Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-01

Ii CAPI[AL
vice DR.. w. P. Carr. DR.. VIM. C. Wood
ward was reappointed as health officer.
The report of the Commissioners for the
fiscal year ended June 30, 1900, showed
that the appropriations for the year pay
able out of the general revenues, and
which embraced all those except those for
the water department., amounted to S,132,-
Si1.5S, which sum included Sass, 295. 30 of dis
bursements on account of damages Incl
dent to the extension Of streets and for
other purposes, wholly out of the revenues
derived from taxation on private property
and privileges. The receipts from taxes
and other resources applicable to the pay
ment of these appropria tons, including the
amount contributed by the United States
as its share Of the expenses of the District,
and a surplus of 1908 2S of District rev.
enueS of former years. were $3.50. HIS. I6.
The expenditures of the water department,
which payable wholly out of its reve-
| nues, were $4O7 174.42. The revenues of this
department. including a balance of SOL
7120S, were S715661 40. The funded debt of
the District June 80, 1900 was $15,094,5I01S,
no portion of which has been incurred
under the present form of District govern
ment.
The five-year contract for the collection
and DISPOSAL of garbage and like refuse
having expired q new contract was made,
the Washington Fertilizer Company agree
ing for the sum of sol 900 a year to collect
and dispose of garbage and dead animals
Under this new contract which has not
yet been put in complete operation, this
refuse will be collected by improved meth
DDS and transported twenty more miles
outside the District where it will be dis
posed at the cCmpany's plant. Congress
hl II ncy rnlri6 cd of fhn 1ac dc
for the purpose, contracts were entered into
by the Commissioners for the collection and
removal of ashes from private residences
and also for the collection and disposal of
night soil, as we'll as certain combustible
waste. The supervision of this work was
transferred from the health department to
that of the superintendent Of street clean
ing.
The hand system of cleaning the streets
of the city, adopted July 1, 1897, was con-
tinued with great success, and no proposals
being submitted at the beginning of the
current fiscal year for this work because
of the limit of price fixed by Congress, the
work has been done by the District and
much more satisfactorily. 1t is believed
and considerably cheaper than when it was
done by contract Not only has this been
accomplished, but the area cleaned both
by hand and by machine has been largely
increased.
The Commissioners continued their efforts
toward securing the erection Of a munich
pal building. and while they were unsuc-
cessfGl. 1t is understood that they have rea-
son to believe that Congress at the present
session will at least provide for the pur-
chase of a site for the structure. Funds
Tor the construction of school houses
houses for the police and fire departments
ana other municipal structures were Sc
cured, one school house being COMPLETED
and one for the fire department the com
pietIon OF the latter enabling the Commits
sloners to place in commission an addition
al truck company. Two houses for the fire
department are under course of construc-
,lon ana VIII be, 1t Is expected, completed
IN TWO or three months time when another
truck company and a chemical engine com
pany Will be placed in commission
"A ponce station, to be located on Whit
ney avenue, Will also be completed, it is
thought, In the course of several months
and several school houses and other NUM-
c,pai buildings are now being erected
site for the proposed municipal hospital
was purchased by the Commissioners. The
sum OF slooooO was appropriated for this
purpose. but the Commissioners secured
what is believed to be a most admirable
site for less than $4,000
Inc commissioners completed the plan of
what is Known as the fourth section OF
the extension of highways, and the same
was approved by the highway commission
Inc extension of streets under the several
acts OF Congress was prosecuted, the laws
pelng amended SO as to cover it is be-
heVed, the defects pointed out by the Court
OF Appeals, one of the cases having been
carried up to the United States Supreme
court, from which tribunal a decision is
soon expected. The most important case
that for the extension Of 10th street has
not yet progressed to the testimony-taking
point.
One of the two basins of the Briehtwood
reservoir was completed and placed in
service early in the year, and its further
enlargement is now in progress A pumping
station was established in Anacostia and
plans have been drawn for the pumping
nott INTEL
Howard University reservoir.
Inc commissioners advocated the aboi-
tlon OF semf-annual payments of taxes on
real and personal property, and while Con-
eress dld not provide permanently for one
payment of these taxes a year it directed
that the payment due last November
should be omitted and one payment for the
full year should be made next Nav Such
q step became absolutely necessary in or
der to enable the completion of what is
known as the card system of keeping &C
counts, and to further facilitate the work
of the assessors Office, the commissioners
placed the special assessment office and the
assessment branch of the water DEPART
ment under the assessor
The work Of placing overhead wires I'M
der ground was continued MANY more
miles Of them during the year being taken
down. Acting under opinion rendered
by their attorney last March, the Commits
s.oners refused to grant permits for the
erection of overhead telephone wires ont
side the city limits. but several weeks ago
granted a permit of this kind for the pur-
; pose Of obtaining a judicial determination
OF their authority in the matter. The court
held that they are authorized to grant such
permits. and they have determined to so
act.
Smallpox prevailed in the District to a
greater or less extent until July, and again
broke out the past fall. Other contagious
diseases, such as scarlet fever and diph-
tEeria, prevailed to about the usual extent
Ihe dog-muzziing order was continued until
II expired by limitation last June. No case
or hydrophobia developed in human being
| here.
AS heretofore. the Commissioners gave
citizens hearings on various subjects, the
| most important, perhaps, being that on the
| grade crossing bills. After the Court OF
! Appeals held the smoke law to be valid the
Commissioners gave persons found violat-
! ing 1t reasonable time in which to provide
| apparatus alleged to prevent smoke, and in
some cases directed the prosecution of the
| alleged violators.
| Local Politics.
| A lively fight occurred February 1 over
| the choosing Of delegates from the District
| of Columbia to the republican national con-
| vention February % L. NJ Saunders. a
| well-known republican, announced his re-