National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-03-17
THE DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS.

Criticisms OF District Corrective In
stitutIons-Church Property Taxa
ble-Other Matters.
Gen. RooliG' Brinkenhotf, president Of
the board Of state charities Of Ohio, who
in his visits to the prisons, warehouses;,
almshouses, and charitable institutions of
the country, and while in Washington
last fall spent much time In tho examina.
tim of the workhouse and Jail, speaks
his opinion of these places as follows, in
his ninth annual report to the sixty-sixth
general assembly Of the Ohio legislature,
Just received by the commissioners
AT Washington City l visited the
Washington Asylum, which includes the
almshouse with 1913 inmates, the work.
house with 1888 inmates, aud the hospital
with GO inmates. found the whole in
stitution IN excellent condition aud the
administration lie evidently intelligent,
humane, and efficient. Great improve
ments have been made since my former
visit and still greater ones are con-
templated by the intendant, If Congress
will mako the appropriations to which
the institution is fairly entitled.
"rhe District jail which had occasion
w WI hlkhig III ipihpA ~
port, has greatly refrigerated. 1t Is one
Of the best Jail structures in the whole
country, aud at my former visit it main
tanned the entire separation of prisoners,
and in many respects was model for the
nation. This has all been changed, and
found the prisoners congregated in the
corridors, with all tho resulting evils
which such a system compels. The
| grounds of the prison were also uukempt
aud untidy, which is inexcusable with
| such large number of convicted prison
ers unemployed. Who is at iault2 | don't
| know. The warden was absent from the
city. and therefore i must content my
self by withdrawing the concentrations
! | have heretofore made. Tho care Of its
| prisoners by the general government is
not what IL ought to be, and the present
| system should be rovOlutionized forth.
with. There ought to be q system OF
graded prisons established to which all
| United States prisoners should DO sent
aud which should be made models for the
nation"
The commissioners have ordered thai
ten acres of the property of the Sisters o.
the Visitation OF Georgetown aud all lot
belonging to the institution fronting OF
Faycttc street. between Fourth aud Sew
euth streets, Georgetown, excepting thos'
occupied by the Tree school," shall b'
considered taxable property. 1t wa
further ordered that $l.i65.14 be re
ceived without penalties or interest il
consideration that efforts were made I,
obtain the tax bills against this property
when by inquiry 1t was found not Il
have been assessed in the proper names
Chic; CrOnin reports to the cOnInis
sioners for last month Is alarms of fire
an increase of 7 over the preceding
month. Estimated loss TO propert.
amounted TO bl43,055, covered by an in
surauce of $IS,460. Three still alarm
were responded to and the loss was esti
mated at @l5; covered by insurance. Ii
his report mention Is made of the sudden
illness of Private Charles Head, Of No.
company, Occasi1ned by duty at tn
Milne 81 Proctor fire. Injuries to Fore
man Wagner, Of No. comp any, and Pri
vate Frank W. Reitz, oil truck A com
pany, at the National Theater fire. wer
mentioned. Fire Marshal Drew inspected
during the month 50 grocery stores u
regard to the storage Of combustiblo ma
terinls and the sale of iniiammable oil
The report concludes with commentator
of tho good conduct of the men OF til
department.
George Ruhl, 1916 NJ street, has bee
granted liquor license By the commits
sioners.
The property of St. Johns p. L. Church
West Washington, has been exompte
from taxation.
The commissioners have ordered this
extra compensation be paid b. j. Coyl
fol hauling 5000 yards of earth fror
Boundary sewer to n street. This wa
recommended BY Capt. Greene.
! The following building permits wer
issued yesterday L. d. Hindie, to bull
two twO-story bricks on G, betwee
Twelfth and Thirteenth streets southeas
to cost $1,000; WIN. IL. Chappelear & Sol
, to build two-story and basement brio
, back building IN rear Of No. 1904
street, to cost $500; Charles w. Simpson
, to build one three-story and baseIner
brick on Third, between n and o street
} to cost 81, 800.
: The designations of additional pr
Yates E. Bean and Patrick Corcoran,
the metropolitan police, have been a
cepted by the commissioners