Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-20
Steps are being taken BY the engineer d,

steps are being taken by the engineer de-
partment to ameiiorste the condition Of James
Greek canal and the 18th street sewer Several
days ago, Capt. Powell. while driving
in the vicinity Of the first named
stopped and made q cursory examination
OF the place. He found that there was little or
no current in the canal, and the result was
that the decayed matter adhered to the
bottom, greatly polluting the water, which
emitted noxious gases liable to breed disease
An examination Of the 18th street sewer
disclosed . similar state Of affairs. and Capt
Powell concluded that steps should be taken at
once to remedy this state Of affairs. Next
Monday, in company with Capt Derby,
who has immediate charge OF tho sewer
department, Capt. Powell will make thorough
investigation Of the subject, with q view
to adopting remedy. The are several schemes
talked Of for flushing these open sewers. Which
one will be adopted has not yet been decided.
One plan is to take a large tueboat some
distance up the canal, and after securing it to
the banks, to start the screw propeller. and in
that way bring about agitation enough to loosen
the deposits on the bottom. If this does not
bring about the desired result dredges will be
put in and several lines Of hose
eOAuco huOtucf bCucue ID 10 u NUM-.
Der Of the water mains into the sewer and
bring about an artificial current in that way.
This, however, would have to be done at low
tide, for the river backs up into the canal and
the pressure would retard any current.
Before the plan for cleansing these open
sewers Is decided upon the health officer will be
directed to proceed to the localities and make
careful examination of the surroundings
The cleansing of these sewers will be
followed by general cleansing Of all the sew
ers in the district, that when hot weather
comes they will be in a clearly condition.
PREcAUTIoN AGAINST HYDRoPKoBIA.
Health Officer Hammett today forwarded the
following letter of Poundmaster Einstein's
upon the subject Of rabid dogs. He says
he thinks the suggestion that the veter-
mary surgeon should inform the public
through the press as to the symptoms of dogs
about to be attacked with rabies is proper and
important, also that it might be in the in
terests Of the public safety to enforce
the provisions of the act of June 10,
1873. He saws il the Commissioners think
proper he will request q meeting of the
veterinary surgeons that the matter may be fully
discussed. / have the honor to report that
l have called upon Drs. Greenfield and
Bushburn, veterinary surgeons, in regard to
the dog reported by them as suffering
from rabies. DR.. Greenfield informed me
sAos ~ iedSe tWSisc Jugs WcIc tlcdttu OE ultu
within year affected with dumb rabies. and
that the brains OF one of them were sent to
the experimental station Of the Agricultural
Department and used to inoculate rab-
bits that afterward developed hydrophobia.
From the description OF the dogs SO affected
and their actions. fail to remember q SINGLE
instance in the cases OF thousands Of
dogs that have come under my observation at
the pound to have ever seen a dog act as
the ~ocsor assured me he would when
about to go mad. 1 would respectfully sug.
gest that the veterinary surgeon for the District
and of the Agricultural Department be re-
qussted to publish the symptoms and actions
OF dogs in the first stages OF hydrophobia or
dumb rabies, as well as those of fully devel-
oped cases for the benefit Of the public. Any
dog 80 affected should be at once reported 20
this Office ard killed.
would also call your attention to article z,
section 2. OF the police regulations, which re-
quires dangerous dogs to be secured by a chain
or cord held In the hand OF the person accom-
panying (this 10 the law in New York city,.
and any dog going at large not secured
as stated above, may be killed BY order of the
Commissioners. during period to be fixed by
them. l would also call your attention
to the act OF Congress approved June
19, 1878. section Z. as follows: Whenever
1t shall be made to appear TO the
Commissioners that there good reasons for
believing that any dog or dogs within the Dis
trict are mad, it shall be the duty Of the
Commissioners to issue proclamation re-
curing that all dogs shall. for a period to
be defined in the proclamation, wear good.
substantial muzzles securely put on, SO as to
prevent them from biting or swapping. and any
dog going at large during the period de-
nned by the Commissioners without such muz-
ze shall be taken by the poundmas;er and i'm
pounded subject to the provision of section
3. which aliudes to unlicensed dogs to be
seized during the entire YEAR. Before extreme
he alnr..ea / yxnufd @bat
several veterinary surgeons of the District and
the Department of Agriculture be commune
Gated with, and their knowledge as to the
presence of mad dogs in our vicinity be OBJ
tanned find q number of dogs running at
large but the majority wear a tax tag, are well
bred. and not dangerous unless they should
happen to be bitten by a mad dog. when / am
told. rabies will develop. Every dog that
has been bitten by another suspected of rabies
should be promptly reported and il necessary,
killed to remove all danger to the community"
DRAUaHTsMAN APPOINTED.
The Commissioners this afternoon appointed
Gwynn A. Lyell draughtsman at IS per day.
under the act providing for permanent sys-
TEN OF highways, and Howard Mullen an in
spector OF electric lighting at IS per day.
STREET EXTENSION.
c. NJ. Carter in a letter to the Commits
sioners today prays that in the extension
Of streets. 18th street northward through
Columbia Heights be abandoned and stricken
from the proposed plan. The reason he asks
for this, he says, is because the extension as
proposed throws a cloud upon lot IA. block 20,
Columbia Heights. and prevents its sale.
SEWER ESTIMATES.
The superintendent OF sewers today SUBJ
mitted an additional estimate Of the materials
required in the construction, repair and MAIN
tenance Of sewers during the current fiscal
year. The estimates are as follows:
Cleaning and repairing sewers and basins,
s5sl.65 replacing obstructed sewers. $lsS2;
main and pipe sewers, S7s5.12; suburban
sewers, S4O5 SO; permit work, S6,e5Sl3
STREETS TO BE CLEANED.
Superintendent Davis Of the street cleaning
department had long conference with Com
missioner Ross this morning relative to
change in the schedule Of street sweeping. He
said he was convinced the service could be
improved by change of the schedule,
and experience had demonstrated that certain
streets now swept twice a week really should be
cleaned at least three times per week. The
new appropriation, which becomes available on
July l. allowed greater expenditure of money,
and he proposed to expend $4,000 per month
on the cleaning Of the streets and alleys of
Washington.
DANGEROUS CROSSING.
In letter to the Engineer Commissioners to-
H. nH-g