Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-17
improvements Made.

Several much-needed improvements have
been made during The year which have put
the work of the office upon much more
satisfactory basis thap has ever been the
case heretofore.
Remod2ling and furnishing the morgue.
which was made possible by the special an
propriatio ton of 81 900 for that purpose has
made vast improvement both in the an
pearance and in the usefulness of the build
ing The addition of five ice boxes has
made 1t possible to keep bodies for a rea-
soHable length of time without offensive
decomposition. A suitable wagon has been
purchased, and the serious difficulty re-
lating to the moving of ''bodies to and
from the morgue; has been overcome, as
we now have a well-eduippcd horse and wa
gon and driver always ready. There is now
no complaint of odor from the morgue and
much less objection made on the part of
trends and relatives to sending bodies
there. With all its improvements and i'm
proved facilities, the present morgue Is far
from being suitable one for sucn a CITY
as Washington. and, while 1t answers the
purpose 1t compares very unfavorably with
the buildings in other large cities
Needs of the Office.
Ihe need of new morgue is the first
and most important consideration under
this head. The present building is situated
in the rear of police station, was orig
lnally stable and is now adjoining a sta
BILE. We should have in Washington, as in
all large cities a morgue where the bodies
OF respectable and Well-to-do people NAV he
carried, as frequently becomes desira BILE
or necessary, without shocking the sensi-
bilities of relatives, friends and the public
Judging from the steady increase in the
number OF cases that come to the coroner
the new building should provide accommo-
datlons Tor at least twenty bodies and
should have suitable rooms for holding
autopsies and inquests and for keeping the
RECORDS OF the office. It should be an at
tract1Vc structure resembling a chapel or
small church and should contain a room
suitable for holding funeral services 1t
should be surrounded by a neat grass plot
ana conveniently located in a decent part
or the city. Now that the government has
gained a clear title to the river front and
Is gong to improve that part of the city
would suggest that it is the most suitable
place Tor the morgue for several reasons
ana that IN considering plans for remodel
ing the river front the construction of a
morgue might be considered. An appro-
prlation of 10000 has been asked every
year by the coroner for the building of a
mOrsue and in my opinion that amount of
money could not be spent for a better
purpose. building that would answer
the purpose may be constructed for a less
sum- but when the long-desired and much
asked-for morgue does come | hope to see
$lo,coo building.
Expenses Incurred.
al oPpiopi idtiOl Oh Sl,LO was asked
but only $500 allowed for incidental ex-
penses; and this would have been totally
inadequate, as will be seen from the fol-
lowing summary, had not the auditor paid
number of items from the emergency
fund: Salary of coroner, 81, 500. Incidental
expenses as follows: Making autopsies,
$3.50; jurors fees, S210; livery, $240; record
ing testimony, $40; purchase of wagon,
800: furniture and instruments for morgue
Les etc
printing, $40; disinterring bodies, So. o.
Special appropriation, S1,225.95. Remodel
ing and furnishing morgue, $s9230; disin-
fectants and drugs for morgue, 07.70; to-
tal $1,000. Morgue. keeper paid through
police Department., $3.50.
In conclusion | have the honor to sub
init the following estimate for the current
expenses of the office for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1s99-1901 Salary of cor
oner, $1,sO0; incidental, recording testi-
mony, $500; Jurors fees, 1910; autopsies,
5000; livery, $40; lee, eaet, for morgue
$50; photographing unidentified bodies, $50
Total, $1,000" re