Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-06
EAST WASHINGTON CITIZENS.
Meeting of Their Association Last Nigh
and the Business Transacted.

Meeting of Their Association Last Might
and the Business Transacted.
The only business Of any importance trans
acted at the regular monthly meeting Of the
East Washington Citizens Association last
night was the report Of Mr.. N. ]. Weller Of the
committee on census, which was unanimously
adopted and loudly applauded. About q year
ago Mr.. Weller offered o resolution providing
for police census Of the District Of Colum-
bia. The matter has been hanging fire for
some time. Last night Mr.. Weller informed
the association that Maj. Moore had given the
matter his sanction and the census would
surely be taken by the police during the pres
ent month.
PROTECTION IN THE PARKS.
The following letter from Mr.. W. C. Dodge
was also read and referred to its proper COM
mittee:
II beg to call the attention of the association
TO the subject Of better protecting life and
property in the public grounds, on which the
association has heretofore taken some action,
the result of which do not know.
ut is q notorious fact that the public grounds
Of the Agricultural Department., the Smith
sonian Institution, the Capitol and Judiciary
Square, all under the control Of the United
States government, are the most dangerous
localities In the city, SO much SO that no woman
lie safe in passing through them in the daytime
even, as shown by inclosed item from The STAR
of May 8, 1892, which is but one of many SIM
liar. and that they are unsafe for men even
after dark.
"A year or 80 ago gave to Senator a num-
Der OF such items from the daily papers,
among them one showing two robberies Of
ladies in one day and one the day before. be-
sides numerous dangerous assaults aud rob-
berries Of citizens while passing through the
public grounds at night, and he promised to
introduce resolution on the subject which
prepared and sent him at his request but for
some reason he did nothing.
1T does seem to me that the United States
government owes IL to itself and to the public
including the great number Of citizens of the
states and strangers who come here and nat
urally desire to visit these public institutions
and grounds to take some action that will
render them more safe. If the United States
government persists IN keeping control of them
and will not consent that they be placed under
the jurisdiction Of the police, then surely 1t is
incumbent upon it to provide some other
means to protect life and property in these
grounds II this great and powerful govern
ment is too poor to employ the necessary num-
Der of watchmen for this purpose then let it do
as other governments do in their national
capitals and use the military for that purpose.
1T is a national disgrace that the present con-
dition of affairs should be allowed to continue,
and feel confident that if the attention of the
present District committees Of the House and
Senate can be got to the matter and they be
made to fairly understand the facts they will
provide some remedy. 1t is surprising that
the District authorities have not long ere this
called the attention Of Congress to this matter
specifically"