the city, requiring
walk of between three and four miles in making
one circuit of his beat Under such circum-
stances il is not remarkable that depredations
are com mitted, and the wonder Is that many
more complaints are not made than really occur
To meet the present and immediate prospective
wants OF the service in this regard, an increase
Of the force to the extent Of sixteen sergeants
and fifty privates or patrolmen is earnestly
recommended.
NEW STATION HOUSES NEEDED.
There is pressing need for several new sta
ton houses. No additional accOmmodations of
this kind have been provided for since the last
annual report. The efficiency of the force
would be materially increased were there
proper provisions for the comfort and health of
the men at their respective stations. The sick
lists would also largely diminish if, upon relief
from street patrol duty after hours of ex oosure
during Indictment weather, warm and cOmforta-
bic rooms were provided for the patrolmen
ILLICIT SALE OF INTOXICATING LIQUORS.
They "again recommended that legal pro-
visions be made for summary proceedings
against persons who engage in the illicit sale OF
intoxicating liquors. The punishment of per-
reached through the ordinary proceedings of
our courts. Nothing less than a seizure and
destruction of liquors kept for illegal sale, and
the closing of the house where il is carried on
viii ehectually suppress this traffic"
SANITARY RECOMMENDATIONS.
Lieut. Noonan again urges an amendment To
tention to the fact that sanitary officers have no
power TO enter premises If objection is made. He
says sit 10 of vital importance in the preserya-
ton Of the public health that new code of SAN
itary laws be enacted which will give ample
power and authority TO the officers for the speedy
removal of nuisances, and also protect them
from the taunts and insults to which they are
often subjected while in the performance OF these
important duties With regard to the condition
of small tenement houses, occupied by the poorer
class of people of the city, in many instances the
occupants are 20 very poor that the officers are
powerless TO enforce the law against them for
violations of sanitary regulations. 1t is believed
that If laws were enacted holding landlords re-
sponslble for the cleanliness and proper yentila-
ton of these tenement houses, it would result
most fsvorably in the preservation of the public
health"
STATISTICAL STATEMENTS
accompany the report, showing the number of
arrests during the year, amount OF goods recoy-
cred, &c, &c.
Lieutenant Noonan's report Of
THE SANITARY FORCE
accompanies that of the Board, in which he saws
I" IL affords me much pleasure to state that the
health OF the city and District has been toler
good, and with the exception OF three cases of
small pox no other infectious epidemic disease
has come TO the notice of the sanitary officers
during the year. 1t Is Obser led, however, that
feyers and other local diseases have been pre-
yailing to considerable degree among the resi-
dents of the city bordering the marshes of the
northern and eastern sections, and not unfre-
quently in the vicinity of the open public sewers
within the thickly populated localities. Hopes
are entertained that, under the judiciOus legis-
latlon OF our new District government, speedy
measures will be taken to remove, as far as
practicable, the causes OF diseases which peri
odically visit the environs of our national me-
uopolis."
In regard to the slaughter-houses and bone
and fat-boiling establish ments within the city
limits he says: "Some of these establishments
are located in thickly-populated sections and
In close proximity to some of our public build
ings. The offensive calculations emitted from
these establishments are frequently the cause of
complaint, and the public good demands that
speedy steps be taken to place them a reasona-
bic distance beyond the city limits"
He closes by giving statements of the amount
OF work done, and stating that should the sani-
tary force be continued to be employed on work
for the Board of health its numbers will have
10 be increased.