Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-18
A SPICY CORRESPONDENCE.
A Citizen Who Proposes to Impeach tn,
Health Ohfcer.

a proposes the
Health Onicer.
Mr.. ". s. Bransom. a member of the Bright
wood Avenue Citizens Association. has made
several efforts to have the health Office officials
abate alleged nuisance in the form of a
pool of stagnant water in block 10 of TODD Il
Browns subdivision of Pleasant Plains. north
o. Florida avenue and only a short distance
from Brightwood avenue. Under date OF
March 30 Mr.. Bransom addressed to Health
Officer Hammett the following:
"Over a year agoI called on Won at the health
Office and called your attention to the existence
OF a fostering pond of putrid water standing in
block 10. Todd x Browns subdivision OF
Pleasant Plains. and | have called your atten-
ton to this dangerous nuisance repeatedly
since. as have also others living contiguous to
il. without avail. and / will now say that if
this nuisance and menace 20 health is not abated
at once / will take necessary steps to impeach
the delinquent official for mafeasance in Office.
Patience has ceased to be q virtue.
THE HEALTH OFFICE REPORT.
Subsequently Health Officer Hammett mailed
to Mr. Bransom a copy of a special report made
of an inspection of the place in question. The
report made by Sanitary Officer Shepherd
follows:
"A complaint was made some time ago of
water standing in yards on Whitney avenue
between 18th street and Sherman avenue. The
parties owning the property were notified by
this department TO abate the existing nuisance.
This they did by filing said lots to conform to
the grade of the avenue. In doing this back
age OF water was thrown upon lots fronting
upon Sheridan street This accumulation was
not nor is it at the present time so dangerous a
nuisance as represented, for the quantity at the
time of inspection. | can assert, would not. L
think. amount TO more than six or seven bar
rels of water by actual measurement. The
agents of this lot. d. d. Stone l. Co., will be
notified to abate the nuisance"
MR.. BRASsoMs REJoINDER
But this was not to end the matter so far as
Mr.. Brsnsom was concerned, and today Health
Officer Hammett received from him the follow
ing:
II am in receipt of your communication of
the 18th instant. in which you invite my atten-
ton 20 report of Inspector Shepherd, and hav-
ing carefully read the said report l am struck
by the palpable evasions. subterfuges and at
tempts to glaze over The glaring and persistent
neglect of duties contained therein.
This report attempts TO ignore the fact that
anv complaint existed except what related to
Whitney avenue. and states that when the lots
on Whitney avenue were filed package of
water was thrown upon Sheridan street.. 1t
looks as IL this report attempts to convey the
impression that the health office had no knowl-
edge of any such package OF water. whereas /
recolect very distinctly having three separate
personal interviews with the health officer. and
at the last interview the health officer sent FOR
the inspector having charge of the district in
which the nuisance existed. when the subject
was fully discussed between us. and ! stated
that all the low-lying lots should be filled up
and leveled of together. This plan was ac-
quiesced in BY the health officer, and the in
spector was instructed to see that it was done.
OTHER OFFICIAL NEGLECT CHARGED.
After further referring to the report of In
spectors Shepherd, Mr.. Bransom pays his re-
spect in this way:
1T so happens that for the past three weeks,
until few days ago. we had unusually dry
spell OF weather. when kindly nature. by her
process OF evaporation and absorption, re-
moved goodly portion of more aqueous con-
stltuents of this cesspool, and 1t was at that
particular tine. | suppose, when the pond
Glanced to be lower than il had been before in
a year, and viewing the pool from afsr and
with purblind eyes. he could not see more than
six or seven barrels of water by actual meas
urement,' but If the inspector will kindly come
out today. before Dame Nature takes it away
by evaporation or iLtiitration, l think / can
promise him the sight Of sixty times six or
seven barrels by actual measurement.
The fact Of the matter is there is something
radically wrong with the management OF the
health Office, and the acceptance of such mis-
leading reports as this is not going to remedy
the evil. dead dog lay upon the pavement
on It'll street. in front of Gen. Balloch's place.
five or SIX weeks last winter before it was re-
moved. notwithstanding the fact that it was
reported time and again. Last Sunday week
the electric cars ran over and manged
a large dog the Scheutzen Park
and ii lay beside tine side walk until Wednesday.
presenting horribly sickening sight. had
this matter reported to the health Office by the
police early Monday morning and the attention
OF the health officer was called to il repeatedly
without avail. and it is probable that the
mangled carcass would be there YET but for the
fact that | had word sent to the health Office
that II that carcass wasn't removed by the fol-
lowing morning / would enter a formal COM
plant against the health officer
WHAT DIR. HANMETT SAYS.
Health Officer Hammett in conversation with
a STAR reporter this morning concerning the
letter of Mr.. Bransom. said that the letter was
only a rehash of what has ALREADY happened
The original complaint Of Mr.. Bransom. he
said. was attended to- and il there is anything
radically wrong in the health department Dr.
HGmmett said he would like TO know it,
So far as the complaint OF the non-removal
of dogs Is concerned De-. Hammet. saws the re-
sponsibility rests with the contractor. In the
particular case mentioned by Mr.. Brsnsom
said the doctor. the contractor was notified
twice, but no inspector was sent out to see
whether or not the dog removed, as there
are no inspectors appointed for that purpose.