Evening star., 1898-12-05

III dCSeptills SucH appointments VINO cOulu
not have done so under other conditions.
While the new system has not been in
operation long enough to speak positively
as to Its merits, so far as aAconclusion can
be drawn from the past month ii has been
very satisfactory to all concerned.
Disinfection Station.
The disinfection of such articles could
be moved to the municipal disinfecting sta
lion and disinfected by steam has been done,
as heretofore, under the direction Of the
health department. but the disinfection of
the premises themselves has necessarily
been intrusted to the househoIders because
OF the absence of any appropriation to ena-
BILE the health Office to do the work. The
disadvantages of such a system have been
pointed out in previous reports. 1t is hoped
that some provision can be made in the near
future for the establishment of general
disnfecting service
Decisions of the attorney have, from time
to time. shorn the health department of al
most all of the authority which it was for
merly supposed to have under the act to
prevent the spread of scarlet fever and
dlphtheria. Its work, therefore, Is now al
most entirely educational in character and
not conducive to the best results. Unless
amendments to the existing law secured
or new law passed. no action can be taken
looking toward the limitation of the spread
of these diseases.
Contagious Diseases.
The delay which necessarily took place in
minor contagious diseases. as provided for
by the act of March 8. 1897, though it was
at the time a matter of regret and disap-
pointment, has resulted to the best inter-
est of the community. Instead of the
amount then appropriated-S0,0OO for two
wards-provlsion has been made by the
sundry civil act of July /, 1898, of $50 900
for the construction of such buildings on
the grounds of Providence Hospital, and
.S3,ooo for those to be connected with Car
field Memorial Hospital. This seems to
settle satisfactorily a matter which has
been the source of much embarrassment to
the Commissioners and hindrance to the
work of the health department.
The generous action of Providence Hospi-
tai in consenting to the use of a part of its
grounds for one of the buildings provided
for in the appropriation first mentioned
deserves recognition. So, also. does the
fact that this institution has voluntarily re-
ceived and treated during the year four
cases of scarlet fever and thirty-five cases
of diphtheria, without any prospect of COM
pensatfon therefor. and for which substan-
TALLY no other hospital accommodations
could have been secured. In no instance
has there been any spread of diseases from
any of these cases after they We're admit
ted to the hospital demonstrating the prac-
teal absence of danger from institutions
for the treatment of such maIadies.
Detention Building.
The need for building separate from the
smallpox hospital, in which cases suspected
OF being smallpox can be held pending
diagnosis, which was so urgently demon
strated during the last outbreak was pre-
sented to Congress several years ago but
the proposition TO erect such building
was so unfaVOrably received that it has not
been again submitted. 1t may, possibly be
received better at some future time. The
recently erected hospital for smallpox has
proven of great value, but attention is again
invited to the fact that, except when it is
occupied by patients. it is without any one
to care for the extensive steam-heating
plant and the steam dsnfecting machinery
connected with it. The absence of an en-
gineer Will some day be the cause of dam
serous delay in removing a patient to the
hospital. 1t has already proven expensive
economy, by reason of injury to the Water
and sewer services and to the heati an
paratus by freezing. The recommendation
for an appropriation for the services of
an engineer. which has been made annually
Tor several years past, is respectfully re-
newed
Municipal Building.
With the return of prosperity and with a
full treasury, 1t is hoped that the obiec-
uons heretofore made to granting an ap-
preparation for a municipal building have
at last been overcome and that at the
coming. session of Congress the pending
bill, or a mOdifca ton of 1t, will receive
favorable action and a start made in secur-
ing a structure worthy of the nations cap
ltal. The highway extension act railroad
grade crossings, the reclamation of the
Eastern branch fats and street railroads
have engaged the attention of the Com
mlSS!ohers, the citizens ana Congress dur
ing the past few years to the exclusion of
other important considerations All these
have been settled or are in fair
state Of adjudication so that the energies
Of all interested may be cen,erad on the
accomplishment OF this worthy object with
every assurance of success.
Free Public Library.
The Commissioners call especial attention
to the public library of the District. which
in pursuance of legislation and gppropria-
ton by Congress- is now in opera zion. This
institution has been established "as a sup
plement of the educational system" of the
District. and it is developing rapidly on
lines which will make ii of 5neciaI value
to the school children and workingmen of
the community, in addition 20 its geueYal
usefulness as popular circulating library.
which the capital has long greatly needed.
The creation of taX-sustained library
here merely puts Washington on an equal
footing in this respect with the progrt SsiVe
of the United States includ-
ing scores of little New England towns.
The Commissioners heartily approve the
estimates for the maintenance and enlarge-
ment of the work of the library. a sight
increase in the library force and an appro-
priation for books are asked. The Is Oao
volumes now in the library are all private
donations and there will be other additi 1ns
from similar sources. But in order that
the library may be systematically develop
ed in such manner to ba Of the greatest
usefulness, an appropriation for the pur-
chase of books is essential. The statistics
furnished by the trustees show that the
library estimates submitted are in all re-
spects modest and reasonable and the
Commis issioners believe that in the interest
of the community these appropriations
should be made.
Business Management Improvement.
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, appointed a
committee consisting of the auditor of the
District the secretary of the board of Com
missioners and the head of one of the divi-
sions of the engineer department. This
committee was further augmented by the
addition of Mr.. L. +. Bushnell, who super
viseS the examination of District accounts
at the United States treasury.
In order that 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 a
result of this investigation important infer
ma ton has been acquired in connection
with the systems of tax collection and of her
transactions. OF esDeciaI vaIua