Evening star., 1902-03-15
FAR-REACH|NG LAW
Submitted to the District
Commissioners.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
CRIMINAL PROCESS TO ACCOM-
PLIsH ENFORCEMENT.
DR.. Woodward Drafts Bill and Gives
Reasons Why It Should
Be Enacted.
HEALTH AND SAFETY

has submitted a statement to the District
Commissioners saying that in view of the
frequency with which the District govern
ment has been unable to secure compliance
with laws and regulations requiring the
maintenance of real property in certain
specified conditions tsuch ordinarily as re-
late to the health or safety of the occu-
pants Of persons living In the vicinity, or
Of the public generally) because Of owner
ship By non-re s!dcnts or by persons too
aged or inf1rIn to be within the reach OF
criminal prosecution and for similar rea-
sons. he has prepared the draft of a law
designed to enable the Commissioners to
cause unlawful conditions existing III con-
nection with or arising from real property
to be corrected and to recover the cost of
correction by assessment against the prop
erty improved
This proposed law DR.. Woodward says,
makes nothing Illegal which is not SO now,
but provides merely for carrying into erect
laws and regulations now in force. and such
as may be made hereafter. In cases in
which 1t Is impossible or inexpedient to en-
ploy ordinary criminal process TO accom-
pi:sh that end.
Provisions Of the Bill.
The bill is entitled "A bin 10 provide for
the abatement OF nuisances In the District
Of Columbia by the Commissioners of said
District and for other purposes" and
reads as follows:
BE 1t enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States of
America in Conress assembled. That when
District OF Columbia shall fail or refuse,
after the service Of reasonable notice In
the manner hereinafter provided, to correct
any condition which exists on, or has arisen
from. such property in violation Of law or
Of any regulation made by authority Of
law, with the correction of which condition
said owner Is by law or by said regulation
chargeable, or to show cause, sufficient in
the Judgment OF the Commissioners Of said
District, why he should not be required to
correct such condition. then and In that in
stance the Commissioners OF the District
Of Columbia may, and they are hereby au-
thoriZed to cause such condition to be COR
rected, to assess the cost Of correcting such
condition and all expenses incident thereto,
as a tax against the property on which
such condition existed or from which such
condition arose. As the case may be. to
carry such tax on the regular tax rolls OF
said District. and to collect such tax in the
said manner as said Commissioners collect
general taxes In said District Provided,
That the correction of any condition afore-
said by said Commissioners under author-
ity of this section shall not relieve the
owner Of the property on which such con
diton existed or from which such condt-
tion arose from criminal prosecution and
punishment for having caused or allowed
such unlawful condition to arise or for
having failed or refused to correct the
same.
Section 2. That for the purpose Of car
ryins into effect section of this act the
Commissioners Of the District Of Columbia
and all other persons, including contractors
and employees Of contractors. acting under
their authority or by their direction. be. and
they are hereby, authorized to enter during
all reasonable hours upon and into any land
and tenements in said District to INSPECT
the same and to do whatever may be neces-
sary to correct In good and workmanlke
manner any condition that exists on, or
has arisen from. such lands and tenements
In violation Of law or Of any regulation
made by authority of law. with the correc-
ton Of which condition the owner Of sa I'd
lands or tenements Is by law or by said
regulation chargeabie. Any person who
snail hinder, interfere with or prevent any
inspection or work authorized by this set
snail, upon conviction thereof, be punished
by fine not exceeding 500 or by imprison-
ment for period not exceeding three
months. or by both, such fine and imprjson-
ment. in the discretion of the court.
How Notice Shall Be Served.
Section :. That for the purposes of this
act any notice required by law or by any
regulation aforesaid to be served shall be
deemed to have been served (a) if delivered
TO the person TO be notified, or II left with
any adult person at the usual residence or
place of business of the person to be noti-
fled in the District OF Columbia; or tb) if
no such residence or place of business can
be fonnd In said District by reasona BILE
search, if left with any adult person at the
office Of any agent Of the person to be noti-
fled, which agent has any authority with
reference to the land or tenement to which
said notice relates: OF, tc) If no such office
can be found In said District by rcasona BILE
search. II forwarded by registered mail to
the last known address Of the person to be
notified and not returned by the post office
authorities; or, td) If no address be known
or can by rea sOnabie diligence be ascertain
ed. or If any notice forwarded as authoriz-
ed by the preceding clause of this section
be returned to the post Office authorities IL
published on three consecutive days in a
daily newspaper published in the District Of
Columbia; or, te) if by reason Of an outstand-
ing. nnrecorded transfer of title the name
of the owner in fact cannot be ascertained
beyond q reasonable doubt, if served on the
owner Of record In the manner hereinbefore
i'll this section provided. Any notice requir-
ed by LAY or by any regulation aforeSai Id to
be served on a corporation shall for the
purposes OF tins act be deemed to have been
Scrs cd on any such corporation if served on
the president. secretary, treasurer, general
manager or any principal officer Of such
corporation in the manner hereinbefOre pro-
Nided for the service of notices on natural
persons holding property in their own right
and, if required TO be served on any for
corporation. if served on an agent of such
corporation personally, or il left with any
adult person ut the usual residence or place
of business of such agent. In the District
of Columbia. Every notice aforesaid shall
be in writing or printing, partly in writ
ing and partly in printing: shall be address
ed by name 10 the person to be notified;
shall describe with certainty the character
and location of the unlawful condition to be
corrected; and shall allow a reasonable
time, to be specified in said notice. within
which the person notified may correct such
unla wful condition or show cause why he