Evening star., 1902-01-01
HOPES OF OFFICIALS.
How 1902 Can Bring JOY to the Dis
trict Building.

beautiful in the world is increasingly mani
fest. 1 hope and believe that 1902 may
bring for the District extraordinary gifts.
Congress will, believe carry out the rec
ommendation of the Commissioners to pro-
vide by general legislation the funds for
extraordinary projects of Improvement, in
Guiding water supply, filtration plant, sew
age disposal system, improvement Of the
Anacostia, District government building,
leaving the current revenues free for cur
rent needs, and for the gradual repayment
of whatever the District has to borrow to
pay it's half Of the extraordinary eXpendi-
lures. 1 hope and believe that Congress
will adhere strictly to the half-and-half
principle of appropriation in the 'compa ct
of 1873 and even that 1t may restore what
has been taken from the Districts revenues
contrary to that principle. l hope and be-
lieve that Congress will adopt the forth
coming report of the Senate park commits
sion as the working plan for the develop
ment of the park system of the District for
all time to come"
Appropriations His Wish.
Commissioner John w. Ross: "Ample
money for the needs and improvement of
the District IS my earnest wish and hope
for the new year. We have reason now to
hope and believe that our estimates as
originally drawn up will be finally allowed
by Congress. We have got to have proven
der for the District. Everything depends
upon that. If we get the money there are
innumerable things to be done.
Mr.. brakes Hopes
Thomas E. Drake, District superintend-
ent Of insurance: "It will be my aim and
effort of the new year to make the insur-
ance department of the District all that it's
promoters wished for It, The year will be
a busy one, but by March l we hope to
have all the solid companies licensed and
the wildcat concerns weeded OUT
He Wants Sewers.
Col. John Biddle District Engineer Com
missioner: Sewers are the backbone of
city. The welfare of the municipality de-
pends upon health, and health depends upon
the sewers. During the new year 1 want
to see greater progress in the construction
of the District sewers than ever before A
great system has been planned for the Dis
trict, and all we need now Is a sufficient
amount of money. Roads and driveways,
bridges and the like are pretty to the eye
and make fine showing for the money in
vested but the unseen sewers are the
mainstay of the community. They do a
giants work. The District has adopted the
wise policy of not allowing an extension of
the water service to a community where
there are> no sewerage facilities. So a
large share of the improvement of the Dis
trict depends upon sewer construction pri-
marily.'
His Wants Modest.
Mr.. E. G. Davis, collector of taxes: zone
Of my principal wishes for the new year
is that Congress will allow me an assist
ant cashier. The good conduct of the busi-
ness Of the office demands such an addi-
tional official. In the past We have had to
assign underpaid and unbonded clerks to
the work"
Hopes for Engines.
Robert w. Dutton, chief engineer of the
District fire department.: "A fire depart
ment in keeping with the Importance, the
growth and the needs Of the District Of
Columbia is my desire this year and in the
years to come. 1 hope and believe that
during the coming year the department
will be materially strengthened through
congressional provision
Wants $4,000, 900.
Charles c. Rogers. the District disburs-
ing officer: more money to distribute
among more good people Is my wish for the
new year. Last year we disbursed nearly
$1O,OOO,O0O. If we are enabled to do as
much next year then we will be happy"
Wants Improved Methods.
Mr. Hopewen H. Darneille, the District
assessor: II hope and trust that the new
year will bring still more improved meth
DDS in the assessors office. We are work.
ing to that end all of the time, and want
to be able to attend to the wants Of the
people when they apply to this department
in the quickest manner possible. The new
promises still greater improvement. If
Congress will only give few more
clerks the assessors office will be in the
best possible shape. During this year, or.
to be exact, on July 1, the new triennial
assessment becomes effective on all prop
erty in the District. l shall call the board
Of equalization and review to meet the first
Monday of this month, and daily sessions,
excepting Sundays and holidays, will be
held until late In June. The board will
canvass the returns Of the assistant as
SCISSORS"
Will. Change Methods.
Mr.. Snowden Ashford, inspector of build
ings for the District-"A greatly improved
method in the conduct of the business of this
office is my hope and will be my endeavor
during the new year. 1 intend to model the
Office something after the one in New York
city, Under the new system builders desir-
ing permits will come to the Office and SUBJ
nit their plans. The applicants will then
retire and the office will notify them when
it is ready to take action. Heretofore the
builders have been in the habit of bringing
their plans and then waiting around for
four or five hours in the hope of securing
the permit at once. Their presence has
been great handicap to the work of the
office and has brought about hurry which
should not prevail in department of such
Importance The system Of inspection will
be changed also Instead of assigning in
spectors to certain districts, they shall all
have general authority and will be directed
by a supervising Inspector, much as a SER
geant supervises the work OF patrolmen in
the police department"
A Scientific Wish.
Dr. William C. Woodward health officer
of the District-'"The public welfare during
the coming year can, In my judgment, be
improved in no other way so much as by
the dissemination and general acceptance
by the community of the fact. now well es-
tablished in medical circles, that consump-
tion is both preyentabie and durable. When
the community as a whole accepts and acts
on these facts with reference to this DIS
ease. fair start will have been made to-
ward preventing very considerable part
Of the preventable mortality OF the human
race"
Wants to Flush the Streets.
Warner Stntler, superintendent of street
cleaning-"What would like to see above
| all things else provided for my department
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