Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-27
Dead Horses at the Knox Fire a
Menance to Health.
IMMEDIATE REMOVAL ORDERED
Regulations Regarding StabIing
Horses on Second Floors.
HARRIS UNDER ARE S Z

Star OF yesterday, was suspected OF having
caused the fire at Knox's warehouse. AS
! stated in The Star. Harris was seen in the
stable few minutes before the confiagra-
tion, and, according to the watchman'c
story, ordered out. 1t was only a few min
utes after that the fire was discovered.
Harris. when arrested, denied any knowl-
edge of the fire, but did not deny he was in
the stable a short time before the fire was
discovered. He said he was making some
repairs to his patent motor when the fire
occurred, and was burnt considerably by
an explosion that seemed to come from
overhead. He was taken to the Emergency
Hospital by Detectives Carter and Gal
lagher, who made the arrest, and kept
there under surveillance.
The story of the watchman was identical
with that printed in The Star of yesterday
A Menace to Health.
A sickening odor pervaded the neighbor-
hood about the ruins of knoxs warehouse
today
All night the contractor for removing
dead animals worked his men, but this
morning II was not until 10 o'clock that a
wagon put In an appearance. In the mean
Time the workmen on tie ruins had taken
out twenty-five carcases. and from day
break they laid in the alley fostering in the
sun. The force of men working about the
ruins was also insufficient and the Com
missioners decided to take summary action
Health Officer Hammett, Chief of Police
Moore and Building Inspector EntWisle
were sent for and appointed a committee to
make an immediate Inspection of the ruins
and report to the Commissioners the result
of their inspection.
Accompanied by reporter of the Star the
committee visited the ruins and made a
| careful inspection. Major Moore counted
N ltx--f -fxH-..
eight of these were working to get out the
dead horses. Inside the ruins the stencil
was unbearable. Several carcases We're in
view, and the sun was beating down upon
them with all its fury. The foreman of
the working gang Was sent for. He de-
clared that he had fifty men at work. but
careful count was made and not half that
| Eumber could be found. At any rate it
was unanimously decided that twice the
number represented would not be enough
Health Officer Hammeft thought at least
100 men should be employed, for" said he
the health Of this entire neighborhood is
}e0paFolzeo Dy the presence OF these decay
Ing horses" 1t was also learned that but
two wagons from the sanitary company
were available for hauling the horses away
and DIR. Hammett sent word to send as
many steel garbage carts could be
spared. All agreed that IL was Of the ut
most importance to get the horses out and
away within twenty-four hours.
why, said Major Moore, II had no idea
of the condition Of affairs. These horses
are fostering In the sun, and not a minute
should be lost I'm getting them away. i am
In FAVOR OF putting every man necessary to
work on this thing. Why. gentlemen, If
We don't get these horses away there will
be pestilence in the city,"
Inspector Entwisle said he was heartily in
favor OF taking summary action. These de-
taying horses, he believed, were a menace
to health, and time and labor should not be
spared to get them away.
Prompt Action Necessary.
The committee then repaired to the Com
missionersf office, where it agreed upon the
report, which was submitted in person to
the board of Commissioners, which, at the
| time, was discussing the situation. The
report was submitted by the health officer
and agreed 10 by the others 1t was as
follows:
In accordance with your orders We Wis
tied the scene of the recent disastrous fire
at knoxs warehouse, in company with
Maj. VIM. G. Moore, chief of police and
Thos. B. Entwisle, inspector of buildings
this morning. We made careful and
thorough investigation of the premises A
sickening stencil prevails, due to the de-
composition of the horses which were de-
stroyed iii the fire We agree in substance
that If this is allowed to continue il will
jeopardiZeS the health of the city and
might cause an epidemic. We find that the
force employed is entirely insufficient to
remove the debris so that these dead ami
mails can be reached. and hereby urgently
recommend that not less than $50 men and
the necessary teams be employed mt once
to accomplish this work, which we con-
slider a very great emergency. building
Inspector Entwisle suggests that there are
several high and dangerous walls standing
which should be reduced by the use of cx-
plosives.''
Mr.. Gleason nt Work,
Health Officer Hammett submitted the
report. He described the condition of affairs
and said he believed the exigency Of the
case demanded prompt action on the part
of the officials The condition was so grave
that he believed the emergency fund should
be used to improve matters. The Commits
sioners had been inhaling the breeze from
the east with its tainted odor, and thought
50, too. But who could co the work? some
one suggested Albert Gleason, and the
board Immediately sent telephone message
for him. When he arrived he was asked
now long 1t would take him to get to work
He replied that he wanted one hour and
would have men enough on hand to do the
work promptly and efficiently. He said he
would put on a night force, and if possible
have everything cleaned up within twenty
four hours.
Your reputation as a hustler is at stake,
Gleason" said Commissioner Truesdell, as
the former was leaving the room.
"Yes, and you can bet that l will main
tain it. 1 am not doing this for the money
1 can make out of it, 1t is in the interest
Oh the people.
You are a philosophical citIzen,' re-
marked Commissioner Powell.
Horses on Second Floors.
Then the board went into executive ses-
sion to discuss the need of a building regu-
lation relative to the stabling of horses on
the second floors of stables. 1t was plain to
see that before they completed their labors
regulation would be framed preventing
this. Nor was this wrong, for when the
matter was called up every one of the Conn.,
missioners expressed himself as heartily
in favor of it. Accordingly, the building
inspector was sent for and admitted to the
conference. His views were in accord with
the Commissioners. He was directed to
prepare suitable regulation at once and
present it to the board. Five minutes after
ward the following amendment was unani-
mously adopted:
mo building shall be erected or any ex-
listing building be reconstructed for stabling
horses above the first or ground floor"
This amendment was made necessary by
the fate of the l65 horses which perished in
the flames at the Knox fire. 1t will be re-
called thad the horses were stabbed on the
second floor, and when the fire broke out II
was impossible to rescue them, and they
perished in the flames.