National Republican., 1873-11-14

Vtvptt NtutihNous bWFlNE tnt NOh httsth
temperature In most Of the prisons reaches
20 degrees and above. It's not only lnhuman,
bnt dangerous TO iifc, 10 oonnno ne sons 10
ss.ioSoa.es caSsas.sd Prom from nioaicaton Or
other causea, and 10 connne such persons IN
celh as hot as these frequently arc would pro.
condition IA no better, for the reason that they
cf-rot be properly heated and ventilated. Theso
statements In regard 20 the arrangemenn Tor
true, though perhaps In somewhat less degree,
with respect TO tho policemen detailed for duty
IN those precincts; Ill, humanity, as % well as ~, ne
Immediate action be taken TO remedy tho evil In
question. Policemen, on coming In from tour
ing, rest and drying their clothing after expo
sure TO storms OF rain and snow, othetwlsc SICK
ncss and loss OF time will necessarily follow.
The amount OF efficient service anu discipline
TO be obtained from tho number of the force
must necessarily bo dependent largely upon the |
provisions for their comfort ani rest AT the sew
eral station houses while on the reserve corps
Considerations OF economy alone should prompt |
q speedy abatement Of the unsatisfactory aud |
llly-adapied buildings now in use. Much Of the
time lost from sickness by members OF the force
u, without doubt, attributed to tho absence Of
accommodations for the health aud comfort Of
ne policemen; An act o. Congress & es makes y, I, the
bia 10 provide at their own expense all the ncces
sary ''station-houses required by the Board Of
| for the lodging OF vagrant and disoricrly per-
sons aud Tor the temporary detention OF persons
arrested for offences, and tho same to DC snlta-
| bly warm and light
DETECTIVE coNr5.
Tho duties OF q detective oriccr are Of tho
greatest public Importance, and, as matter OF
necessity, bring him In contact with all classes
OF persons. II has been the design and purpose
OF tho board to select for this class Of Officers
men OF sobrety. intelligence, tact, industry and
| probity. These oflcers must necessarily he left
largely 10 their own judgment and discretion In
their operations. The nature OF their vocation
| renders Il dlnicult to make . record OF much
OF The public from The deprcdations Of criminals,
their associates, haunts, ac. IL is their rpcciai
| duty, when crime has been committed, to In
/ quire into the circumstances, and to pursue all
proper measures for tracing out and apprehend-
ing the delinquent and recovering stolen prop
erty. The board believes that the ofrccfs whom
duties have accomplished them well and salts
factorily.
The almost total absence of professional
criminals and consequently Of crime committed
by that class In the District Of Columbia Is q
gratifying commentary upon the operations OF
Inc following is a summary OF such OF the
| operations OF this force rs can bc made mat
ter OF record. viz: Number OF violations re-
ef.y % repopied iosteor stolen siis,sss.s;; reoSS.
cred, fs2 992 03; turned over TO property clerk,
tJ,t3I.oO; taken from persons aud returned TO
| same, tLbi6 81; amount Of property turned over
to owners, sss, ,s5Tbo.
PROPERTY OPERATIONS.
Tabular statements (msrkcd A) transmitted
herewith exhibit the estimated vaiue Of property
and money which have passed to and from the
once Of the property clerk during the past year.
The receipts from the several police precincts
and sanitary company were valued At ss,2is,I2,
| and from the detective corps, flO,l6o.5I; making
the aggregate receipts SIS, ,6s6 70.
The amounts delivered from this once were
OF property returned BY the precinct Officers,
istii and from the detective corps. $40, ,223 81
making q total OF si4, ,9sa.I3 disposed OF upon
orders OF the courts and evidences OF ownership
produced to the properly CLERK: Also, herewith
piled from weekly returns, showing IN detail by
! months the entire property work OF the depart
ment, other than that given in statement A,
! from which h appears property and money
equal TO 1880 70 were restored TO the posses
? sion OF claimants.
I hands OF the precinct ana sanitary oficers, aud
ss5, 900 - through those Of the detective branch
= Of the service.
Q The net proceeds Of sales Of abandoned aud
: peTishable property not claimed by owners dur.
