Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-14

plans for new conduit. This matter has
been brought before Congress repeatedly,
but no appropriation has been made. It Is
important that the necessary appropriation
for the survey be made this winter.
I'm the matter of Improvement OF con-
gra tifyinE to be able to state that the
electric and telephone companies have
placed their wires underground and similar
work on the telegraph wires has been vol
unfairly undertaken by the telegraph COM
panies and when completed. Washington
Will be a model city In this respect.
OF Greatest National Importance.
'"rhe event of the greatest national i'm
portanee transpiring in this city during the
past year was the Inauguration OF Theodore
Roosevelt President of the United States,
and of the craftsmanship OF the distinguish
ed vice president of this board, Gen. John
M. Wilson; the inaugural committees COM
posed of representative citizens, naturally
contained a great many members of the
Board of Trade, and under the efficient gem
eralship and management of these commit
tees, the event was the most successful in
the history of the District of Columbia.
Pursuant to resolution of the Board
of Trade. passed January Is. 1905, a COM
mittee of five members outside the board of
to see whether sufficient stock would be
taken for the completion of building for
the accommodation of inaugural ceremonies,
conventions and large public assemblages
like committee was named by the Business
Mems Association and by the Roosevelt
inaugural committee. Mr.. Henry L. West
of the board of Commissioners was selected
undertaking, from It's very magnitude, can
not progress very rapidly, the public
mind will have to be educated to realiza-
ton of its Importance. The committee has
large number of people In and out of
Washington, and 1t Is to be hoped that
the outcome will be all that could be de-
sired.
As Convention City.
''The conventions held here during the
year have been of unusual Importance
THE American Bankers Association met
here last month. and though the Board
Of Trade, as an organization, did not active
ly participate, many of its members served
on committees of the local Bankers Asso-
citation and did much of the work that
made the convention a conspicuous success
me systematic way in which arrange
ments for the meetings and for the enter
airment of large a number of repre-
sentative people from all parts of the
country was so successfully carried out
under our former president. Mr.. John Joy
Edson, should serve as a model for future
conventions
The twelfth annual convention of the
international Police Associat ton, lasting
several days, was also held here In May
The organization comprises the heads of
the police departments of all the large cit
les In the United States and Canada and a
few delegates from other countries. The
motive thought resulting In this conven-
toI was that OF cooperation and mutual
aid in police work. The present able chief
of our local police, Maj. Sylvester, was re-
elected head of the organization.
The Southern Industrial Parliament, for
the discussion and promotion of southern
Industries held sessions here in May Dele
gates were present from most of the
southern states, and the topics for discus
sion were presented by able speakers, who
aroused a strong interest in the develop
ment of the agricultural and industrial re-
sources of the south.
The National Board of Trade of which
this board Is member, will hold its thirty
sixth annual meeting in this city commence
ing Tuesday. the 10Th day of January 1906
AS its object primarily is the promotion
and widening of the useful influences of
the many manufacturing and commercial
organZa lions of the country which COM
prise its membership, the session will be
an interesting one.
In my report to the board last year /
referred to the wooden stairways In many
of the public schools. Several of these have
been removed, but as long as a school
building has these stairways and Is not
provided with proper fire escapes our
school children and teachers will be COM
pelleu 10 run unnecessary rlskS In case of
fire.
Streets and Vacant Lots
There is a law for the removal of weeds
from vacant lots, but. in the absence Of an
appropriation to enforce 1t, the authorities
are placed in an embarrassing position and
the public generally in an unsatisfactory
one. Though weeds, tin cans and city rub
bish may be symbols of civiliza ton, they
are nuiSanceS, on the theory that dirt is
matter out of place. An appropriation suf-
ficient to insure the removal of these dis
agreements should be obtained. In other
cities where the authorities have been una
Bile to accomplish their removal, the ladies
have succeeded in securing the abatement
Of the weeds and tin-can nuisance.
"It is to be hoped that some method will
be devised by the street cleaning depart
ment to keep the streets cleaner and In
better condition than at present. With
small appropriations 1t would seem to be
an advantage to have more machine sweep
ing done The flushing and washing paved
streets has been beneficial in other cities,
and though hitherto not considered good
for asphalt streets. has been advantageous
IL done in some of the western cities.
THE numerous breaches of the law in
that portion of Virginia Immediately ada
cent to the District known as Alexandria
county has been the result partly of the
strict and well-enforced laws of the Dis
trict, and, until recently, owing to the lack
OF means on the part of the citizens of the
nearby territory. 1t has been difficult to
maintain law and order.
Restoration of Alexandria County.
whether the Objectionable condition could
be still further abated by again making
that portion of the original ten miles square
retroceded to Virginia part of the Dis
trict Is a somewhat mooted question. At
any rate. the Alexandria county authorities
are to be congratulated upon the success
of their efforts in the interest of law and
order within their own borders and on the
leading approach from the south to the ma
tional capital.
THE preparation of en- authentic history
of the District of Columbia has been taken
into consideration by our board of directors
and a committee has been appointed to N
qure into and consider the ACCESSIBILITY and
feasib ility of such a work. The committee
is now actively engaged in performing the
duty imposed upon it. and 1T is to be hoped
that we may eventually have an official his
tory of the District of Columbia for it will
not be long before old Washington will dis
appear and be replaced by new Washington
"On account of the near approach of the
centennial eff the birth of Abra ham Lincoln
and his association with the capital your
president has appointed special committee
to report on the ACCESSIBILITY of appropriately
celebrating that event. | have also APP
pointed Mr. w. 2. Van Wickle chairman of
a special committee to see If it is practi-
cable al this time to permanently mark his
toric points in the District of Columbia
ION the evening o. September 80 Presi-
dent Roosevelt, returning from his summer