Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-09
Commissioner Parker is Optimistic
on the Local Finance Question.
THE HEALTH OF THE CITY
Statistics Show a Good Condition
for Local Health.
HOUSE TO HOUSE INSPECTION.


was the cause Of the present financial
troubles it's repeal would undoubtedly re-
store confidence, and therefore relieve the
situation.
washington" he said. would feel this
as quickly as any city, and the present en-
barrassments would pass away. There
ought however, to be no embarrassments
in Washington. nor will there be II our
people don't get foolish and lose their
heads.
The extra session Of Congress will add
about a hundred thousand dollars a month
to our resources.
The monthly disbursements by the gov
eminent are fixed and regular. and there
are no endorsements unless nervous and
timid people undertake to make them.
Il have little hopes of immediate action
by Congress or that they will pass an I'M
conditional repeal We had better con-
clude that, under any circumstances, we
are very comfortable"
House to House Inspection.
The Commissioners received from Health
Officer Hammett this morning the report
of the work of the house-to-house inspec-
tors. The report shows the work of last
week as follows:
Number Of squares inspected. S.: number
OF houses and premises inspected. 2ls1;
number of families occupying houses, 2,l7b;
number of persons residing in houses, l0.Sy7:
number of rooms, 1852; number of water
closets. 1.6Ol number of box privies. 1.lo9:
number Of lawful garbage receptacles, 2el;
number of unlawful garbage receptacles.
1,26l: number Of nuisances found. l.0i6; num-
premises without sewers. l.0A.
With last weeks inspections the total
work to date is as follows: Squares. 80:
500: persons l5s.035; rooms. 227 az: closets.
3722: box privies sos: lawful garbage re-
e sepias S4lo; unlawful garbage reeep-
s.sss S''s'' premises without sewers
During the week 7s1 nuisances previously
reported were abated. and $50 houses found
without modern plumbing: "a were referred
to the health officer for special action and
referred to the Commissioners and garbage
contractor. The water supply was. Poto-
mac. on premises, 1.2e9 public hydrants.
256; wells, 679: cisterns, 4; pumps and
~ ,be Eight ed apa
inGs were inspected. $40 receiving their
water supply from wells. Fffty-six num-
order. besides the un-numbered squa res in
lie Droit Park and other subdivisions out
side the city limits Anacostia is being
Brookland has been inspected. Brightwood
and other suburbs have also received at
tention.
The City's Health.
THE improvement in the health Of the
city, as was shown by the report Of last
week. still continues" says Health Officer
Hammett in his report of the operations OF
the health department for last week. THE
number Of deaths fell from lbs to.114 This
Is a material decline, which brings the
death rate from %. l6 down to 20.s. which
Is % below the last annual death rate. In
the corresponding period of last year there
were 1873 deaths, Al of which were from
summer complaints. These caused but 70
during the week. and the mortality among
infants under a year old was IA less than
In the preceding week.
-Four new cases of diphtheria and three
OF scarlet fever were reported. with two
deaths from the latter. October has been
shown to be the month CT maximum inten-
ady does not show a disposition to break
over bounds. and In order to prevent such
a result all possible precautions should be
Of diphtheritic patients. which has proved
so efectual in practice should be observed
and enforced both by physicians and citi-
Gems in every case"
The report shows:
Number Of deaths. ia; white g.; colored,
80. Death rate per loo per annum: White
Fifty-fve were under five years of age; IS
were under one year old. and le over sixty
years. Seventeen Of the deaths occurred
in hospitals and public Institutions.
The deaths by classes were as follows:
Zymotic, -: constitutional. ~: local. q: de-
ve!opmental, s: violence. 2.
The principal causes of death were:
Group. l; consumption. s; diarrhoeal, 20:
typhoid fever. 5; malarial fever, 2: scarlet
whooping cough. /: kidney diseases. i: can.
GERS. 2.
Births reported: Twenty-Five white males
ore @h'' femalas arr Soored aes To.
white: colored. Still-births reported: Six
What Are Lamp Posts:
Mr.. s. r. Thomas. the attorney for the
District. has rendered an opinion to the
Commissioners to the effect that the words
Ia mn nd hai Z,
in the contract between the District and
the Washington Gas Light Company. in
cludes service pipes. and that the COM
pany may be required by the Engineer
Commissioner to remove. for the purpose of
re-erecting. any lamp post and its appur-
tenances. and that 1t is immateriai whether
II is q new one or an old one.
r street to BE Sprinkled.
At the request of number IF prominent
merchants along street the Commission
ers have reversed their order forb,dd,ng the
sprinklng of that street between 9th and
18th streets during the day time The orig
inal order was made on account of the fear
that the frequent watering Of the street
would fnture the asphalt. The merchants
had more fear OF the damage their goods
would suffer from dust, and the result is
| that the man whom they have employed TO
sprinkle the street has been given a permit
to do what he used to do without such au-
thority. An appeal has also come from
I,ei N,s,, on -, Market space and on :th
kle the roadway before their places Of bust
ness.
The Decision Recalled
The Commissioners have received a let
ter from the Attorney General recalling
an opinion rendered by Assistant Attorney
General Maury on the power Of the Com
missioners to use appropriations for the
improvement of streets for work outside
the city limits. In the case Of
the Petworth subdivision asphalt
pavements had been Laid cost
ing about $4,000. The Commissioners COM
PEELED the owners to deposit that amount
In the event that the first controller might
decide that the Commissioners could NOT
assume half the cost. Mr.. Maury decided
The position taken by Mr. Maury was that
the Commissioners could use no money an
propriated for street Improvements In the
county unless specific authority was given
! by Congress. The case is an Important
| one, as the decision will be a factor In the
distribution of money appropriate I'd in the
| future.
District Liquidation.
1t is evident that the Commissioners do
not expect any District legislation from the
present extra session OF Congress. Com
missioner Ross is out of the city and will
not be back for some days yet Commits
| stoner Parker, in conversation with a Star
| reporter this morning. said that he had no
idea that any matters of exclusive interest
| to the District would be taken up before
| the regular session 1t is probable that he
| for he has been in session with a number
I of the leading hai