Evening star., 1902-02-06
FOR CLEAN STREETS
District Commissioners Approve SEN
ator McMillan's Bill.
some AMENDMENTS SUGGESTED
Property Owners Who Don't Re-
move Snow May Be Fined.
AN APPROPRIATION ASKED

The District Commissioners have forward.
| ed a favorable report with number OF
| suggested amendments. to the Senate Dis
trict committee on Senate bill $780, intro
duced January % by Senator Mcmillan. and
providing for the removal of snow and ice
| from the sidewalks of the District Of Co
| lumbia, and for other purposes. In addi-
| tion to snow and ice the bill provides Tor
the removal Of any accumulation of dirt,
| sand or gravel on the sidewalks, and fur
| ther provides an assessment system where
| by the Commissioners may cause the re-
moval of the snow or refuse in the event
| of the failure of the tenant or owner OF
the property to do so. The bill is intended
to take the place of the police regulations
| on the subject.
The first section of the bill provides "that
1t shall be the duty of every tenant or oc-
| cupant of any lot or lots of ground in the
District of Columbia improved by a house
| or building adjacent to any improved side
| walk, within the first four hours of daylight
| after the ceasing of any fall of snow. to
cause said snow to be removed from the
paved sidewalk adjacent to such lot or lots
to the extent in length to which said lot or
lots abut thereon and to the extent in
breadth of not less than six feet and if
such improved sidewalk be not of such
width, then to the extent of the width
thereof; and in the event any snow that
may have fallen shall before its removal
become so hardened by freezing or other
wise that it cannot be removed without
| great difficulty, or if at any time ice shall
nave formed on any such improved sidewalk
by the freezing of rain hail, melted snow
or IN any other manner, it shall be the duty
or such tenant or occupant, within the first
four hours Of daylight thereafter to sprin-
kle. or cause such snow or Ice, to the extent
aforesaid, to be sprinkled with sand saw
dust, other such substance nd for
violation of the provisions of this section
such tenant or occupant shall be guilty of a
mlsdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof
snail be punished by fine of not more
than $5, or by Imprisonment In the work.
house Of the District Of Columbia not ex-
ceeding five days. and by an additional fine
not exceeding 50, or by additional imprison-
ment In the wOrkhouse of the District of
Columbia not exceeding five days for each
additional twenty-four hours after the ex-
piration of the time hereinbefore provided
tnat such tenant or occupant shall suffer or
permit such snow or Ice to remain without
being sprinkled or removed as hereinbefore
provided.
Another section applies the same provi-
improved lot in the District of Columbia
1rontlns or abutting upon paved sidewalk
May BE Charged to Taxes.
The fourth, fifth and sixth sections are
the important ones of the bill. The fourth
provides that Sin the event of the failure of
any such owner or owners Of any vacant or
unlmproved lot to cause the removal of
such snow or Ice, or to sprinkle the same
as herelnbefore provided, it shall be the
duty of the Commissioners of the District
or Columbia, as soon as practicable altar
the expiration of the time herein provided
for the removal or sprinkling thereof to
cause the snow ice in front of such lot
TO be removed Or to cause the same to he
sprinkled as hereinbefore directed to be
done Dy sach owner or owners; and upon
each and every such removal or snrinkIinp
by them they shall assess the sum of one
dollar against each such lot and where auy
sucn lot has frontage in excess of TWENTY
nVe 1eet an additional sum of one dollar for
each additional frontage Of twenty-five feet
or fractional part thereof which said as
sessment snail be lien on such lot when
entered of record on the tax records Of the
Dissrlct ss OF Columbia, and to continue until
paid, and shall be added to the general tax
annually levied on such lot, and shall he
collected in the same manner and as part
or such general tax: Provided, however.
mat such removal or sprinkling by the
Commissioners of the District of Columbia.
ana assessment thereof, shall not relieve
the owner or occupant from the penalty
nerelnDefore provided for failure to remove
or sprinkle such snow or ice''
Section provides that 1t shall he the
duty or every owner Of any unimproved or
non-tenanted improved lot or lots and of
the tenant or occupant of any improved lot
n.
bla, within three days after notice to- do so
py the Commissioners to cause tn he
cleaned on and removed all dirt, sand,
gravel or other refuse matter that may fan.
wash or be placed upon any paved sidewalk
adjacent to such lot or lots in the District
OF columbia. subject to the same penalty
provided In the first section of the act.
Commissioners Ask Appropriation
Ihe sixth section. reading as amended by
the commissioners, is as follows:
THAT in the event Of failure on the part
OF any owner, tenant or occupant of any
improved or unimproved lot or lots of
ground in the District of Columbia to COM
ply with the provisions Of the preceding
section of this act within five days after
.I .he hotlce nereinbefore provided it shall be
the duty OF the Commissioners of the Dis
tr1ct to cause the removal of such accum,,-
latlon OF dirt, sand, gravel or other refuse
matter; and upon any and every removaI
oS them they snail make an assessment on
account thereof at the same rates and ,1n-
der the same provisions named in section
Of this act"
The Commissioners ask that the follow
ing section be added to the bill: -
That to enable the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia to comply with the
provisions of sections and of this act |
the sum OF $4,000 is hereby appropriated,
one-halt out of the revenues of the District
of Columbia and one-half out of any monav
IN the treasury Of the United States nor |
otherwise appropriated; provided. however
that all assessments collected under the |
provisions of this act shall be deposited in |
the treasury of the United States to the
credit Of the appropriation herein made. |
and shall form continuous fund for the |
purpose of complying with the provisions of |
said sections and g."
with these amendments the Commission |
ers recommend that the bill be passed |
Major Sylvester Interested.
A number Of complaints have been re- |
ceived by the police about snow on side |
walks fronting on vacant lots Major Sy1- /
Vester explains that the police are COM |
peued to examine the books at the tax efflce |
IN oroer to ascertain the names Of the |
owners In cases where the owners ara
the police are absolnteiv
po"erless under the present law AGENTS
ior property cannot be reached, under the
law Major Sylvester has recommended the
enactment OF measure which Will give fIa
commissioners power to have the snow re-
moved and the cost charged against the
property. e
ADDITIONAL POWERS.
Bill Affecting Spanish Treaty Clafma
|