Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-07

mittee on Improvement of housing condi-
tons in the District of Columbia held Sat
urday afternoon at the central office of the
Associated Charities, attracted quite a
number of prominent Washingtonians
MIR. S. w. Woodward made report, in
which he spoke especially of a house he
had visited. 1t had two rooms inhabited by
two families one numbering five and the
other three persons. The woman of one of
these families goes out to work every day
to family in Washington She returns to
sleep every night, where the bed is simply
a heap of filthy rags.
DR.. w. c. Woodward, health officer of the
District. discussed Senate bill No. 32i4, now
pending, which provides for the condemna-
ton of unsanitary houses. The committee
agreed with DR.. Woodward that steps
should be taken to enable the health de-
partment to tear down buildings unfit for
human hdbitatiOn
Gen. John W. Foster was added to a COM
mittee to urge the passage of this bill or
of substitute bill suggested by DR.. ', ood-
ward. This committee already includes DR..
Woodward, chairman, John Joy Edison. DR..
George NJ. kober. Prof. Charles P. Neill
and Gen. Walter Wyman
In the course of the discussion concerning
the condemnation of insantary dwellings
it was stated by Col Truesdell DR.. Kober
and Others that not ! per eentfof the insan-
itary houses are occupied by their owners.
One difficulty in proceeding against unfit
non-residents. In some cases persons who
draw rent from their shacks will not admit
their ownership. 1t was stated by MEM
bers OF the committee that this poorer
class of houses yields from 10 to Il per cent
or more upon the money invested in them.
Snowden Ashford building inspector of
the District. described the difficulties which
his department had encountered in the con-
demnation of unsafe buildings
Reports of subcommittee.
upon the inspection OF buildings considered
to be unfit for human habitation revealed
| many revolving conditions. DIR. Kober.
! who had gone with General, Wyman and
Surgeon General Sternberg under the guild
ance of an agent of the Associated chari-
ties to visit alleys and insanitary build
| ings In the yicinities of North Capitol and
It'll streets. reported that in ting geighbor-
hood of Howard University he found a
large number of houses which were below
| the level of the street and subject to con-
| tinuai dampness; their roofs leaked, the
/ yards were unclean. the walls ana ceilings
were dilapidated and the buildings we're
| in every way unfit for the residence Of hui
man beings. The report also Included a
| row of buildings within. the shadow o. the
| Capitol, and in one of which the linen used
\ In the Senate barber shop Is washed. The
report of the second subcommittee was
| made by Mr.. John w. Foster, who had
made personal insU 2etions. in company
| with Mr. s. W.. Woodward. He de-
| scribed the alley in property In the neigh
/ borhood of the British embassy, near the
| Church of the Covenant, and near the
home of General Foster himself where he
| had found people living in conditions hich
/ he had thought could not possibly exist IN
| Washington.
Inspections in Georgetown.
| The next report was made by Pref
! Charles p. Neill. who had made personal
| inspections in Georgetown. Although he
| had been visiting the alleys of Washington
| for years, he had no :dea such places ex-
listed He thought a Cog which stayed in
| such places over night should not be al
| lowed on the streets .;rxt day. He de-
| scribed dark damp and unventilated rJoms
| where women and children were quar-
i tered, sometimes as many as shree. five
! and seven to a room. He described in
particular one little saed. about eight fee [
! square. In which lives woman Ter son
and her daughter. The stove stands one
| foot from the bed and Two inches from the
wooden wall of the room Filth and dis
order characterize the riace, but here tie
| woman earns her living by washing and
garments brought rom the better cha IS
| OF homes In Georgetown are subject to ali
| the infections suggest ed by these c.o1yded
/ tenements. Dr. Neill described or ether
/ room ten by seven feet In diameter, where
woman lived with I've chil.irar& the
| youngest being only tT.. months old
Divisions Assigned.
Twenty six prominent men and women of