: ing the year have been s2s3.si, which amour,
= has been paid over TO the treasurer OF tho Board
! pursuant TO law. Legislation upon the subject
OF waits and lost property Is belieyed to be based
upon correct ethical principles and as worthy OF
legislative provision, as mot other restraining
! acts. Il is universally admitted that property
denominated "found" belongs to and Is Justly
that OF the original owner, and 10 default o. hts
waif and escheated to the state. The question
, OF human probiiy and good morals are largely
too commonly adopted opinion prevaiia aussh
. the more ignorant and least reasonlnG eaS /
that any property found 10 tho street beloeEsl
fortune Of io.s py the psT.on Who paAsf % du,
consderastoa for the article lost, hSTiso ost M
nils theIsso.. Yet v b quite COMMON that, upo.
ne h,6'ns = S 2. sssA s sssps ne ovnsI ..s NO
bat, t.rousS-rke cpeistisns Of the courts, I
: q ) Nc clsss have been numerous cases o
. from oectsious Of the property clerk, wherei
y partiss sought TO have returned TO them 10
. lAeir own personal use property picked up o.
n the street or commons, but to which II appeare
y: they had no other right than was given by sue
~ act. The common law Of this country, and gen
Y orally legislative cnactments, require some put
Y lie advertisement or notification and descfir
nh ton of property found for the benent OF losers
~ y, And n the proper owner does not appear, the
Is the expenses may be paid; but still any surplu
he Is TO bo restored TO the owner II found.
ne The District OF Columbia contains only abou
y two thirds of the original ten miles square, an,
as Is under police surveillance so compact as to ad
init OF the convenient return to q central dep0
of any wall or lost property or money througi
T. IL had occurred TO the board that the usefunes
OF the property branch OF the metropolitan
" police system could be greatly enhanced b
" being made the depot to which every estray ami
- mai or article and package found should be re
= ported or returned for the general public benen
y IL would concentrate to one point all informs
n tlon concerning losses Of property, and by tina
q means facilitate the recovery thereof by tn
70 owner. BY the practice, under existing Law
es this information Is dinused, a. every wh
ns nnds property takes his own time and course
y, ~ acquire knowledge OF ownership, seldom usin
ie any means at all.
y II this subject commends Itself 10 your judJ
OF ment, It would be desirable, In view Of the PAR
OF mount Jurisdiction OF Congress over the Dlsiric
ls TO ask It's consideration OF the subject. Cor
N gress can doubtless enact, and cause executio
A. Of its enactment, that II any person nnds an Al
" ticle or an animal Of the value OF any give
70 Bum-say tive dollars or three dollars-in an
IN street, Held, or place within the District OF CC
fe lumba, not the bona fde properly OF sach pei
w son, he or she shall, within twenty-four hours
~ report the fact or make return thereof to som
70 such member shall make due return thereof
Us Us direct or through his superior of1eer, to tn
~ property clerk, for puollcatlon; The return
10 could be posted Ms fast as received, advertise
daily In the newspapers, and the expenses b
made charge upon the property 10 saved an
~ recovered. such plan would DO productive {
ar morals regarding rights In property, and aror
d one centre 10 which all losers would prompt
a. It's due place of deposit, while that not Iecovere
y would, Ms now, be escheated and sold for tn
!, benent Of the "policemnn's fund.-" for the use
families.
I'll SANITARY DEPARTMENT.
+ Of Congress, assumed charge OF the sanitar
: operations OF the District through oficers o
4 their own appointment, during the past year
this board has reduced Its active sanitary detail
y from eight to two privates, who have beei
mainly employed In removing sick and destitute
persons TO the hospitals and asyiuIns, the pro
: curing OF burials for deceased paupers, and ais
In serving notices for the Board OF Health, ,whicl
In found necessary Ia order to comply with IN,
, tecnnicalities OF the existing laws Of the Dts
= = trict.
0 roLlCE TKLSGsArH.
The police telegraph has become so important
Il an auxiliary to our police force, and so indis
pensable to Its successful and efflcent operations
that the board has determined to extend IL
d lines to several points within tho District be
= yoRd the cities OF Washington and Georgetown
: 1t is also found necessary To renew the wires o
4 existing lines for the reason that they have he
= come so much crowded ns to seriously reduce
\ their conducting capacity.
= 1t In also proposed 10 remove the wires from
- the roofs OF houses where they were place.
, about eleven years ago, when the telegraph wal
: originally constructed, and place them upoI
: poles. This will add much TO their reliability
\ aud obylate the necessity OF frequent repair
y not only 10 the wires but also to chimneys tt
: | which the lines are attached.