The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-20

II = resident; OF the District were per-
mittcd 10 80 the the executive ofiic s OF the
Commisstoucrs and look over their cor
rcspoudcucr. the frst Impression h wonld
receive would be that the pe5pe OF Wa h
iugtcu h,leHses, - community OF hck,rs.
This impression would be forced 1non him
by the great number Of complaints he
would end each Sss among the letters Of
the Commissioner There IS always eae
and there may te atts in single mail 4
gsw average is perhaps ten a day, ranging
from a statement t6at the GROWING o. a
cock 81 a reighbors yard distGrbs the rest
Ok the {amsiy 10 az emphatic prot 81
against iae Enforcement Of sofae Tegoielioa
like re shstefaeat 81 tAe saoks neisant e
or tbe sos 78azSle ordinance
There osa b no deabt t6at there are "a
eooa many kiebo4s IA Washington The
Uea Waose 5aty takes ,#e4H daUy TO the
press room Of ;he District lsaiidins give
publicity 10 some Of ,ho Complaints aud
protests that are registered VITA the COM
missioners from time 10 time, but they 50
not and cannot prepare a tenth part OF
them for the press. Those which are
striking in some way or those which vel e
a Just complaint see the light while the
mass of them sleep IN forgotten graves
in the flies Of the several offices.
1t is difficult 10 perceive what the motive
is which prompts complaints of certain
class, which refer to matters wh ca ne ther
the Commissioners nor the departments
can remedy. Pecp.e of the District do not
exactly complain about the weather and
ask the Commissioners to have the
excessive heat or cold tempered to
suit them. but damages resulting uom
the severe storm of last June have bean.
ever since II occurred, fru tful Cause of
complaint. In the fall OF water, which
could not be anticipated, and which chok d
sewers and put strain upon the dIairage
Of the city that ii could not bear, mush
damage was done TO sidewalks, curbs,
streets. and even to the sewers. which
the Engineer Department IVES Obliged TO
repair out o. the emergency fund at their
disposal. II vas right and proper that
residents il various parts of the District
should call attention TO the damaged
streets and other public property, bui 1t
was stretching things little for hundrt ds
of people to wife to Che Comm ssicEers
calling upon them TO repair damag' 10
private property which suffered in that
storm. There seems to be an idea in the
minds of many persons that any ills that
seem 10 battle their own powers to remedy
should be appealed to the Commissione. S,
no meter whether they are Ct a pub ic
nature or only private and indiyiduli rn-
Germs. In this way the correspondence OF
the Commissioners is made large and the
number Of subjects they are called upon
TO consider and to bring TO some conciu-
sion is such Is 10 appaN cne TO- ami.-ar
with the situation.
Complaints of Many Kinds.
The protests which reach the Commits
sionsrs cover wide field. but they ara
capable of certain classification, and it
is in this way that a system has been
worked out OF dlsposing of complaints
which simnliies matters good deal. 1t
should be said in the first place that every
complaint of whatever character is given
due consideration by the Commissioners
1t sometimes happens that matter of al
most trivial character is given as much
time and attention as one OF greater mag
because 1t happens to touch upon
something which does net easily yield to
solution But the letters of this kind which
come to the District Building are COM
plants which belong TO the province OF
The Health Office the Police Department,
the Street Cleaning Department, the Tax
Department. or the Engineer Department.
Matters pertaining 10 public sanitation,
such as smells in a neighbor's cellar,
weeds on a vacant lot, standing or stag
rant water and any nuisance arising from
deeaying matter are naturally referred TO
the Health Office. which also has control
Of the dog pound and is charged with the
of the law relating TO the
OF smoke from chimneys
Especially in the summer time when the
windows of the houses are open there is
much annoyance caused from doors OF
various kinds which may arise from de-
fective drainage or from Tearing organic
matter exposed to the action of the
weather In July and August the Health
Department is kept on the run attending
10 this class OF complaints. Every smell
IN the District is duly reported at the
Health Office. and an inspector hastens
away 10 make an investigation and report
10 his chief. Sometimes notices are sent
Tor the owners OF premises to make the
necessary alterations in plumbing work
Or outside drains. and sometimes more
severe steps have 10 be taken to enforce
the law regarding nuisances. The Health
Department this year has been in re-
ceipt Of many letters relative to the grow
ing Of weeds or vacant lots. In this mat
ter the department has been called upon
TO advertise the lots OF several people
and to remove the weeds by the employ
nent OF District helpers. after which
action will be taken in the courts against
the property for the expense incurred in
the work.
The capture Of dogs by the pound men
is q frequent cause OF complaint on the
part OF the owners of the animals captur-
ed. In many cases the owners have pro-
cured tags for the dogs to wear, but for
get 10 put them on or the tags are lost.
Then the dog is taken up and, according
TO law, it becomes necessary to pay two
dollars for the release Of the animal from
the tender mercies of the genial and sym
pathetic Pound Master. The dog owner
feds that when he has paid two dollars
to the city for a license for his dog the
tax ought TO be sufficient. He. therefore,
protests against paying another two dol
lars. and he produces his receipt for the
license paid and asks that the pound fee
be RENTED. IT is never done as the dogs
are not taken while wearing tag, which,
TO the pound men, Is the legal evidence
that the dog has a license. Sometimes the
owner produces the tag and the license re,
ccipt and hopes by that means to get his
pet back free.
Though the Commissioners made rul-
ing on the question more than - year ago.
and during that time not a pound fee has
been RENTED, stil the owners of dogs i'm
pounded send in their requests which are
invariably denied after being referred TO
rbct,d Nfoe+a~ avJ racafving the recorn-