The times., 1901-05-24
AFFAIRS OF THE DISTRICT
Anxiety Over Cases of Scarlet
Fever in Force School.

The Methods Pursued by the Health
Department to Disinfect Rooms
md Stnir-vays Cost of Lumber
| Used in Tiber Creek Sewer.
| Some anxiety has been manifested rela-
tive to the presence of scarlet fever
among the pupils of the Force School
| Since last December quite a. number of
pupils have been either afflicted with the
disease or absent from school because of
the sickness in their families.
Dr. William c. Woodward, the Health
! officer, stated yesterday that the Force
! School had been under the observation of
! the Department ever since the opening of
| the fall term last year. He said that there
| had been sixteen cases of the disease in
| that school since last December. There
were five cases then, three of them being
! in one family. In the month of February
| there were two cases. in April five, and
! four this month. DIR. Woodward stated that
| there is nothing alarming in the situation,
and that the number of cases of the dis
| ease is not great for so large a school
There are SOC pupils on the rolls Of the
Force School. and while there has been
no diphtheria in the school this year scar
! let fever has been in the neighborhood,
and DR.. Woodward said had naturally in
fected the school to some extent.
The Health officer described the method
pursued relative to schools and contagious
diseases. All cases in the District are
regularly reported to the Health Office
daily by the physicians in attendance.
These reports show not only the fact that
the person has contagious disease, but
where the child attends school or where
the person is employed. DR. Woodward
CT faI ha.
reported from the same school, an in
spector of the department goes to the
building and disinfects it. This. he ex-
planned is done by washing the ceilings
side walls. floors. halls, and handrails on
the stairways with mercuriaI bi-chIoride.
DR.. Woodward stated that this had been
done twice to parts of the Force School
building
The Health officer expressed the opin-
ion that the source of infection among the
pupils of, the Force School was not pri-
marily the school. but that the disease
had come from elsewhere. He mentioned
particularly two cases on Street, who
were taken i'll on the same day in the
same block, the boys being of different
ages and in different grades In the school
Dr. Woodward thought the contagion
may have come from outside. OF the five
cases reported in December. three were in
the same family and another was a few
doors away in the same block. In this in
stance DIR. Woodward was of the opinion
the school
The Health Officer stated that his de-
partment was continually on the watch
against the spread of these diseases and
that precautions that never reach the
public are continually taken.
]. K. Murphy, contractor. has forward
ed to the Commissioners a bill for lumber
left In the trench of the Tiber Creek sewer
from the opening of the same August l. |
1887, to its completion in April. 1898 The
amount of the bill is s5.44564 {. L. In
gals of the sewer division, in reporting
upon the matter, informs the Commits
sioners as follows:
THE bill embraces a complete state
ment of all bracing lumber left in trench !
of the Tiber and New Jersey Avenue high |
level intercepting sewer during it's con-
struction. Much of this lumber could |
have been removed had the contractor |
been so disposed.
Extra orders were given Contractor |
Murphy for leaving brseing and snoring |
lumber in trench IN every case where so
authorized by the District These orders /
were given for the protection Of railroad |
tracks, buildings, and various under
ground constructions which might have |
been damaged by its removal
The specifications in no way provide !
for the payment for lumber left in trench |
and the suopositiOn is that in every case |
the contractor Will remove the same, ex- |
cept where a specific order has been given
for leaving ii in trench.
d. L. McComb, Superintendent of Sew
ers, in forwarding the above report to /
the Commissioners, submitted this state I
ment:
BY the terms Of the contract the con-
tractor is required for the prices bid 70
do all sheeting and shofing. Several ex-
ira orders were given the contractor to |
leave bracing lumber in place in situa-
tions where this seemed advisable, for the
protection of buildings. railways, under
ground structures. traffic, etc, and pay
ment has been made thereupon. The brac-
ing lumber left in place by the contractor
without direction should not be included
in the measurement of his work
IF for no other reason it is barred by
9, which reads as follows: "Ex-
ira work The contractor shall |
have no claim for extra work unless the
same IS ordered in writing by the Engi-
neer, and unless the claim for the same, |
when so ordered, is presented TO the En-
gineer before the first day of the month
following that during which each specific
order is complied with.
The Engineer Commissioner, in forward
ing the papers to his associates, endorsed
them as follows: For the reasons stated
clear to me that the within claims should
not be allowed.
Il is understood that this will be the
final action of the Board
Andrew b. DuvalI the Attorney for the
District has submitted opinion upon |
the memorandum of Capt Lansing II.
Beach the Engineer Commissioner The
after setting forth certain
facts asked whether the Commissioners
have the authority under the act of An
gust T. 1894, providing for assessments for
permit work. to grade alley without
paving the same. Mr.. Duvall SAYS:
The provision in the above mentioned