Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-08
The East Washington Citizens As
ISOLATION Considering the Subject
TELEPHONES, BRIDGES, TAXES, PARKS
Proposition to Secure Public Lands
for Benefit of District Schools.
S = n D RY M A T T E r 8

owing to the absence OF President Bab-
son, DIR. s. s. Yoier occupied the chair at
the regular monthly meeting of the East
Washington Citizens Association last n ght.
DIR. Yoder detailed the work Of the ex-
ecutive committee In connection with the
effort Of the association to secure the
passage of the bill to charter the Home
Telephone Company.
Mr.. ]. D. Cro;ssant, chairman of the
committee on railroads, spoke of the prog
ress that had been made on the project to
throw a bridge over Massachusetts, avenue.
The bill mad been returned from the Sec
rotary Of War with the recommendation
that an appropriation of 5000 be made to
make the preliminary surveys for the
bridge, together with an estimate Of the
cost of the bridge.
Asscssment and Equalization.
committee on assessments, stated that the
appeals from the present assessment, and
advised all who had complaints to make
their appeals before the end of May. He
referred to the naming of the reclaimed
fats The association should consider the
propriety of naming these parks. He
thought one should be named the Potomac
Park and the other the Anacostia Park.
The name Riverside Park, he under
stood, was ambiguous. 1t did not give
the location of either park. He made
motion in support of his remarks, which
was adopted and referred to the commit
tee on parks and spaces.
School Lands.
Robert F. HILL from the committee on
schools reported the action of the commit
tee upon the resolution in reference to Sc
curing for the benefit Of our public schools
just and equitable proportion of sections
16 and So Of the House bill 100, relating to
the appropriation of public lands for school
purposes, so as to include the District of
Columbia. The report unanimously approx
ed the resolution. with a view Of applying
the proceeds exclusively to the extension
Of manual training in this District and, if
practicable, the establishment of schools
of technology.
A committee. composed of w. c. Dodge
and DR.. L. j. Battle. was appointed to
further the passage of the amendment.
Destroying Dumpage.
DR.. Yoder, chairman of the committee on
health. police and charities, made the fol-
Lowing report:
I'VE approve and heartily commend the
action Of the honorable Commissioners of
the District in recommending to Congress
that sufficient appropriation be made to
destroy the cOnibustible waste of the city.
The present method of disposing of the
city's dumpage is. in our judgment. fruit
full source OF disease, and a standing men
ace to the health and welfare OF this COM
mun1ty. This material, consisting of the
refuse fIcm stores and markets. old rags,
waste Taper and much Of the offensive
matter incident to domestic life in a great
metropolis. is now being deposited upon
squares in order to bring lots which are
beiow grade uD to level with the Sur
roui ding property. This stratum of filth is
frequently twenty feet in thickness and
nj oSfpP fro
houses that have undergone renovation
from contagious and other diseases-diph-
liberia, scarlet fever, consumption, etc.-is
added TO the already disease breeding piles,
the danger to public health is largely in
creased.
Health Office Statement.
'As an indication Of the baleful influence
arising from the deposit Of the city's Dump
as in populated portions Of the city, we
invite attention to the following statement,
prepared from the record of the health de-
Dartment:
There were extensive dumping grounds
on squares 6s3-11S and 1857, West Wash
ington, in years past. The two first have
since been covered with buildings, and the
latter squares partially built upon. Dur
ing five years there occurred two hundred
and five deaths on square 6;'3, end the i'm
mediately neighboring squares. from the
following diseases: Diphtheria, 80; typhoid
fever 43; consumption, 81; and pneumonia
and acute lung diseases, Go. In the same
time, on and around square IT'S. one hun
dred and fcrty-seven deaths were from
diphtheria, typhoid fever, consumption and
pneumonia And in the same time, on the
ether two squares in Georgetown and i'm
mediate vicinity, there broke out an cpl
ceraic of diphtheria while the dump" was
In full operation, causing Seventy-tWo
deaths from that disease, and two hundred
and nine deaths from typhoid fever, con-
sumption and pneumonia, amounting in all
to two hundred and eighty-one. In the
above cited cases the NOR sality exceeds the
average and Formal number by from 100
to 300 per cent. In the Georgetown squares
the normal number of deaths should not
have been OVER seventy-fve in the territory
embraced in the statement, instead of two
hundred end eighty-one.
Dwellings ON Made Land.
PROVISION has been made in most all the
cities of the United States for the sanitary
disposal of combustible waste, and your
committee is Of opinion that the dumping
Of this offensive and disease-breeding ma
terial within the city limits is in violation
sanitary irciples, and that its immediate
abandonment Is imperatiyely demanded in
tbs interest OF public health.
THE practice of depositing the city's
waste upon lar Dig which are afterward to
be used for dwellings or streets is a mem
acc to tie future sanitary condition of the
city. and the public comfort, health and
safety demand the abatement of this sys-
TEN of disposal
I'VE approve the recommendation of the
Commissioners that the material should be
burned. This method Of disposal is final.
1t is safest AMI best, and meets all the
requirements desired by this community,
whose health and comfort is now endanger-
ed by the present method Of disposal upon
vacant lots and unimproved streets"
Promoted From the Ranks.