The evening times., 1901-08-12

This occurred M p Street near Eleventh
northwest. This accident would seem TO
Suggest ifat thy Commissioners require
hig}rIlStS Co tlsmouut al street railway
transfer stations. a liSuuuut of
few seconds at these points could not
possibly lHrHut fni,ug, tn" rider ana IL
iS more than probable that much dan
ser would thereby De eliminated aI these
oouEcsted points
six deaths were recorded i'm the past
wear from electric shock. Will" only one
occurred the previous year Testimony
IN many Of these cases suggests the i'm
TortIuCe Of a regular Inspection or all
electrical lines carrying dangerous volt
age There Is ample law. 1T IS under
stood. covering this matter. bat no APP
preparation To properly enforce IT, W hlle
. IL may be- unreasonable to expect street
railway companies and lighting compa-
uiys using electricity To put their wires
underground in the agricultural sections
"f tho county it nevertheless becomes
important that the overhead wires he Sc
/ cureIy strung and safely insulated i'm ev-
Z cry locality
1T also developed that the installation
I Of wires I'm dwelling and buildings is Oft
/ en- performed IN such manner that
/ there is liability 10 danger Death i'm
I two instances of this sort occurred from
! abandoned wires. supposed 10 be dead.
| 1t would seem that many Of the
deaths occurring from electric shock are
/ a strong argument for putting all wires
at least i'm the thiCkly populated sections
3 OF the District. underground. Two men
lost their lives while engaged in the haZ-
/ ardous work of linemeu. These fatall-
] ties were due 70 rotten telegraph poles.
1T will De seen by the report of acct
/ dental deaths. that ten people lost lhclf
/ lives by Illuminating gas Many of these
/ We're through the medium of the gas
7 stove a very useful and generally safe
/ method Of heating small apartments. II
/ appears, however. inal the greater N"L-
. gcr lay in the manner ~ making the CON
! utction with the gas fixtures Almost IN
B variaEly the two stop-Cocks. one govern
iuZ the gas flame or jet. the other the
. stove are within one or two inches OF
/ each other. The cause OF the escaping
gas is attributed 10 the fact that one or
, the other of the stop-cocks was turned
/ on by mistake These accidents. Win
I probably one exception, have been con-
fined u occupants of boarding houses or
] small hotels. In several cases the fact
/ was pretty we'll established that the Un-
. fortunate guest WAS somewhat lutoNlcal-
. ed. As the accident is one OF frequent ot-
currence, II might be leSSeued 10y I.Eu-
latiug. If possible. the mode Of making
/ the gas connection by Increasing the dis
I tance between the stop-cocks or KEYS,
I thereby preventing In great measure m
I advertence In turning ON ellhtT OF polh-
/ During the year several deaths have
I occurred from drowning In the James
I Creek Canal The Importance Of fencing
/ in this open Cesspool is apparent Locat-
Z cd. as II is. in a fairly thlCkty populated
/ section of the city without amy protecu"n,
/ il is an ever present source OF danger 10
those who 20 near il
l MY experience in the office of Coroner
and tLe necessary familiarity which has
/ come through the performance of my du-
ties lead to the belief that the office
1 should be relieved OF the quaSl-Judlclal
[ duties incident thereto. IL would appear
: to bc entirely sufficient Tor the coroner 70
Investigate and determine the causes OF
death. In many OF tk- cities oi Lne L nlt-
ed States the duties OF the office are per
formed by "a medical examiner whose or
| fee il is 20 investigate All cases OF death
I from known or suspected violence and
Z where he believes. from the condition or
[ affairs developed by his investigation. that
i the case is one which should be Judlcially
determined. ne refers the case 10 the Po-
lice Department, with instructions 20
/ bring the matter To the attention "i me
proper legal authorities. Il this plan
We're adOutod here / am conNi Ninced the
] District would be saved considerable eN-
peuse. and work of the office expedited
This Oifce has been specially fortunate
+ during the past year in having competent
. jurors. Yet an occasion might arise when
the verdict Of COrOnerS 3 jury would
. rather obStruct and COmpliCate the case
An instance occurred not long since Whvre
man against whom there was strong
prIma faCle case. was permitted by a Cor
ouer's jury 70 90 free Manifestly, n TINS
case had been tried by the proper legal
authority. the man would have been held
for manslaughter, even though he were
not guilty Of murder Dlvesting this sub
lecL of All other consideration. II would
seem improper to expect from the C'rp-
ngr. who must needs be medical officer,
the legal knOwl' dye which Is necessary 90
''Anltl n criminal III iEtSilstllp-l D llt
us -lulntss OF the oltlce or Coroner depends
iu general upon its medical Investigations;
. s-su II seems far better that qualified
. legal officer of the District should have
charge Of certain phases Of an iuqaests
I In closing my report. ] desire to call
. attention to the valuable services rem
. derCd this office by Major Sylvester and
the Police Department generally During
the year the Office mas enjoyed the hearty
cooperation of the police force. and the
members have been duigcut iu their at
teutlDn % those matters which have been
called to their notice by the Coroner S