The Sunday globe., 1901-06-16
AN EPIDEMIC
Threatened the City Through the
Neglect of the Commissioners.
ROTTEN ANIMAL CARCASSES
Under a Hot Sun and OeCayng Vegetable
Matter Lltterng the Streets ALLEYS, and
OuthOuses Poisoning the Atmosphere and
Breeding SIOtneSs-The FehIIilIng Com.
panys Failure 10 Live Up 10 Their Contract

panyS Failure 10 Live Up 10 Their Contract.
That an epidemic has not already
been the result of the negligence of
Superintendent Stutler, is one of those
special acts OF Providence which pro-
tects people who are blissfully unson.
scious Of their danger. The hot
weather which has prevailed in Wash
ington during the past week has a
frightful auxiliary in dead carton and
poisonous vegetable matter littering
some Of our streets, for the spread Of
a contagion which the residents of K
street, any more than Foggy Bottom,
would not be immune from, once 1t got
a start.
To come down to facts, and demon.
strate the negligence charged against
the well-paid official named, whose en-
ployers, the District Commissioners ap-
pear to exercise no control over, the
Sunday Globe informs a startled pub
lie that the body of a dead horse re-
mained for twenty-four hours where
it fell without being removed, as per
contract with the Washington Fertil-
izing Company.
bage, dead animals, etc., calls for a
daily service inside the boundary Of
Florida avenue. The removal of such
does not average two days each week,
while the contractors are paid for a
daily service. From fifteen TO twenty
complaints are filed each day at the
District Office, and the inspectors re-
port that these complaints are well
fprpIa1 m bF IN ri "a no DnH do
caying vegetable matter litter the
streets as well as the 0uthouses, alleys,
etc. The offensive odors, to say moth
ing of the more serious danger Of an
epidemic arising from this neglect, is
Of universal complaint among house
holders. The query is being put by
people eognizant of this state of af-
fairs, how can the District Auditor
sign the vouchers of the Washington
Fertilizer Company under such cir
cumstances and under such palpable
and fragrant violations of their con
tract?
1t is the duty of veterinary surgeons
to report the demise Of horses under
their care, or even the deaths of those
of which they are cognizant. DR.. Rob
inson, the well-known veterinary sur
geon, reported to the District Office the
death Of a horse, and the fostering car
cas- of the animal was allowed to re-
main until, as a means of self-preserya-
tion, the doctor was forced to solicit
private party to remove the carcass!
When the public understands that the
private parE referred to was
ready and willing to remove the car
cass without any compensation what
ever the snap enjoyed by the Wash
ington Fertilizer Company may be
guaged correctly.
The Globe believes that the pubkc is
alive to the danger incurred by this
neglect of the garbage company, and
hence it sent a representative on a
tour of inspection, and instructed him
to make an unbiased report Of his IN
vestigations Here is what he says:
"Your representative visited the
shipping point Of the Washington Fer
tilizing Company, located on New Jer-
sey avenue and X streets s. h. At this
| place is loaded on the cars all the gar
| bage, dead animals, ETC., collected by
the company. The place had more va.
riety of smells than the city of Co
logRe was given notoriety for The
residents in the vicinity we're loud in
their complaints, and one of the prop
erty holders, Mr.. John f. Donohue,
said: The thing was an outrage and
/ disgrace to the District The place
of debarkation of this garbage, offal,
/ etc, is about thirty miles from the
city, on the Virginia side, where the
| company has lJs plant for the proper
disposal of the collection. OF course,
/ it is easy to surmise that the company
| prefers hauling and consuming in bulk
/ rather than the daily collection, as per
the terms of their contract, hence the
| section referred to-New Jersey ave-
nue. and X street s. Els a good place
/ to keep a mile or two to the windward
/ Of as there Is always a good supply
on hand of epidemic breeding material,
warranted to decimate a whole city
/ under a favorable start" If private
parties can not only afford, but are
| dead willing, to remove deau dogs,
! horses, and other carton from the
| streets promptly on notification, with
out a cent of cost to the District, what
may citizens have the right to expect
in promptness, expedition and cleanli-
ness from a company paid to do so?
But, after all, let us put the blame
where it rightfully belongs. The COM
! pany is working Tor greatest prOnJ IL
can make out of the contract, regard
! less Of the public health, and is, there
fore, condemnabe to a degree, but the
public servants, who are paid salaries
by the taxpayers of th3 District to at
tend to this among their other duties,
are the persons to hold responsible for
the negligence. superintendent Slut
ler even is comparatively blameless in
the matter. The District Commission
ers, who are aware of the nuisance and
the deadly danger at this time Of year,
from decaying vegetable matter which
as every physician knows, is the most
insidious as well as the surest breeder
of epidemics, are the responsible par
ties.
The Globe, on behalf Of the public,
demands Of the District Commissioners
that this matter be attended TO forth
with and the Fertilizing Company com.
PEELED to comply wICh the terms of
their contract. Is this asking or de-
manding too much Of alleged public
| servants?