Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-16
SANITARY OFFICE TRIALS
Those Who Call Daily to Rehearse Their
Tales of Woe.
Many Deserving People Assisted An
nually-Cranks and ImpOstOrs-
OF Ananias Pattern.

Outside of the District Commissioners.
who are continuously besieged by callers
from early morning until the closing hour
at the District building, the most sought
after official of the local government is the
sanitary officer, Mr.. j. A. Frank. Whlle
Mr.. Frank is very popular with his friends
and mighty good fellow. 1t is not his per-
sonality alone which attracts to MIN the
attention of so many individuals his cali
ers are not of a class, either, winch COM
mands the greatest admiration, although
there are many who elicit and deserve gen
une sympathy 1t is Mr.. Franks duty to
deal with the paupers, the cranks ana the
tramps who desire to shake the dust OF
the capital city from their pedal eXtreml-
ties and return home, or, in the case OF the
trampS, to hit the grit for some easier
scene of action.
During the course Of the year the SAM
tary officer hears many and varied tales OF
woe. Some decidedly unique, but d
majority of the yarns spun by the I'M
posters are cut and dried, shop-Worn ana
raveied at the edges. Hundreds of persons
who are undeserving are turned down
constantly because their lamentations ana
plants of ill luck bear too prominently the
markings Of a departure from the narrow
paths of rectitude. The faith in humanity
posse ssed by the sanitary officer must IN
deed he great not to be shattered from con-
tact with so many talks OF the AnenlaS
pattern offered by the gentry of the ROAD
in support of applications Tor transpor'a-
ton to other cities.
The Officers Fund.
A fund is annually placed at the disposal
of the sanitary officer to be used in AIDING
the needy destitute to reach their homes
and friends. The money thus expended Is
well spent, for it assists to other points
many worthy persons and at the same time
.l1n q
District or it's people. The work done in
Mr.. Franks office is quite extensive. 1t
requires the utmost care to prevent the uis-
pensing of assistance to those who do not
merit it. Tramps and impostors go to the
sanitary officer in great numbers. MAJOR
ity paying their respects in the winter.
Some of the figures on file in the sanitary
Office are very interesting. Cranks ana de-
mented persons continue to visit this city,
endeavoring to have righted their mag
mary wrongs. Last year, for instance.
twelve such persons We're returned whence
they came. During the fiscal year 1898 $50
persons were furnished with transportation
to their homes, or out of the District at any
rate, and the total amount expended for
that purpose was 81. 1900 OF those trans
ported go were males, 265 females, 763
white 172 colored, LAC being foreign-born
Distressed Oystermen.
The most distressing with which the
sanitary officer has to deal are the men
from Cne oyster lleluS VI tiit SleSdI,tdhe
bay and lower Potomac river. Meanly
treated by the masters of the oyster
dredges. these men make their way to this
city, and here secure transportation to their
homes or to places where they feel assured
work awaits them. From forty to fifty of
such cases are attended to each winter.
1t will be surprising, perhaps, to many to
know that each year numbers of women
are brought to this city and here de-
serted by their husbands. There We're
thirty-nine such cases last year. A number
of old soldiers and sailors come annually to
Washington to make personal inquiry in
regard to their pension claims. Failing to
secure the expected money. they are with
out means to return and have to be pro-
vided for by the District. The most numer-
Gus class of worthy persons furnished with
tranSporta ton are those who seek WASH
ington with the idea of securing remunera-
tive employment. The number is increasing
every year, too. Mr.. Frank is of the opin-
ion that the fund for the purposes of his
office should amount at least to s. 500 and
VIII SO state in his next annual report.