National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-11-12


Of irrigatlng farms for the the preservation and |
Of our sewage has not yet arrived, but
the day and hour is here which speaks loudly the
demand for
UTILIZATION OF ALL OTHER OPAL
from our cities. We should have one point for the
receipts of all refuse, and the law should require
that II be there taken and deposited at regular |
stated periods from all dwellings and places |
where It accumulates. The authorities them
selves should take charge Of this material, which
should include offal and filth OF all kinds, and
they should put II In condition to again be placed
upon the fields and farms. Let us begin by pur- |
chasing farm of our own and enriohing that. |
farm of a few hundred acres at some convenient
point could soon be made source of profit to the
District. BY all means let us have an ofIal depot
and city farm. In speaking of
sEwER-TRAPs OR CATCH. BASINS, HE SAYS:
Iteration again becomes necessary in referring
TO The subject of the cleaning Of scwertraps or
catch basins at street corners. Tho very dry
weather prevailing during the summer aud fall
Of the past year has rendered these recepaces for
the sediment from our street washings more than
usually offensive, and added Qf 1t were necessary
additional evidence Of the demand for some more
approved method Of cleaning. The work ofclean-
ing these places is performed under the direction
Of the engineer department, and can OF course
but advise respecting the manner in which 1t
should be done. Nuisances to the number OF
234 resulting from the foul and offensive
condition OF sewer-traps were reported during
tho year. To quote my former words on this
subject: It does seem strange that with the ad-
vance of improvements in almost every branch of
public work, the present system of cleaning sewer
traps, corresponding to the ancient method OF
cleaning our cobble-stone streets with hoes and
shovcls, and prlvyboxes with buckets, should
still remain. II certainly looks TO say the least
out Of keeping with other things TO SEQ three or
VNnV NUfll No. AL 1.tE1s Al Nfsay
the foul accumulatons from one Of these
receptabes, depositing the mass on pave.
ment and then dragging II off through tho street
in open carts to offend the nostrlls OF every
passor.by. If some pneumatic process cannot be
brought into use to abatc this nuisance, then dur
ing the summer months dlsnfectants should DO
used, and closed receptaoles employed in trans.
porting the material The subject of
FOOD INSPECTION
is treated at some length, and the appointment Of
livestock inspector and the erection Of an abat
toir recommended. The inspection Of marine
products is also commented upon and tabular
statements given showing the nature and extent
of this service. Tables showing the workings Of
the pound service for the past year. together with
statement covering the past ten years is pre-
scented. The attention of the Commissioners
is invited to the necessity for securing legislation
to remedy defect in the act of June 10, 1878,
TO create q revenue In the District OF Columbia
by leyying a tax on all dogs therein &c, and
provide for the proper enforcement thereof In
1879 the first year after passage of this act the re-
ceipts from this source amounted to Sl0,50jl2; in
1880 the aggregate was reduced to Ssj97.0l, and
last year 1t only reached sS,33G.32-as compared
with 1879 clear loss to the District of s7,lGssO.
Action should be taken by Congress to remedy
the defect in this law, and save the amounts
| named to the District Last year there were 3G5l
| animals impounded, of which number 3177 were
| dogs; of the number last mentioned 2,S05 were
| killed. During the ten years ending June 80, 1881
there were 20,lG2 animals impounded, of which
number 233l6 were dogs" statement is given
showing continuation of the work Of analysis of
well and pump water and then comes very i'm
portant report upon the subject ola
SANITARY SURVEY BY SQUARES.
In introducing this subject he says: at affords
me much pleasure to be able TO present the follow
ing report in detail showing the condition of each
square in the two cities The data here collatcd
and exhibited will prove of much value to tho
student or statistican enquiring into the sanitary
condition of the District of Columbia The labor
involved in collecting this information was per-
formed by the corps of Sanitary Inspectors during
the winter months of lSSOSl. Each square is given
by number, and glance gives you the number
and kind of houses thereon, those premises
| having houses and yards severed the num-
Der OF water closets, privy boxes
yards paved, slaughter houses, COW stables oil
yards, and hog pens In comparative position
Is given the deaths occurring on each square dur
ing the year, divided according to color. together
with separate statement of deaths from the prin-
cipal zymotic diseases Taking this information
in connection with that given In the report Of
sanitary survey in my last annual report, think
that they form the most full, complete, and concis,
sanitary history yet given of any city in th
country By referring to the totals we find tina
| m hntt In, tl,a ttyn nitt A
brick and 1I92j frames. OF this number 1906
are severed; 1862 have yards severed
There are 14,ll4 water closets and 16,ig2 yard
paved. The privy boxes number l5,SSC
There are 500 COW yards or COW stables
II slaughter houses and II hog pen
within the boundary lines large addition I,
the value of this report would have been made b,
securing the population Of each square, but gu
limited time and force would not admit of the at
tempt at taking such census. The average mum
Der OF occupants to each house, according to cen
ss OF $780, is 52j. OF the total number of squares
179 were found defective in drainage; 30 beloy
grade' 32huving alleys in insanitary condition
10 containing stagnant water, and 81 hnvint
houses in insanitary condition. According to thu
Assessors census OF 1878, the houses within TIN
limits of the two cities at that time numbcre,
25,656. According to this showing our building
have increased 1878 during the past three years.
Following this report comes q report as to invest
cations 10 ascertain
LOCAL CAUSE OF DISEASE
In speaking of this subject he says: "The fore
at the disposal of the Health Officer has neye
been sufficient to warrant the comprehensive re
search, study, and investigation which the i'm
porance of this subject demands. Nowltstand
ing the enlightened and advanced condition O
the public mind and the general recognition of tn
importance of every measure in the interest of tn
public health, our legislators are yet slow 10 pro
vide in the appropriation bills the means for EN-
ployment of adequate and competent skill in fer
retng out and placing before the public all possibl
information which might tend to prevent tn
rise and spread of infectious or contagiou
diseases. In consequence Of this Unite
means and force we have not been able to Civ,
time to proper investigation I'm the effort to ascer
tain the local cause. II such existed, In cases
death from zymoto diseases. The subject is
broad one, and the field 1t opens affords oppor
tunty for extended illustration, by fact and fgur,
which would prove of great interest and value
The report of the Medical Sanitary In
spector gives information as to examination IN Il
cases-s5 of dphtheria, q oftyphoid fever, and
) of scarlet fever. The information is not S
full and complete as we could dcslr,
only three diseases being given, md TIL
facts in no particular case illustrated
The causes before mentioned must be our ex
cuse for this, and trust some Information ma
pc BlVhhou hoHh thc i"i'VNihb iopolN SuCCess w
tended our efforts in the only case where we wer
called upon to prevent the spread OF small-po
during the year" The report Of the Medical sani
tary Inspector follows, and then comes the generG
comments upon
VITAL STATISTICS.
:, The introduction to this subject is as follows
!. "The population of the District Of Columbia o
June 80, 1881, was estimated at $4,000 (white l2l
800; colored, 6i 76O), This estimate is reached b
o calculating the increase in the same ratio as thu
glyan by the cemsns Of 1850 for the ten Years nri