The Washington times., 1901-08-05
HARD WORK FOR DOG DAYS.
District Employees Kept Busy In
July and August.
The Commissioners Alternate in
Taking Leave - Additioocl Labor
at the Opening of the Year-Dan-
ger TO the Municipal Records.

at the opening OF tite he3F-DaH-
ger to the Municipal Records,
p Though several of the heads of depart
ments and many OF the clerks are on
leave, dog days at the District Building
are, in many respects, the busiest part
of the year. Something is done by means
of electric fans and an ample supply of
ice water to lessen the effects of summer
heat and those on duty carry on the
work Of the departments during July and
August with unabated energy. 1t IS true
that the breezes by the sea and the
coolness on the mountain slopes lure the
municipal employc, but he can only take
his brief turn with his fellow workers.
For the most part the music of the type
writers never ceases, and the pens and
pencils in nimble fingers make long col
urins of figures and draw plans of nunic-
ipal Improvement the same in midsum-
mer as in the cooler portions of the year
Among the Commissioners, two are al
ways on duty. During the month OF July
Commissioner Ross has been on leave
He will return this week and Capt. Lans-
ing II. Beach, the Engineer Commission
er, Will take a vacation. In the Engineer
Department it is customary for one Of
the Assistant Engineers to act as Com
missioner in the absence of mis- chief
This duty falls by turns upon Capt II.
c. Newcomer and Capt. Chester Hard
ing Commissioner Macfarland took a
portion of his leave In June and Will COM
plete the allotted time in September. after
the return of Captain Beach. This ar
yangement leaves the Board of Commis-
sioners intact, with only one member abb
cent. and business goes on without inter
ruption through the summer
There are several reasons Why dog days
are the busiest portion of the year at
the District Building. The fiscal year
ends with the last day OF June and the
nov appropriations are available July l.
Public works spd much OF the public
building start: then, and while some of
the detail has been worked out prior to
.he beginning of the fiscal year. actual
operations begin then and are continued
through the summer and autumn. This
year contracts have been let on several
school buildings, on the new workho
at the Washington Asylum and on the
sewerage pumping station at the foot of
New Jersey Avenue southeast With the
exception of the last, work has been
started on all these buildings, and the.
duties sf the Building Department have
been multiplied by the daily inspection
of these structures. Street work, includ-
ing sidewalks and curbs, sewer work
and bridge work as well as the laying Of
water mains and the spending Of the new
appropriations on reservoirs, etc, begin
now, and the entire Engineer Department
is busy with the new work
The Health Department is also activ.
in hot weather Summer is the time Of
year when the houses are open and
noxious smells are waited to sensiti i've
noses by every breeze that blows. ''he
decay of organic matter, the presence Of
we, ds. defective drainage. ash dumps,
refuse Pill, s. filthy streets and alleys. and
other causes serve to inspire complaints
TO the Health Department. As the public
is educated TO the need Of healthful sur
roundings the more frequent become re
quests for the removal Of filth and the
improvement cf unsa nitary conditions
The Health Officer once said that ne had
specific knowledge in summer of every
bad smell in the District OF Columbia.
The work of the Health Department is
vastly increased in summer: It's chief
md his subordiua teS never take vacations
until late in autumn. for they cannot be
spared from their duties. Aside from
looking after general matters. such a.
defective drainage ana accommodating hlti1,
the Health Department is Obliged to l.
alert at this time looking after the milk
supply and in keeping the markets ana
provision stores in order Some OF the
results OF milk inspection haze been re
Gently forthcoming in the arrest Of
vendors guilty II selling milk ''doctoTcd''
with formaldehydc and other harmful
chemicals. The inspectors OF the Health
Dflice are sometimes likened TO the buz-
yards which soar over Southern cities
ready to swoop down upon any dead
creature that falls on the earth below
OF course it Is only the milbman who Is
lined or the property owner who allows
drain pipes to get out of repair who speak
disrespectfully Of the health inspectors;
the p iblic knows ard Appreciates their
tireless flight and eagle vision.
This year there has been great activity