Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-07

found. Resident owners can in most cases
be reached through criminal process. Non
resident owners are theoretically anne
able to the same laws, but practically they
are beyond their reach. 1t Is earnestly de-
sired that legislation be enacted which will
permit the Commissioners to abate nuiS-
ance on property belonging to non-resi-
dents and to persons whose wherea bouts
are unknown, and to assess the cost of
such abatement against such property
the right to abate and assess to accrue only
after such notice has been given by the
Commissioners as the circumstances OF the
case permit and after failure on the part
Of the responsible person to comply with
such notice. Legislation of this character
might well be extended SO as to permit the
Commissioners to exercise Similar right
with reference to the property of residents
whenever 1t was found impracticable to Sc
cure abatement through criminal process.
as occasionally occurs when the owner or
property is too old or too inflrm to be taken
into court or when the title to the property
Is in litigation.
Condemnation Of Insanitary Buildings.
The Commissioners desire to call attention
again to the necessity of legislation provid-
ing for the condemnation of buildings unfit
for human habitation. That there are build
ings of this character in the District OF Co
lumbia now occupied is beyond question.
and the need of legislation seems. more
ever, to be generally admitted. Great diff
Guilty has been experienced in framing such
legislation as would be acceptable and con-
stitutional. This question is, of course,
very closely connected with the matter OF
legislation also desired for the abatement
of nuisances on the property of non-resi-
dents, as certain OF these houses are own
ed by persons in that class.
Public Baths.
Attention Is again invited to the necessity
for the establishment of public baths. A
considerable number OF the population are
now without facilities necessary to enable
them to maintain personal cleanliness dur
ing the greater part Of the year. While an
effort has been made to remedy this con-
diton by requiring all new brick houses to
be provided with bath rooms. this require
ment does not fill the need In so far as re-
lates to houses already built. This method
of providing bathing accommodations eff
fects. moreover. a material increase in the
cost of small dwellings and. therefore. in
in the rent of such dwellings, and practi-
cally the hardship falls upon the poor
1t is believed that due provision should be
made for the erection and maintenance Of
bath houses at the public expense.
The Commissioners, after public hearing
on the subject, adopted on April 2 1905
regulation prohibiting expectoration on
we'll as street cars. which was generally ap-
proved as necessary to the public health
and to the good appearance of the public
places affected. 1t was generally respect
ed and enforced by public opinion. so that
after due notice to the public and to indi-
viduals. it went into successful operation
without an arrest
The Fire Department.
This department maintains its record for
efficiency and usefulness. Upon the retire.
ment of R. w. Dutton, VINO resigned to be-
como deputy recorder of deeds Of the Dis
trict of Columbia, Assistant Chief William
r. Belt was promoted to chief engineer, to
take effect July L. under the requirement of
Congress that the chief engineer should be
a practical fire fighter. The Commission
crs believe that the improvement in the adj
ministration OF the fire department during
the two years of Mr. buttons service fully
confirmed their recommendation TO Con-
gress that there should be superintendent
of the fire department to perform the super
visory duties which Mr. Dutton performed
as chief engineer. II is impossible for the
Commissioner having for the time being
supervision of the fire department to prop
erly perform such duties, now that the fire
department has grown to such large pro-
portions, while at the same time the gen.
efal demands upon the time of the Com
missioners have correspondingly increased.
There is the same necessity for a superin-
tendent of the fire department as for a su-
perintendent of the police department. In
the interval since the LIST of July the chief
engineer has done his best to perform two
different functions, those of the admins
traitor and fire fighter. but the very fact
that in the latter capacity he must respond
to all fire alarms after the first and must
be out of the Office at all hours of the day
and night on this duty. besides taking much
time for the personal inspection OF national.
District and other large buildings and the
fire department itself shows that it is i'm
possible for him OF any one else to meet
these two incompatible demands satisfac-
torily. The Commissioner having supervis-
ion of the fire department has devoted much
additional time to it, to aid in supplying the
lack of a business superintendent, but it
is impra cticable to do this permanently. 1t
would be gain to the District in every way
to have a superintendent of the fire depart
ment and it is hoped that Congress will
provide for it at the coming session.
Use of Oil as Fuel.
While there was an increase in the num-
Der Of alarms Of fires responded to by the
fire department during the past fiscal year.
this increase was confined to local or silent
alarms. and may be safely attributed to the
general use of oil as fuel during the coal
strike. There were, however. but 81 more
fires, and the estimated loss for the past
year, s157, 261, was with the exception Of
the previous year, s134,504. the smallest in
thirteen years the loss for the two years
being the smallest for two consecutive years
since 1880. The property damaged by fire
during the past year was covered by an in
surance of 81, l53 ,S72. the loss being, the fire
marshall estimates, less than I per cent of
the insurance, as was the case the year
before.
10 new company was added to the de-
plrtment during the fiscal year The men,
apparatus and horses for the Congress
Heights chemical company were provided
however. ct was placed IN commission on
July D. 1902 The three extra first-claSS
Metropolitan steam engines provided for by
the act of Congress of July /. 1902, were re-
ceived by the department early last Janu-
ary and after being subjected TO a severe
test, were at once placed in service, replac-
ing the three small steamers which had
been condemned. The I5-foot aerial truck
provided by the same act was received the
latter part of last December from the Sea-
grave Company and at once placed In serv-
ice replacing the truck in Truck Company
A. which latter piece Of apparatus was
placed on reserve. The other piece of ap-
paratus provided by the act of July /, 1902,
a double S5-galIon chemical engine. was
also received last December. This piece of
aunaratuS was provided for the Congress