Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-05
DISTRICT CHARITIES
ARRANGEMENTS FOR ASSoCIA-
TONS ANNUAL MEETING.
President Roosevelt and Senators and
Representatives Requested to At
tend-The Program.

The Associated Charities committee on
the improvement of housing conditions held
a meeting yesterday at pm in the gem
eral Office Of the Associated Charities, at
S11 G street northwest. There were pres
ent: Mr. 8. w. Woodward, chairman; Gen.
George M. Sternberg, Admiral w. X. Van
Reypen, Mr.. G. A. Weber. Of the bureau
of labor statistics; Mr.. s. r. Bond, Gen.
John NJ. Wilson. Mrs. Archibald Hopkins.
Mrs. Julia T. Bodfish. George s. Wilson,
Prof. Charles p. Neill, John Joy Edison,
Prof. B. 7. Janney, DR.. George M. kober,
Gen. John w. Foster, Mr.. ]. B. T. Topper
and Charles F. Weller. Regrets were re-
ceived from Bishop H. Y. Satterlee, Mrs.
H B. F. Macfarland Cuno H. Rudolph and
Gen. Walter Wyman
The first subject considered was the COM
pletiCn of arrangements for the annual
meeting of the Associated Charities, which
is to be held Tuesday, December 10, at
pm, in the First Congregational Church.
Mr.. Jacob A. Riis is to be the chief speaker,
and he Is to make a personal inspection of
the alleys, bad housing conditions and
neglected neighbOrhoods of Washington be-
fore delivering his address, which will be
illustrated by stereopticon views including
a number of local pictures. The committee
decided that its chairman, Mr.. S. w. Wood
ward, should be asked to explain the pur-
pc ses and methods of the committee in a
Mr.. Ri.S.
President Invited
The committee also decided that President
Roosevelt should be especially invited to
take part in this meeting, the subject
Is of such great Importance to the city
of Washington, and in order to assure the
attendance of number Of senators and
representatives at this meeting the COM
mittee decided to send special invitations to
a number of representative members If
both houses OF Congress 1t was also ar
ranged that members of the Senate and
House committees on District affairs and
on appropriations should be invited to oc-
cupy the platform seats at the meeting.
Admiral w. X. Van Reypen and DR.. George
M Kober were appointed special commit
tee to make arrangements, if possible to
have Mr.. Riis confer personally with men,
bers of the two committees on District
affairs on the day following his inspection
of local housing conditions.
General George M. Sternberg made
short address, emphasizing the need for the
local improvements, which the committee is
seeking to bring out He explained that
the infant mortality in any city is a very
good indication of the health conditions
which prevail. He said that the death rate
for infants under one year of age had been
reduced in New York city, in the ten years
from 1891 to 1902, from 242 to 15S per thou
sand, reduction of 81 per cent. In Chi
cago the records were even more favorable
U
lumbia, according to the statistics of the
health officer for the present year, lJ3
out of every thousand white babies died
before completing their first year of life,
while 45S out of every Thousand colored
babies died during the first year.
Comparative Statement.
Mr.. G. A. Weber of the Department OF
Labor. who has made a special study of
housing conditions throughout Europe and
owl, palJo
a review of conditions in Washington as
compared with those of the forty other
large cities of the country. He took his
figures from the statistics of cities pub
lished by the Department of Labor in Sep
TENDER, 1902. OF the forty cities Washing
2l.s3 per cent, with New Orleans second
and Baltimore third. Washington had the
fourth highest death rate from typhoid
fever. and ranked third in the rate OF
and Memphis having higher death rate
from the latter disease. In deaths from
whooping cough. Washington was exceeded
only by Pittsburg. and its deaths from
other city in the country. The number of
deaths due to pulmonary tuberculosis in the
city of Washington was exceeded only by
the deaths in Denver and in Los Angeles,
two cities where patients from all over the
country go to die of consumption.
Mr.. Weber and General Sternberg called
especial attention to the fact that % 16 per
cent. or more than one-fourth, of all the
deaths in Washington are due to prevent
able diseases. and are largely traceab.e to
the bad housing conditions
The committee decided to establish a spe-
cial subcommittee on lectures and meet
ings This subcommittee was instructed to
endeavOr to arrange for a presentation Of
the city's conditions and needs. with stere-
opticon Illustrations, before the Board of
Trade, the Business Mems Association, the
various citizens associations organized
throughout the District, the churches of
the city and any other organizations or
groups of people who are willing to afford
an audience. The committee was also re-
quested to arrange for parlor meetings at
the homes of various members of the gen.
eral committee. The chairman appointed
Prof. B. T. Janney and Mr.. John Joy Ed
son to act with himself on this committee
Mr.. S. R. Bond was elected treasurer,
and subscriptions of SIS each were made by
Messrs. John Joy Edison, Gen. John NJ
Foster, s. w. Woodward. DIR. George NJ.
kober and Gen. w. K. Van Reypen for
the use Of the committee on housing con-
diiOnS.