Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-10
WAR ON ROOKERIES
Proposed Commission to Condemn
Insanitary Buildings.
THOSE OF WOOD TO Be DEMOLISHED
Reports on Local Street Railway
Extension.
POLICE PENSION FUND

Mr.. Babcock has introduced bill in the
House tH. R. S3050 providing that the
senior assistant to the Engineer Commits
sioner Of the District of Columbia. the
health officer Of the District of Columbia
and the inspector of buildings of the Dis
trfct be constituted a commission, with
Jurisdiction and authority to examine into
the sanitary condition of all buildings in
the District Of Columbia occupied or In
tended to be occupied by human beings, and
If, In their judgment, they find the same
unfit for such, occupation, by reason of
their insanitary condition, to condemn the
same and to require the occupants thereof
to vacate within thirty days from the order
Of condemnation.
Before proceeding to condemn any build
ing under the provisions of this act the
Commissioners shall give ten days notice
to the owner to show cause why the build
ing should not be condemned as aforesaid.
such notice, in case the owner is found
within the District of Columbia. to be
served upon him or her personally; and in
case such owner is a nonresident of the
District Of Columbia, or cannot by due
diligence be found therein, then by publi-
cation once week for two weeks in some
newspaper published in the District of CO.
lumbia, and, If the address of such owner
be known. by notice mailed to such address,
such notice to contain a description of the
property its sanitary condition, and fixing
a time and place when and where such
owner may be heard in opposition if he so
desires
Upon condemnatio ton by the commission of
any building in the District of Columbia as
UNFIT for human occupation the occupants
thereof shall, within thirty days from the
date of the order of condemnation, racate
said premises.
1t shall be unlawful for the owner of any
building in the District of Columbia, con-
demned under the provisions of this act
to allow the same to be again occupied,
except as hereinafter provided after the
expiration OF thirty days from the date of
the order of condemnation. and any occu-
pant of such condemned building who shall
not have vacated the same at the eypira
ton of thirty days from the date of such
order OF condemnation shall be elected by
the police. ~
If the owner of any building condemned
under the provisions of this act shall make
such changes or repairs as, IN the opinion
OF said commission. will remedy in a. sat
lsfactory manner the conditions which led
TO the condemnation of the property. said
commission is hereby authorized to cancel
lts order OF condemnation, and the building
may be again occupied:
Provided, That buildings built of wood
having an assessed value for taxation of
not more than $4O0, which have been con-
aemned, shall not be again occupied but
owner thereof
Withln a time specified by said commits
sion; and If said owner shall fail to de-
molish such building, the same shall he
demohshed under the direction of the Com
mlssloners OF the District of Columbia.
and the cost of such demolition be assess,
Cd as tax against the premises on which
such oulid1ng was situated to be collected
in the same manner as other tovas 80
collected >@ "ie
The bill provides penalties and authorizes
the appointment of an inspector at 81 200
a year. TN'-'"
MI Mcmillan today introduced in the Sem
ate Dill that has been approved by the
commissioners. and which was before tbe
last Congress, for the creation of a com
mission Tor the condemnation of insanitary
buildings in the District.
Capital Traction Company Exten.ion.
The report of the House District commit
tee on H. R. 6243. to extend the tracks
of the Capital Traction Company In the
southeast section, says:
The extension provided for in this hill,
was passed by the House during the Fifty
fifth Congress on March T. 1898. but failed
10 10 receive favorable action in the Senate
rms committee, at the earnest request of
the property owners and residents of that
portion of the city, report this bill to the
House and believe that several thousand
peopie IN Ine southeast, who up to the pres
ent time have been compelled to walk to
pennsylvania avenue and Sth street to
board cars for down town, should be given
rapid transit facilities. The Commissioners
of the District of Columbia have renorfad
favorably upon this BILL"
Ihe committee also incorporates as a part
OF Its report the following communication
from the East Washington Citizens A.so-
cation, urging that better street car ac-
commodations be given to that section of
the city:
EAST WASHINGTON CITIZENS
ASSOCIATION,
WASHINGTON
Dear Sir: I am instructed by the East
washington Citizens Association to re-
spectfully request your kind assistance in
the Introduction and passage of the bill to
amend the charter of the Capital Traction
Company, which has been introduced in the
Senate by Senator Mcmillan, and which
was passed by the late House of Repre-
sentatfveS. 1t is an extension of the route
that is sadly needed to afford rapid trans
port facilities to the eastern section of the
city, which now contains more inhabitants
than the entire District Of Columbia had in
1862, the period when the charter was
granted to the Washington and GEORGETOWN
Railroad Company.
Very truly, yours, NJ. l. WELLER.
The route Of the proposed extension is as
follows: From Pennsylvania avenue and
Sth street southeast, along PennsyIvanio
avenue to 18th street east; thence by single
track south on 18th street to X street
south; east on K street to the circle; north
on the circle to Pennsylvania ayenue. and
westerly on Pennsylvania avenue TO 15th
street east: all work to be done in accor-
dance with. plans acceptable to and approy-
ed by the Commissioners of the District of
Columbia
East Washington Heights.
The report on the bill Oh. R. 46O4) for the
extension Of the tracks Of the East Wash
ington Heights Traction Company includes
the report forwarded by the Commission
ers, and which has been published in The
Star. The route Of this extension is as
follows:
From its present authorized terminus at
the western approach to the Pennsylvania
avenue bridge, as provided in section one
OF the act of Incorporation; thence north
on 18th street east to East Capitol street:
thence west on East Capitol street to 18th
street east connecting with the Metropoli-
tan railway; also from the intersection of
Minnesota avenue and Harrison street:
thence westerly on Harrison street to Pierce
street; thence southeriy on Pierce street to
jackson street; thence westerly along jack
son street to Monroe. street; also northward
along the Anacostia road to connect with
the Columbia railway at Benning, over a
route and at point acceptable to and an
proved by the Commissioners of the District
OF Columbia; provided, that said railway