National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-03-29
THE BOARD OF HEALTH.

Their Power in Regard 10 Filling Lots.
The Board Of Health held an adjourned meet
ing at their rooms Saturday evening; DR.. o. T.
Cox, president, in the chair.
Prof. Langston, from the finance committee, re-
ported bills amounting to S6G IS; which were ap-
proved and ordered paid.
Prof Langston, from the ordinance COMMITTEES,
submitted report regarding the act OF the Dis
trct Legislature authorizing the Board Of Health
nuiEances and have the costs assessed against the
property where the work was performed, and col
leeted as other special taxes are collected; ne
said that as the attorney for the District Com-
missioners had pronounced the law Of the Legis-
lature which gave this power to the Board o.
Health unconstitutional, IL was necessary Ior
them TO pursue some other course to compel par
ties to ahate nuisanceS complained against Inc
following is the report; which was adopted;
ferred the communication from the health ofieer
Of date March 10, 1875, asking authority % cause
iS1 ~ IN sqaS Is 4 u Ds aS..ncs n piuTouS 10
health, caused BY stagnant water thereon, the
owner Of said property being Nonresident, and
neither himself ner any responsible agent 70 De
found in this District, beg leave TO submit the
following report and recommendations:
f sSs rssdsSSa bT Hon vivian
Lawrence as to the powers Of the Board Of
Health and the mode Of making them enectual,
nuai report Of the board, that section Is OF the
code, as found on page "a, OF the second annual
report. be amended to read as follows;
stagnant water found upon any lots or grounds
located within the cities Of Washington or
populated suburbs or any marshy land, the same
being made such by defective drainage, or other
Wise, 10 hereby declared q nuisance, Injurious TO
health; and any person or persons owning, oecu-
plying or controlling such lots or grounds, who
shall, after due notice from the Board OF Health,
refuse or neglect to abate the same, snail De
deemed guilty Of keeping and maintaining nui:
sance aforesaid, and upon conviction thereof shall
be fined not less than Sl0 nor more than tl0o, for
every such ofense. aAd said nuisance shall be
abated on the order Of the court before whom such
offender is tried and convicted.
Second. Your committee further recommend
that all such those referred to, where the
owner or agent, or other responsible party, upon
whom notice and process may be served, is found
within the District, be promptly prosecuted by
an indictment by the grand jury, under the above
section as amended.
upon which the nuisance exists are nOn.residents,
and no person responsible for such nuisance can
be found within the District so that process can
not be served upon, nor the costs OF abating the
nuisances collected from, him or them, special
resolution be passed in the case declaring the
property in its then condition nuisance injurious
to health, and that the same be referred to the
honorable Commissioners Of the District Of o.
lumbia, with request that they make such order
in the premises that the necessary filling may be
done, and the costs thereof assetsed upon the
property or otherwise collected and paid.
Fourth: Your committee further recommend,
in view Of the recent opinion, dated December s,
1874 OF the Assistant Attorney for the District Of
Columbia, that the act Of the Legislative Assem-
August y, 1871, is invalid and inoperatiVe, aRd
that neither the register nor any other Oficer Of
the District has authority TO issue taxlien certih
Gates against real estate for the cost Of making
sewer connections; that this subject also be
brought to the attention Of the honorable Com
missioner Of the District, and that they be re-
may, If possible, accomplish the dement's and OBJ
eets sought TO be attained by the said oct Of the
Legislative Assembly.
luton IN the case referred TO by the health otcer,
and recommend that this matter be a. once
brought to the attention of the honorable Com
missiOneIs, as above indicated.
Ali Of which is respectfully submitted.
JoHN NJ. LAEGsToN,
CHRIS. Q. Cox,
Committee.
ResOlred, hat lot Numbered 30, in square 80.
l4o, being below grade, undrsined, and having
Of various sorts and kinds is thrown, be, and the
same is hereby, declared in its present condition
nuisance injurious to health
The four frame houses situated In alley between
and T and Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets
northwest, and the brick house and premises on
the west side Of Thirteen snd-S- half between D
and streets, having leaky roofs, rendering the
walls damp and the rooms unhealthy; no fire.
PARTITION in bad sanitary condition generally and
unit for human habitstion, were declared to be
nuisances injurious to health, and the health off,
Ger ordered to Gbate the same according TO law
and the ordinances Of the board.
communication was read from H. H. Turner
& Co. asking an extension OF time for the removal
OF Of1al under their control until May !, stating
that owing to the delay in the action Of the board
In declaring the bids and determining and making
contracts for the removal Of ofal from the Dis
trict and the collection Of garbage they found
themselves unable to construct the necessary de-
pots and railroad tracks, and to secure the neces-
sary outfit for the collection Of garbage to CON-
mence the work as required at the time specified
in the contract viz, April l, 1875. To provide for
this emergency they had perfected arrangements
for the transportation Of otfal by boats through
the north channel, and propose to employ the garb
age collectors now In service, continuing the pres
ent system until the new OUTFIT is completed and
ready for service. They, therefore, propose to
introduce the new system gradually, 80 a. to pre-
vent delays and accidents incidental to the intro
duction Of as great change in the system Of col
lection Of this material.
The subject was referred to the special commit
tee that has had the matter in charge.
The board then adjourned.