Evening star., 1896-12-07
DISTRICT REPORT
CONTINUED from Tenth Page.)

sicners called attention in their last an
nual report. that the low mortality rate
among the white population, comparing
favorably as 1t does with that of the most
favored cities of the world, seems to en-
phasize the other more alarming fact that
notwithstanding the reduction In the death
rate among the colored population since
1876 of 11.24 per 1000, it is still 11.21 per
1000 or about 81 per cent in excess of
that for the white population, which ac-
counts for the high general death rate
for the District"
1t serves also to show that if it is pos
sible to reduce the death rate of the col
ored to that of the white population. more
than 1.W0 lives can be saved annually In
this District. But whether this be deemed
possible or not, there can be no joubt
that the present death rate among our
colored people is unnecessarily and alarm
ingly high. and that it's material reduction,
as well as a further reduction in that of
the white population, depends wholly upon
provision by Congress for an adequate sys-
TEN Of savers and water supply. together
with the enactment and enforcement Of
proper sanitary laws. This has not only
been established by the report of the health
officer and elaborate reports to Congress
by the Medical Society of the District (See
report No. t:,3 of the committee on the Dis
trict of Columbia, United States Senate,
Fifty-third Congress, second session., but
1t was also conclusively proven in the last
annual report of the Commissioners ty
showing what had been accomplished in
reducing the death rate by the Introduction
of sewers and a pure water supply IN large
European cities, where much less favorable
natural conditions existed than are found
in the city of Washington
The 81 Per cent higher death rate among
our colored than among our white popu-
latior is largely. if not wholly. due to the
lack of proper sanitary conditions IN Ine
localities where by reason of their poverty
they are forced to reside. This Is an IN
necessary and wicked sacrifice of several
hundred lives annually-a heavy penalty
to exact from helpless race Tor the aD-
sence of pure air. water and sewers, Whio n
it is within the power of Congress to sup
ply. But they are not the only sufferers;
the seeds OF death and contaSion which
find their origin in these plague spots are
scattered broadcast by servants and
through the street cars and public schools,
thus constituting a continual menace to
the public health. The health officer IN his
last report says:
1T is r-en TO clearly recognize the ex-
istence of an indefinite number of privies,
constantly polluting the atmosphere, and
i'll many Instances the soil and We'll water
How large this number is may be partly
inferred from the fact that out of the
1916 nuisances reported during the year,
12-O05 were for privies, full. leaky, nitny or
dilapidated. These are being abolished by
the substitution of proper water clo Us
under the drainage act. approved May H.
1s.&;. as rapidly as the appropriation for
supplying necessary sewers. and the iayii
of water pipes. will permit.
There is urgent need for sewers IN the
rapidly grow ing suburbs. as we'll as in the
CITY, but many OF these cannot be sup
piled until trunk sewers are completed ana
a system OF intercepting sewers and sew
age disposal and protection against Eoods
be constructed in accordance with The plans
recommended by the board of sanitary en-
gineers in their report to Congress upon
the sewerage of the District OF Columola,
in July, 1S30 (Ex. Doc. No. i45, F1fty-hrst
Congress. first SESSION.. This important
fn he
it is earnestly urged that provision De
made for it's commencement by the present
Congress
Considerable embarrassment has resulted
in efforts to enforce some of our important
laws for the proteC ton of the pubic healtn
by reason of certain defects in the laws
which will be brought to the attention oi
the proper committees of Congress, Win
the hope of having them corrected e"iihs
the present Congress.
A more serious embarrassment IS re-
ported by the attorney, major anu super III
tendent of police and the health cHcer IN
their efforts to enforce important nealtn
ordinances and police regulations by the re-
fusal of the Police Court. after conFlctloh'
to enforce the penalty imposed by law the
personal bonds of the offender being taken
in lieu thereof. The attorney for the DIS
trict reports 2047 cases in which personal
bonds were taken during the year ending
Jtne 3o. 1896 On this subject he says:
You will observe that in such cases as
nuisances I filed 3i6 cases and 116 personal
bonds were taken. Selling adulterated
milk II cases were filed and personal
bonds were taken. Selling unwholesome
food :, cases were fled and l personal bond
was taken Violating building regulations
III cases were filed and "a personal bonds
were taken For violating some provision
of the health ordinances otner than a
nuisance l filed cases, and personal
bonds were taken Gargage regulations 231
cases were filed and 1O6 personal bonds
Were taken. For wasting Potomac water
81 cases were filed and l6 personal bonds
taken One case for violating the plub-
ing regulations, District Of Columbia VS..
Works. and one personal bond taken"
The health officer reports that out of 22'
cases filed for unlawful privies. in only 81
ca SeS were fines imposed. while in 1OJ other
cases of conviction under same charge
personal bonds We're taken. Concerning the
effect of this practice upon his department
and the public health, he submits the fol-
lowing:
RANGES this department Is required after
the discovery of a nuisance to notify the
responsible party to abate it within spe-
Gifted time. 1t is Cnly after failure to COM
ply with the terms of the notice that the
warrant is asked for and the case referred
to the Police Court for settlement. The
practice, therefore. of permitting the de-
PENDANTS in such cases to go without pun
ishment results in the continuance Of the
nuisance for an unnecessary and unreason-
able length of time to the danger Of the
public health. 1t brings into contempt the
notices of this department.; persons notified
and their neiShbors soon becoming aware
of the fact that the Police Court does not
enforce compliance with the orders of the
health department. 1t necessitates an un-
necessary number of inspections in such
cases. thus preventing the inspectors from
examining as large number of premises
would otherwise be possible, and in
crcaSeS the average cost of each case In
spected. 1t results in an unnecessary num-
ber of cases reaching the Police Court in
view of the contempt into which the no.
tices of this department are brought so
that the inspectors lose valuable time while
waiting to be heard as witnesses in such
cases.
Il am aware that it is plead in justifica-
tion Of the practice of accepting personal
bonds that it is the case, notably with
reference to persons charged with violating
the health ordinances, that the defendants
are poor, and that it would work a hard
ship to require them to pay fines or to be
Imprisoned. In such cases, II they are too
poor to pay the cost of abating the nui-
sance prior to the expiration of the time al
lowed by the health department, their per-
sonal bonds are probably worthless; nor
can | see why they are any better able to
abate the nuisance. after having given their
personal bonds than they were able to do
SO within the time allowed by the health
department.
ITO sum UP, the practice of taking per-
sonal bonds results in the continuance of
nuisances for an unnecessary length of time,
and increases the cost and diminishes the
efficiency of the inspection service Of this