Evening star., 1901-12-03
DISTRICT AFFAIRS
Continued from First Page.)


for by the residents individually. 1t is
therefore perfectly apparent that the pub
lie health has been greatly benefited by
this service.
Police Department..
The metropolitan police force has main
tanned the high rate of efficiency which has
long characterized it. During the past
year the reorganization provided for by
recent act of Congress was completed,
with the exception of the increase Of sal
aries, which, to be operative, must have
the sanction of Congress.
The Commissioners have recommended
considerable increase in the number of
privates of class . Many years ago, when
the two grades were established. these
classes were numerically so proportioned
that a number of the first class would be
eligible to advancement to the higher grade
after being on the force about two years;
but in course of time congressional action
has caused such a disproportion between
the classes that advancement from one to
the other can only be effected after lapse
of eight or ten years, when member of
the force Will long have passed the period
of probation. If not of usefulness. This
diminution of opportunity for promotion
tends to discourage activity and retards
efficiency. The difference in pay should
be more equitabiy adjusted by advancing
at least a hundred members of class l to
class =, as recommended in the estimates
for 1903
oi t3u3i importance is the recommends
tion for an increase of the force. Owing to
the extensive area included in the police
jurisdiction, which is over 1900 acres, 1t
is unreasonable to expect a thorough po-
lice supervision with force of $40 patrol
men, not half of whom will be on duty at
any one time under the most liberal system
of operating, and from which the sick. dis
abled and those entitled to leave must also
be deducted The area to be policed is the
fourth largest in the United States. The
police force of those exceeding it number
respectively. 1853, 1908 and 1896. The city
of Baltimore, with an area in acres of only
20,2J4, has about double the number of po-
Hcefnen in its service.
Insufficient Force.
The insufficient number of policemen COM
pels their employment in four reliefs, which
gives them twelve hours off duty in forty
eight. This excessive requirement, made
necessary by the limited force at command,
is detrimental to the physical and mental
welfare of the men, in that disabilities must
be more numerous where excessive hours
of exposure exist and irregular hours for
refreshment and rest prevail. With an in
creased force it is believed these conditions
can be improved by changing the system
or hours of duty.
Aside from the conditions named the To-
calities where the public buildings are To-
Gated; those where the foreign representa-
tfves reside: the suburban villages and the
more generally thronged thoroughfares, re-
qu1re more complete policing than now
prevails. 1t is very creditable to the force
that the public interests are so we'll cared
for with the limited force at command.
station house is needed in the central
or business portion of Washington and one
IN its southeastern section. The buildings
now used for such purposes were erected
many years ago, and have been adiudged
1nSanitary and lily adapted to the purposes
for which they are used.
1t Is recommended that the harbor mas
ter, who employs a patrol boat and de-
tailed police crew in regulating the affairs
of the harbor and river front, be made a
captain in the police department; and that
ample provision be made to organize this
important service as part of the police de-
partment.
with the movement of the National Asso-
citation Of Chiefs of Police to have estab-
1shed in this city a national bureau of
criminal identification.
The propositions for the enactment of a
fugitive law whereby criminals endeavoring
to elude the authorities of other jurisdic-
tons may be held awaiting reuuisitions:
making it felony for persons of evil re-
pute to be in possession of burglars tools;
granting leaves of absence to special rail-
road policemen: licensing street musicians;
making mlsdemeanors triable by police
magistrates: and empowering the police to
detain for investigation persons of crimi-
nal repute, all meet with the Commission
ers' approval.
Fire Department.
The chief engineer of the fire department
reports that during the fiscal year ended
June 80, 1901, the department responded to
no alarms of fire, an increase of seventy
one over the year previous. OF these alarms
eighty-two were false. The 62S fires oc-
curing during the year resulted in a loss of
S2so6U, which amount exceeded by SCI ,43S
the loss of the previous year.
Nearly One-nlnth of the alarms reSpOrded
to by the department during the past year
We're false, and as it is estimated that 1t
costs the department not less than S25 to
answer an alarm of fire, and as the sending
IN OF false alarms appears to, be on the in
crease, it is recommended by the chief en-
gineer that the penalty for willfully send
ing In a false alarm of fire be materially In
creased and that a term in the penitentiary
be made the penalty for a second offense
While the strength of the department was
increased during the year from twenty to
tWenty-three companies, the chief engineer
is Of the opinion that the department is to-
day hardly more than half as large as it
should be. and he states that in respect to
its reserve apparatus it is lamentably weak
There is not one really first-class steam en-
gine In the department, and an earnest plea
Is made by the chief engineer for a number
or larger and more modern engines. He
points out that with very few exceptions
every piece of apparatus in the department
Is In need Of repairs, number of the en-
gines being in such condition as TO render
There should be, the chief engineer thinks
not less than six reserve steamers and two
reserve trucks, there being at the present
time but two reserve steamers and no re-
serve trucks.
Collisions between the apparatus of the
department and street railway cars resulted
In the death of two men, the permanent in
jury of another, and more or less serious
injuries to several others during the past
year. In order to reduce the liability of
such accidents to a minimum the chief en-
gineer directed the drivers of the depart-
ment to have their horses under such con-
troll on approaching steam or street rail-
way tracks as to enable them to bring
their teams to standstill, if advisable or
necessary, before crossing the tracks The
street railway companies were notified that
such directions had been given to the de-
partments drivers, and assurances have
been received that the companies will fully
cooperate with the department in it's eff
forts to avoid a repetition of these acci-
dents. 1t is believed that if both the drivers
and motormen exercise proper care there
VIII be no more of them.
New Chief Engineer.
Upon the retirement of Chief Engineer
Joseph Paris. May 1, 1901, the Commission
ers decided to pursue the course followed
elsewhere and make the head of the de-
partment a purely executive one, and Mr..