The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-04-18
COLOHEb BIDDLB ON
IJNSABIIARY buildings
Engineer Commissioner Dis
cusseS New Bill.
THE OCCUPATION OF HOUSES
Those Condemned Should Be Vacated,
But Their Demolition a Hardship Ac-
cording to the Views Ezpressed-Alr.
Chester Harding Treats the Subject

Colonel John BiddIe. the Enginec~
Commissioner. today submitted to his as
sociates report upon the bill recently
drawn up by the Health officer Of the Dis
trict to create a commission for the con
domination OF uBsanitary dwellings. Tbs
bill provides for the appointment OF oae
of the assistants TO the Engineer Com
missioner, the Inspector of Buildings. and,
the Health 0mcer, as a board to investi-
gate the sanitary condition Of buildings
in the District. and the condemnation Of
buildings in such unsanitary condition as
to endanger the health or lives of the
occupants, or Of persons living il the
vicinity.
The bill empowers this board to cause
the condemned buildings to be vacated
until suitable repairs are made, or va
Gated, demolished. and removed. accord
ing TO the circumstances of he case.
This bill says Colonel Biddle, Co
one similar has been presented before
and has been acted on favorably by the
Engineer Commissioner. 1t seems to me,
however, q wrong policy that while the
Health Officer Is primarily responsible for
sanitation and whose opinion would nave
to be followed in most cases, that the ma
jority of the board as constituted by the
bill should be in the Building Depart
ment and entirely disconnected with the
Health Department.
"On the other hand, in view of the in
dorsement by Dr. Woodward, the Health
officer. 1 have no better plan to propose,
unless it be that authority such as Is
vested in the Inspector Of Buildings for
the condemnation of unsafe buildings be
vested in the Health Officer for the con-
,T nit nFs TrrfT
1T seems TO me that To forbid the Oe-
cupation Of unsanitary buildings would
provide a sufficient remedy, without re-
quiring the owners to destroy or remove
them This could doubtless be accom-
plished with less friction and objection
on the part OF the property owners.
If no better way can be suggested by
the Health Officer. shall approve this
bill. / desire, however, the amendment
that the assistant in charge OF the build
ing department. instead Of the senior as
sistant to tie Engineer Commissioner
shall be naBaSd as a member Of the board,
as the senior assistant IS not necessarily
in charge of the building divisions. The
amendments suggested by Captain Hard
ing as to a quorum of the board are also
approved anG should be inserted in the
bill
IN his report Oh the measure Captain
Harding assistant to the Engineer Com
missioner says. The suggestion OF the
Engineer Commissioner that his assistant
in charge OF buildings be substituted for
the senior assistant as member Of the
proposed board would make imperative
the provision Of the bill for the service On
the board Of the Junior assistant IN the
absence Of the senior assistant. There
seems to be no necessity for this pro-
vision however,. as il is otherwise prOvid-
ed that tae~boaTd viii have at least tTo
members present, and these VIII consti-
t1itss a majority With only two members
present q tie vote might occur IN doubt
ful case but in cases so doubtful as 10
give rise TO a tie vote delay until the
full board could act would probably be
iuImaterfaI / would. therefore, recon-
mead that If the bin be favoTeoly con-
sid red section be modified as follows:
section 2. majority Of the board
snail constitute a quorum FOR the trans
action OF all business that may come be-
fore it. and the majority vote OF the
members present in the consideration of
am. case shall be necessary to condemn
a building under this act
at will be noted" continued Captain
Harding. that the substitute bill omits
the provision for the employment OF
speciai inspector. and the appropriation Of
money for the execution Of the act. IN
my judgment, the necessity for SPECIAL
inspector rests upon the degree OF urg-
ency for action under the bill
while unsanitary conditions are fire.
ouentIy discovered and reported by in
spectors of the Health Department, and
also of the Building and Plumbing De
partments. these discoveries are in
measure accidental and are usually the
result of complaints fled by tenants
Speaking for my own departments, the in
sDectors could not be wei spared TO make
systematic house toulouse Inspections for
the purpose Of discovering unsanitary
conditions throughout the District
Captain Harding agrees with Colonel
Fiddle as to the Improperly Of making
majority of the board officials of the
BpiIdfng Department Il Is understood.
however. that the Commissioners gen
orally favor the bill as drawn up by the
Heath Ohicer. and feel it would be safer
TO leave the matter in the hands OF the
hoard. The bill also has the approval of
the recently organized committee on the
Improvement OF the housing conditions Of
the poor. It is believed this committee
win co-operate with the board in its
Iabors. and viii do more and better work
of inspection than regular empioye
might do. DR.. George 4. Kober and Prof
Charles p. NeilI, Of the committee. have
appeared before the Commissioners %
favor such a measure as that which it IS
nov proposed to report to Congress.