Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-01

D. A. Phillips was due to fall from q
street cart Jesse Brown. coloreds was the
| line. and Henry c. Gibbs was fatally in
tured by a Capital Traction car in George
town. Included in the other fatal accidents
were several persons who were at work
| on elevators, several were burned to death.
others fell from windows. and in other
cases mechanics fell while at their places OF
employment. Mrs. Irene Stinemetz was ia
| tally injured by a wagon: David Bowen was
killed by a garbage cart, and Thomas Simp-
son Of Charles county was knocked down
by a wagon and the injuries caused his
death. Hardly a day has passed that the
police did not report an accident to some
In most cases of this kind the victim ad-
mltted that he or she was responsible for
the injuries.
The most serious disaster of the yeas was
the blowing up Of the Golden Eagle Hotel,
at New Jersey avenue and D street. This
work was done by Frank Mckee, former
| Philadelphian. He had boarded at the
set or stick Of dynamite. The pro-
prietor, Louis Brandt and his wife were
badly injured. After exploding the dyna-
mite Mckee committed suicide by shooting
himself through the head.
Fire Losses.
The fire losses during 1902 amounted to
about $4,000 an appreciable decrease COM
pared with the previous year. Fire Marshal
Bieber tnaugurated a system of keeping
| watch on people coming here from other
| cities where they had had fires and has
record OF their names. This move was
MADE IN order that any person who might
be inclined to set fire to their places for the
insurance could be kept under close watch
Ine property OF no such person has been
damaged by fire during the year There
| were but few 4hcendiary fires during the
yeal and arrests were made in most of the
cases. number of improvements were
made during the year and the department
increased its number of fire apparatus. One
or the first fires of the old year occurred
| the first day of the year and was caused by
candies On Christmas tree. Three fires
from TINS cause occurred during the early
hour OF the night. while another occurred
shortly after midnight. Damage caused by
these fires amounted to only about $500
Inc most destructive fires during the year
occurred on the river front, where the plant
OF the American Ice Company and the
stables of T. w. Riley were DESTROYED
other smaller buildings were also destroyed
ana several horses persisted in the flames.
very lew fatalities have attended the years
nres the saddest Of them being the case Of
the two colored children who were burned
to death In Hillsdaie. Members of the fire
department have also been particularly FOR
tunate. Several of them received slight In
Jurfes during the twelve months but no
1atai injuries resulted from their brave
work. A number Of fatalities were averteu
because OF the prompt work on part Of the
nre-hghters, and more than one person
owes his life to the effective work of the
hremen. While several false alarms were
sounded the fremen did not experience the
trouble they were given during the previous
year from this source.
Early In the year a steam heater in the
| home Of Mr.. Beale r. Howard exploded and
| on Capitol Hill, was badly damaged by fire
the 10th of January. This fire, it was be-
| lieved. was the work of an incendiary, but
the criminal was not caught. During the
Ia tor no Ut of Ay,rj IN a.,
the Riggs farm in Prince Georges county
Md, and in July the gambling resorts at
jackson City were destroyed by fire. The
Haitian legation suffered 1000 loss by fire
the I'D Of April. The annual parade occur
red as usual and truck company carried
off the flag. William T. Sorrels' promotion
| to the place Of assistant chief to fill the
vacancy caused by the retirement of John
made In the department during the year.
The Public Schools, -.
The District Is proud OF its public school
system and with good reason. For purposes
| OF practical instruction, these schools rank
with the best educational institutions in the
country and the excellent. results achieved
are naturally the subjects of pride in our
citizens. The system embodies all that is
good and progressive in up-to-date methods
OF instruction and eliminates all that is use
| less. antiuuated and archaic During the
| year just CiOseu IL mas kept ABREAST OF the
times and has maintained Its high stand
ard OF efficiency. One Of the marked rea-
| lures OF the year was.the execution OF the
new rule adopted by the board of education.
| making the tenure Of teachers permanent
and promoting them on the sole basis of
merit and efficiency as shown by the rec
ords. Beginning with July l last the old
| system OF annual appointments of teachers
| system, under which their tenure is made
permanent during good behavior and ELI
cheney. Promotions are now based on eff
cheney ratings and length of service is a
| advancement are of equal efficiency. In
| conformity with the theory that a sound
| body Is essential ito a sound mind. the
| teachers are enjoined to encourage. rational
| exercises In the open air by their pupils to
| their fullest extent. To that end provision
| Is made wherever possible at the principal
school for open air athletic exercises.
During the year the public school accom-
| modations have been increased by the COM
pletton and occupation Of the following new
buildings: One twelve-room building Uhe
Matthew G. Emery; four eight-room build
| 1ngs Qhe William 3. Webb, the Josia n
DENT, the Sayles j. Bowen and the Thomas
| P. Morgan); four four-room buildings (the
Tacoma, the BENJAMIN G. Orr, the KeniI-
worth and the Petworth3 for white chill
dren; four eight-room buildings (he Elijah
T: LoveJoy, the James g. Birney, the John
M. Langston and the William Syphax) for
colored children; thus adding q maxi,nuIn
seat capacity OF $3.50.
In addition to these are the Mckinley
Manual Training School with class room
capacity for $50 and shop room capacity
for 500. and the Armstrong Manual Train
ing School with classroom accommoda-
tons for SOB and shop-room for 649. Ex-
perience has shown that these two fine
buildings are inadequate for the growing
needs OF the District and that additional
facilities must be soon provided.
The Churches.
The churches of the District Of Columbia
have been notably prosperous during the
past twelve months, and the year has been
particularly eventful to the various denom-
iEations. The activity along missionary and
philanthropic lines of effort has increased
markedly, and a number of projects for
the advancement of Christian work have
been undertaken. Among several denomi-
nations plans have been successfully pro-
jected for the payment of all Indebtedness
outstanding against the church property
The responses to appeals for financial as
sistance for charity and for religious work
have been exceptionally liberal, while, it is
stated, the churches have also deyeloped
spiritually. A number of new church edi-
fees have been erected and dedicated
church property has been improved, new
bodies have been organized, and number
of large meetings OF more than ordinary