Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-28
THE CHEAPEST PLAN
More Economical to Pay Railroad Fares
Than Board Bills.
UnfOrtunates Sent to Their Homes by
the Sanitary OMcer-Cranks Who
COngregate in This City.

With trunks piled in express wagons and
the vehicles going in the direction of the
railroad depots and steamboat wharves ii
is evident that many persons ere on the
road to the seashore and mountains There
are, of course, a great many poor persons
who cannot afford this luxury With a ST.
rate for a trip across the ocean these Door
people could not take trip to Bladensburg
unless some one treated them But there
are some exceptions to this rule for there
are persons who are fortunate enough to
take trips the ears although they are
penniless They are the persons who visit
Sanitary Officer Frank and make an i'm
preston on him that they are worthy or
that the city would not be the loser be-
cause of their absence
Sanitary Officer Franks office is in notice
headquarters. He is not called the sanitary
officer because he looks after the sanitary
condition of the city, for with this he has
nothing to do. Under mis- direction is the
ambulance service, and in thece vehicles
sick and injured ones are ser to the hos
pitfalls or to their homes While this is
perhaps the most important branch of the
service, he deVotes considerable time looking
after cranks and insane cas- s. The work
81 providing transportation for paupers and
persons who have seen better DAYS con-
sumes considerable time, and during the
curse or year he sends away as many
rs seven or eight hundred persons The
lumber of persons sent away on cheap
tickets Tor which the passengers pay moth
ing depends largely upon certain condi-
ions. Those who are benefited in this
way are constituents of Congressman and
yet congress may reduce the small allow
ance from $1,000 to $l,150 Such an effort
is being made, but with what success viii
NOT De KNOW until the final passage of
the appropriation bill.
Careful Invcsfiv.t,o--
concerning this work Sanitary Officer
Frank. in his last annual report said.
This part of the work consumes mora
time and requires more thorough investiga-
tion than any of the operations of the Of
ice, calling. as 1t does, for an expenditure
OF public funds; and the latitude of the law
In It's specifications of those liable to be-
come charge upon the District necessari-
~ calls for careful Investigation of each
particular case In order to legally ESTABLISH
a claim for assistance"
The requirements shown in the report
causes an Investigation in the case of each
applicant. Often large families en- route
from one place to another reach here and
are unable to get further unless assisted
ana they are generally assisted. for railroad
rare Is cheaper than keeping them here as
charge upon the District Frequently
children reach here in destitute condi-
uon, having been given a ticket and start
ed on journey across the continent and
u
lance
While some Congressman are making an
enOrt to cut down the appropria tiop there
are others who are asking for assistance
for some OF their constituents. The disap-
pointed office seeker has to be sent home
but this class of paupers usually come soon
after a change In the administration al
though few of them appear from time to
time right along.
Some UnfOrtunates.
Old soldiers come in for a large share Of
the appropria ton. and especially was such
the case after the Grand Army encamp-
ment. and the report made a year ago notes
the increase. which the sanitary officer ac-
counted for I'm this way:
while it is to be expected that a natural
increase I'm the work Of this department will
occur from year to year. yet l believe the
large increase for the past year can be at
trbdted to the great number Of persons
brought here during the encampment of The
Grand Army Of the Republic. In September
last, and at the Inauguration of the Presi-
dent. I'm March go f''"''.S
The number furnished. transportation in
cludes 145 ex-soldiers and sailors. an in
crease of nineteen over the lumber report
ed for the preceding year. 1 regret to be
compelled to note this increase. as l hoped
our advice to the old soldiers In past re-
ports would result to their good and that
they would learn the utter uselessness Of
coming here to prosecute their claims: but
l find in many cases they were persuaded
to visit this city. really believing they would
secure immediate action on their claims for
PENSIONS. but meeting with disappointment
and being impecunious they are naturally
thrown upon the charityypf the District
This year the Coxey Jarmy will add n
slight increase in the matter Of transporta-
ton, for many of tllem have already been
sent of. and there ADJ rSYres of others who
would willingly go II they could get free
TRANSPORTATION. But because OF the limited
funds most of them ,are told that they will
u to rntn rr, tha
them, however, were seat as far as Chi
cago. This is sci loni done. for 1t taxes the
fund to too great an iexIS1t.
Cranks Numerous.
Sick persons. unable to pay their fare, are
often assisted out of this fund. and the
everlasting and troublesome orarks from
other places are never sighted. Many of
them are termed harmless cranks. and
are sent to their respective homes. some
times in charge of an officer and some
times alone.
Speaking of his subject in the rtIort
mentioned, Sanitary officer F:anS had this
to say:
LAS predicted in my last report. the
crank has shown quite an increase doubt
less brought here by the excitement at
tending the presidential election and in
auguratiOn. seeking some lucrative position
or claiming some responsible Office to which
they imagined they had been elected.
Twenty -one persons of this chara cter were
sent to their homes during the year just
closed, while ten persons If tine SAM class
were disposed of in like manner for the
year prior
The report continues: There were nine
dangerous or insane persons returned under
police escort to their respective homes or
institutions from which they had escaped.
at an expenditure Of $16O1, while for the
year prior the amount expended in like
manner for eight persons was S6..GS an
increase of one person and $l3.35. making
a fro IN n
l have at times experienced no little diffi-
Guilty in dsposing of some Of these cases,
but 1t is satisfaction to eel that no per-
son has received the bel ,fts Of this fund
not legally entitled to the same"