The times., 1898-12-06

l.
be made at the other railroad station and
that the movement will result In the gem
erai improvement of the cab and hack
service of the city. At present many pub
| lie vehicles are In such a dilapiiated con-
dition as to provoke deserved criticism.
During the year the excise board has
pursued the policy of reducing as far as
possible the number of barroom licenses
| and preventing the establishment of too
many barrooms in any one locality. The
total number of barroom licenses is now
| 5s2. and the number of wholesale licenses
4 1a. Existing legislation regarding the
| sale of liquor Is enforced, but new laws
are very much needed, especially one
which will prohibit the sale OF beer on
Sunday by the breweries.
1 Harbor Master.
The work of the hartor with the
| patrol boat. has progressed satisfactorily.
| The Commissioners earnestly recommend
| favorable action on the estimate for new
machinery and the complete equipment
| of this busy little craft. in order that the
many duties devolving upon 1t may be
| properly performed In this connection a
large amount of wharf property demands
/ protection, the Washington and George
town channels must be pol:ced. dead bod
| les dragged for the fish and game laws
enforced. and security afforded. the nu-
merous shipping interest along the entire
| river front.
Attention is again invited to the neces-
| sity for the construction of public Gre
matory to dispose of that class OF indi-
gents who are now buried in the potter's
| field. II is hoped that some provision can
| be made In the near future for the estao-
| lishment of such service
Decisions of the attorney have shorn
| the health department Of almost all OF the
authority which It was formerly supposed
to have under the act to prevent the
spread of scarlet fever and diphtheria-
Its work is now almost entirely education
al in character and not conducive to the
| best results. Unless amendments to the
existing law are secured. or a new law
passed, no action can be taken looking to-
ward the limitation of the spread of these
| diseases.
Municipal Building.
with the return OF prosperity and with
a full treasury. it is hoped that the OBJ
jections heretofore made to granting an
| appropriation for a municipal building
have at last been overcome. and that at
| the coming session of Congress the pend
| ing bill. or modification OF II, win re-
ceive favorable action and a start made
| in securing a structure worthy of the na-
tons capital The highway extension
| act. railroad grade crossings, the recla-
nation of the Eastern Branch flats, and
street railroads have engaged the atten-
| ton of the Commissioners the citizens
| and Congress during the past few years
| to the exclusion of other important con-
| siderations. All these however. have been
/ settled. or are in a fair state of adjudica-
| tion. so that the energies of all interested
may be conferred on the accomplishment
OF this worthy object with every assur-
\ ance of success.
| The Smoke Nuisance.
Attention is invited to the extensive
consumption of soft coal, which has 50
rapidly increased that it promises at no
distant date to very seriously mar the
/ beauty of the city and destroy the pleas
| ures which enhance its value as q place
OF residence. bill providing the neces-
| sary relief has passed the House and is
now pending in the Senate. Its enact
ment would result in the abatement of
this nuisance, of which just complaint is
so frequently made by our citizens
The Removal of Garbage.
THE removal of garbage has been at
tended with comparatively little COM
plant. under an arrangement by which
| the contractor has daily conveyed -As
same in suitable covered scows to a point
below the District line where 1t has been
! utilized on property purchased by him for
| its reception. The crematOry at the foot
of South Capitol Street has been reserved
for use should navigation be closed during
the Winter
1.-THE Commissioners are of the opinion
that the disposal of garbage should be
undertaken by the municipality and not
by contract. it being a part of the general
waste of the city, and that in connection
Herewith provision should also be made
for the disposition of all items of waste.
such as ashes, tin cans. paper, rags. bot
ties, etc. In a practical demonstration of
the utility of a city's waste it has been
conclusively proven that it is not without
intrinsic value and may be converted
into a source of revenue which will ma
terially defray the expense incident to its
disposal Congress will accordingly, be
petitioned to confer upon the Commits
sioners' authority to act in this direction
independent of the contract system.
1.-THE Navy Yard Bridge is entirely in
adequate TO properly serve the travel
which is required 10 pass over it. 1t
should be replaced at an early date by
a modern structure. Estimates for this
work have been submitted to Congress
for several years. but so far no results
have been obtained.
Improvement in Management
During the year the Commissioners, de-
string to ascertain whether the business
of the office was being conducted on the
best and most modern principles, appoint
ed committee consisting of the auditor
of the District, the secretary of the Board
of Commissioners and the head of one OF
the divisions of one of the engineer de-
partment. This committee was further
augmented by the addition of Mr.. E. T.
Bushnell. who supervises the examina-
ton of District accounts at the United
States Treasury.
In order that a wide scope of inquiry
might be afforded this committee was au-
thorized to proceed to other cities and
there investigate the methods in vogue.
As result of this investigation important
information has been acquired in connec-
ton with the systems of tax collection
and other municipal transactions OF es-
pecial value were their observations in the
auditing departments of some of the lar
gest railroad companies in the East.
The report of this committee is exepcted
shortly and marked improvements are an
ticipated 1t is believed that by the appli-
cation of more approved methods better
results will attend the work of the cleri-
| cal force.