The Washington times., 1894-11-17
CONCERNS OF The DISTRICT
Board of Children's Guardians Submits
Its Report Of Last Years Work.
CASES BEFORE EXCISE BOARD
New System For Garbage Disposal Proposed
Tuberculosis Found Among the Cattle at
Washington Asylum-Three Applicants
For Building Inspector File Their Papers.


board OF childrens guardians, have sent to
Col Tracy, the superintendent OF charities,
a detailed report of the operations OF the
board for the past year.
The board came into control of fund July
/. 1893, of $4,000 "for the cases OF feeble
minded children" and others, OF which fund
it expended l3,l45.55. The administrative
expenses Of the board for the year, including
salaries. were S9,9S3 72. The board began
the year with no children in charge; it closed
the year with 175 legal wards
Speaking OF the relations which the board
bears both TO the government and the child
caring institutions, the officers emphasize
''the fact that the board is not one amongst
many institutions soliciting or competing for
public aid, but that it. and II alone OF the
agencies for the care OF children in the Dis
trict, is the representative of the interests OF
the government, and that 1t was created for
the express purpose, amongst others, of en-
abling the government so TO care for the chill
dren who had just claims upon 1t as 10 estab-
lish some accurate measure Of the service
rendered to the government by the private
child-caring agencies. andFo assure 10 each
OF these agencies payments proporuonate TO
the services rendered"
Several Official documents are appended 10
what in the opinions OF their several authors,
were the evils this board was created to rem
edy and by what means the board was in
tended to remedy them.
The evils pointed out are: There existed no
agency for the determination OF dependency
of children upon District care; no public or
private agency to which children could be
committed by the courts for care; no means
by which children could be placed directly in
natural homes. and no adequate means TO
watch over them; there was tendency TO
crowd the institutions with children, who
would have been better of in private homes;
no apparent need to retain children at public
support when they might have been placed in
homes; there was too restricted a range of
legal authority for the disposition of certain
classes OF dependents and delinquents, and
there was no means Of keeping record OF the
children who became dependent, their par
entage and cause OF dependency: there was a
great waste OF public funds by the multipli-
cation OF institutions beyond public need.
The report goes on TO state that since il has
been stated that the work of the board was
extravAgant attention is called 10 the fact that
the average cost of maintenance Of the wards
of the board has been less than the rates paid
to Institutions To the minds of those pei
/ sons who have been brought TO realize the
benefits which accrue TO children from u
normal and helpful life ia real homes. as CON-
! pared with the disadvantage inevitably result
ing from the artificial life OF institutions, the
monetary saving will appear the less i'm
! portant feature OF the system which has been
! pursued by this board.
Accompanying the foregoing report was
one submitted by the agent, Herbert w. LOWS
Ninety Of the I75 children under control oi
the board at the close Of the year were in free
| homes on trial. on indenture, or earning wages
| for themselves, and eighty-flve were still sup.
4 -4.a1o eHe. - . 49,.
Referring to the mortality, including chill.
dren under ten years OF age. the agent says
the total number placed was flfty-three. The
percentage of deaths to number placed in
| families. 1884: asylums. 57.14. From this be
/ argues in favor of the boards plan OF secur-
ing homes in private families for those In .s
charge. as against placing them IN asylums.
Twelve OF the cases in which applications
! for liquor license were ''held up by the excise
| board al the meeting on Tuesday were taken
| up separately yesterday and 4 hearing given
! on the merits in each.
The twelve were Edward Murphy. James
Hayes, Jeremiah J. Brosnan, John j. Nc
! Carthy. Charles H. Clarke, Louis Sherman,
John Hell, John Graf, Quigley and Hart,
Elizabeth Gallagher, Michael Jennings, and
James L. O'Connor.
The decision in the foregoing cases will
not be made unit! the return of Mr.. Morsell,
a member Of the board, who is attending at
the bedside OF a sister, who is very ILL.,
The Commissioners heard Dr.. Waters yes
terday in behalf of the patentee for a brand
new method of garbage disposal.
DR.. =. Z. Salmon recently made an inspec-
! ton Of the cattle at the Washington Asylum,
and discovered that twelve Of the milch cows
were afflicted with tuberculosis. He reported
1 the fact 10 the Health ONCE. thence to the
F! Board of Com missioners, with the opinion
that they should be killed, as In
their condition. they were amenace to health.
The opinion was indorsed by Health Officer
| Woodward. The Commissioners issued an
order yesterday that the cows be killed. They
were appraised at valuation OF $50.
Aessrs. John B. Brady, Thomas ]. King
and Charles Edmonston have each entered
the lists in the race for the appointment as
building inspector. Their applications were
| presented yesterday. 1t is understood that
Messrs. Pilling and Poindexter will be on
| hand in time TO have their papers considered
Building permits were issued yesterday as
! follows: John S. Larcombe, agent, dwelling
at No. 2023 r street northwest, 81 500; John
I. Burke. dwelling, No. 1914 Eighteenth
I street northwest. Sal 600: J. N Reesoe, dwell.
| ing, Little Falls road, $1,000; E. Kubel, stabl,
in rear Of No. ll6 street northeast, $500.
Mount Pleasant, through its Citizens AS
| soeiation. has asked the Commits ,ioners tc
| open School street by extension south tc
/ Kenesaw avenue. The president OF the asso.
| citation, Mr.. Somerville, has written to the
board urging the matter.
A barking dog has become a nuisance II
the estimation OF the corresponding secretary
Of the Medical Society Of the District. and hi
has written the Commissioners letter. re
questing its abatement, in order that the so
ciety meetings shall be no further disturbed
-s
Anne Hathaway will tell in the SUNDAY