The morning times., 1896-05-26
CHILDREN AS CARETAKBRS
Civic Center Proposes Organizations
to Protect Patks and Monuments.
Gas Question Discussed and Other
Local Needs Agitated at the
Council Meeting

Tie council OF the Civic Center met yester-
ddy Afternoon and transacted large bud
get OF business, Rev. DR. Newman in the
chair.
OF the matters - immediate importance
was discussion on the subject Il organ-
izing the school children into hands for the
protection ~ public PARKS, bulldlngs. and
monuments from acts - theft OF vaEdal-
ism. This question was broJched by Miss
Alice Fletcher. who entertained The council
by some interesting observations made
while she was n Philadelphia. and where
the organization Il such bands under the
public school officials Is al accomplished
fact.
Miss Fletcher, while yiug stress on the
material value OF such guardianship, re-
CARDS the education OF the children 20 a
sense OF public responsibility, and in the
moral sense OF such duty as the more i'm
portant consideration. After a discussion
which was altogether on the line IF ap-
proval, Miss Fletcher was authorized To
communicate with the superintendent Of
the public schools. making the suggestion
and securing his views on this proposition
Miss HOsmer introduced the question
of the propriety and feasibility of prUvid-
ing a street corners receptacles for waste
paper, as is the custom in some cities.
Dr. Kober called attention to the fact that
there was now pending an appropriation
of $4,000 for the disposition OF the vol
umes of waste and possibly infected paper
thrown upon the dumps If the apprOpria-
ton is not made, or if it is made, Miss
Hosmer viii communicate to the Commis-
sioners the idea OF providing the recep-
tacles.
There was some discussion, without &C
ton, on the suggestion heretofore made
that railways having valuable franchises
be required to contribute more than at
present for the care OF the streets used
by them. Miss Hinrichs has gathered up
a great deal of information as To the COM
panies, the value of their franchises and
benefits, which information will be put in
shape for submission at later date
The council expressed its satisfaction
upon the passage of the bill requiring
compulsory sewer connections, s. B. 2521,
and discussed generally its prospective
good effect on the health of the city. 1t
is estimated that the bill enforced will do
away with $1,000 local nuisances-
Prof. j. NJ. Gregory read an admirable
legislation ON cheaper gas He made a
decidedly interesting statement, without
however, giving names, referring To the
lobby against the cheaper gas bills which
was maintained by the local gas compan-
les. DR.. Gregory was afraid that it was
too late to continue the agitation but
on a resolution offered by him it was de-
termined that the council should continue
its efforts for light and fuel to be placed
within the reach Of the poorer classes.
1t was Suggested and will probably be pro-
vided by the civic center that literature
reciting the more important facts in this
agitation be placed in the homes OF all
washingtonians and especially the fifty
two thousand homes in which il is said that
the present prices are beyond the reach
of their occupants.