Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-09
The Reconnaissance Back From His
Long Journey.
TELLS RESULT OF his OBSERVATIONS
Westinghouse Better Off Than
Citizens Of Other Municipalities.
SOME THINGS TO INITIATE

FORMER commissioner JOnn B. wight mas
returned to this city. after three months
trip to southern Alaska and through the
western states. Mr. Wights western
jaunt was taken purely for pleasure and
in order that ne might see for the first
time what a great country the stars and
stripes wave over. While away MIR. Wight
had excellent opportunities to compare the
systems of municipal government of the
cities he visited with that of Washington,
with which he is thoroughly familiar,
and to advance which he has done so
much After this comparison he returns
here convinced that this city has practi-
cally the most perfect government of any
municipality in the country. Mr.. Wight
carried with him letters of introduction
opened to him unusual opportunities to
see thoroughly the places he visited. He
was entertained in all the cities he visited
at both clubs and private homes The fact
that he had been at the head of the police
department as Il District Commissioner
also gave him special advantages in seeing
the practical workings of the guardians of
the peace in every pace he visited Every
where he went, in addition to other courte-
sizes he received, he was taken about under
the escort of officials or others thoroughly
familiar with local conditions.
Extent of His Tour.
Mr.. Wight left here about May Il and
went to Seattle. via Pittsburg and Chi
cago. He had arranged to take passage on
a government steamer at Seattle for south
ern Alaska. but when he got there he found
that the vessel was going to Nome and as
the typhoid fever conditions at that mining
camp, together with the fact that number
of cases of smallpox had already left on
boats for Nome. caused a change in his
plans. and he took passage on the Queen.
one of the Pacific coast steamers. for
southeastern Alaska, going through Wrangle
narrows and making a trip the Yukon
railway. After his return to Seattle he re-
Francisco, Monterey. Ogden. Salt Lake
City. Denver. Manitou and Chicago. in all
of which cities he stopped long enough to
see the chief points of interest and to look
into the practical workings of their munich
pal methods. He then visited Martha
Vineyard. where his family Is spending the
summer, and returned to this city yester-
day.
When seen by a Star reporter today Mr.
Wight was asked what features of munich
pal government in the cities he visited i'm
pressed him most.
Politics in Municipal Governments
THE first and most noticeable thing that
impresses a Washington man in visiting
other cities, he said. lis the fact that in
their government politics plays a very i'm
portant and unfortunate part. The cities
as rule are controlled through politics
The great things talked about in these
cities are the abuses of the city govern
ment. Contracts are made at excessive
prices and there is frequently no adequate
return received for the money spent. All
this is different from the conditions that
prevail in this city
''One thing that impressed me forcibly
all through the west was the high price
people have to pay for water. In all OF
these cities the water works are In the
hands of private corporations. In one city
inquiry showed me thai SJ4 a year is paid
for a water supply equal to the supply l
have at my house here and for which /
pay- between 81 and s.. | was told by the
the legislature, to the number of major
ity. is fixed by the water company. so
that when a new man is elected If he IS
needed to make a majority he receives
5000 check.
I'm other cities people talk about these
great abuses. Here they talk about little
things that seem like mere mosquito bites
They don't know how well off they are
here. In another western city a promi-
nent contractor recently failed TO receive
contract for street work it being given to
some one else. He had the director Of
public works removed and all the contracts
revoked and awarded to himself. He had
an agreement in the contracts that only 4
certain kind of stone could be used for
street work and the only place that stone
could be secured was In his own quarry.
Something to Initiate.
About the only thing l saw during the
trip that might well be initiated in this
city was the care of the lawns that was so
conspicuous in Denver. There grass can be
had at ali on the sandy soil only as the re-
suit of great care. A failure to keep it
watered would destroy it in a short time.
They maintain the lawns. which are made of
kentucky blue grass. in perfect condition,
and every householder takes a special pride
in having his place kept up in fine style.
You Will never see dandelion or any
course grass weed in these lawns of
Denver. and the grass is kept cut to "a uni
form length everywhere. The people of this
city might well copy the example of caring
for the lawns of Denver.
Another Very interesting feature of the
method of running the street cars of Den
Yer impressed me as good thing for this
city if il could be secured Cars are run
over the entire street railway system of the
city. so that for - cents a visitor can be
taken to every place of interest on the sys-
TEN without a change of cars. These trims
made under the direction of a guide
who explains all the points of interest visit
ed No stop is made except in the park
where the passengers can remain about fif-
teen minutes.
One thing | observed while in the west
continued Mr.. Wight, and that was the
fact that a very large part of the great de-
velOpment that Is going on there is under
the control Of eastern men. and by that |
mean men who have gone to the west in
the last ten, fifteen or twenty years"
While in Denver Mr.. Wight received a call
from Vivian Burnett. Little Lord Faunt.e-
roy, who interviewed him for the Denver
Republican, on which paper he has lately
begun a career a reporter.
Since his return to the east Mr.. Wight has
formed a business connection wish his
brother-in- law, MIR. VIM NJ McKelvey who
IS one or the managers of the Standard Oil
Company Of Pittsburg and is president of
the Alpha Portland Cement Company of
Pennsylvania. Mr.. Wight has taken the
southern agency for this cement company,
which includes Maryland and the Distric,
of Columbia He will make his home in
this city. of which he never thought 50
much OF as he does now that he has inst