Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-02

| and at the same time inspected at regular
! intervals by government employees. any de-
| fects being quickly discovered and correct
4 ed. Owners of rented property could If
| they desired. collect the privy tax from
| usually done in tie case Of water rent.
| His report in full, containing important
! conclusions and Recommendations. is ap-
| pended to the report Of the health officer.
! If anything further should be needed to
| Illustrate the necessity by immediate action
! by Congress in provfding the means to pro-
| tect the public health, we have it in the
| statement of the health officer that
1.-The entire number of nuisances inspect
| ed during the year was q ABB. an increase
| of 1.193 over the year previous. The prin-
| cipal ones were as follows: Privies full.
| filthy, !eaky, unlawfully located, ETC.. 10.-
| a decrease of 1903; defective sewers. public
| and private. 9S3. decrease of AGA defec-
| tive surface drainage $50. a decrease of
| 1000; filthy and unwhOlesome stables. 223.
! decrease of 80. and hog pens, 26, de-
crease of SO. Alleys were reported as filthy
in 424 instances, an increase of DOB over
| last year."
! If the destruction of the Door is their
poverty" it Is also, in these matters, the
| destruction Of the rich. 1t is the poor that
are forced into damp. overcrowded. I'M
wholesome tenements, without sewerage or
water, and are with insufficient light and
ventilation. but 1t lis generally the cupidity
4 of the rich that forces them into such I'M
| healthy quarters. 1t is usually the wealthy
\ landlord or his agent who takes advantage
4 of the defects In the law, and refuses to
| obey 1t, to the imminent danger of the life
| of the poor tenant and the whole communi-
ty.
! The city of Berlin found 1t necessary to
\ prohibit the erection of houses ON unsew-
| cred lots. and to provide by law that at
least one-third of the lot area shall be left
| vacant for light and ventilation, and SINH
I cd in oil Of he
| large cities mentioned as one of the means
for reducing the mortality rate
The Commissioners several months ago
| adopted a similar regulation. which has
met with great opposition from speculative
| builders. particularly the owners of corner
lots. 1t is. however. rigfdiy enforced.
4 Overcrowding is an evil so prolific OF dis
| ease. that 1t should be prevented at any
cost. appropriation is an expensive but
often the only remedy for neglect to en-
| force proper sanitary conditions at the out
| set. 1t has cost European cities millions
| OF dollars to remedy early mistakes in this
| respect. and We should profit by their eX-
| perience. Formerly there was no law In
| the District against the erection of alley
houses, and the ayarice Of a certain class
| of spectators resulted in the erection of a
| large number Of badly constructed and
| insanitary tenements In narrow alleys.
These alleys ere now principal sources of
| disease and crime. and we are paying the
| penalty, and large one 1t Is for neglect
| to prevent this fungus growth Congress
some years ago wisely prohibited the cree
ton Of dwellings on alleys less than thirty
| feet in width. This law has checked the
evil, but has not eradicated it. The records
Of the health Office and the Police Court
| show how costly these pest spots are to
maintain. Provisions should be made for
| disseminating their use as dwellings.
] The building regulations are being re-
| vised by the building inspector. assisted by
competent committee of architects and
| experienced builders, who have generously
l for he
| without compensation.
The best features of the regulations in
force In all Of the principal cities of the
| world will be adopted. so that no badly
constructed or insanitary buildings can be
| erected after the new regulations go into
| force.
Isolation Hospital.
Among our most pressing needs, the abb
| sence of which is a continual reproach up
on the District, sfDr. Woodward aptly
says. mot for the care of the sick so much
as the protection of the we'll, rich as well
as poor is an isolation hospital
Repeated, unsuccessful efforts were
| made to secure a suitable site until June,
1891, when lots G. {. - and %. block 3.
| Wright and Doler's subdivision. We're pur-
CHASED Tor the purpose, the entire cost
being s9,O14.50 These lots contained 30.atO
square feet, and We're situated between Bis
| marck and Princeton streets, It'll street
| and Sherman avenue.
following clause IN the last appropria tion
act: u
That hereafter no other building for use
as public or private hospital for con-
tagious diseases shall be erected in the
| District of Columbia " thin 800 feet of any
building owned by private Individual OF
any other party than the one erecting the
building. tC'r
The site already purchased could not be
| used on account of this law. There was 10
money available for the purchase of a new
site. The distance of the hospital from adj.
| Jacent buiidiL "s, as fixed by law, 300 feet
is unnecessarily great, but If an appropria
ton be granted large enough to secure the
necessary site In location not too remote
from the city. the amount of ground re-
CURED will add greatly to the beauty OF the
! institution and the comfort of the Inmates
1t will require. however, a tract containing
not less than fifteen acres. and unless
ground can be secured exactly adapted to
the purpose, greater area.
This. with the hospital buildings and
equipment. will necessitate an appropria-
ton of about $1000OO If the distance from
the adjacent buildings be fixed at forty
feet, which is ample. a site containing
about four acres will be sufficient. and the
cost will be proportionately reduced"
The Commissioners are of the opinion
| that the site selected is an ideal one and
might advantageously be used for the pur-
pose intended. 1t possesses the great adj
vantages of considerable elevation, good
drainage. accessibility by two rapid transit
easy driving distance from the center OF
population. In fact it combines in an I'M
usual degree all of the requisites for such
a hospital. To this end they recommend
the purchase of all the residue of the land
in the square except lots abutting on 18th
street and Sherman avenue, which can then
be separated from the hospital grounds by
alleys, and a modification of the 300 feet
limit provision in the last appropriation
act. or an appropriation of 100000 to pur-
chase site elsewhere.
Collection and Disposal of Garbage
| and Dead Animals.
Under the authority contained in the last
appropriation act for the District. the Com
missioners have Cancelled, by consent of the
contractor, the then existing contract, and
entered into new contract with Joshua \
Warfield of Maryland to collect and incin,
crate all garbage. in accordance with ths
conditions of said act, for the sum of $5I,oOC
| per annum.
| They have also made certain regulations
prescribing necessary rules for household
ers in making garbage accessible, etc, tc
which they have annexed suitable penalties
for violation of the same. copy of said
contract and said regulations is con tained
in the health officers report hereto appsndei