Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-05

built up usually with dwelling houses no
extending the full depth of the lot tn
consequence OF this IS that If another apar.
ment house is built adjoining the existing
one the space through which Eight and az.
should come Is allied up. making the lsgh
and air to the occupants OF these nat
come through mere air shafts or wells.
number of representative citizens of VAST
ington have formed themselves into com
mittee. whleh is cooperating with tn,
commissioners with view to amendlrs
the regulations and preventing this, ano
also 10 making these flats apartment.
sanitary and heaithful.
F. The wisdom of the appropriation OF ~ Oe.s
made in the last District approprist ton acs
Tor the removal of dangerous buildings or
the refusal or neglect OF the owners to d.
so, mas been demonstrated. The law in re
speet to condemnlng these buildings how
ever, is in need of modif1ca ton.
Repair Work.
The amount expended during the year by
the superintendent of repairs was about
$4,000 This amount was expended on re-
pairs 10 school buildings, police stations, en-
CINE houses, police court. etc, and, In
cluded plumbing. painting. Timing. steam
htting. erection of fences, improving OF
school yards, etc. The number OF buildings
under the care of the superintendent OF re-
pairs IS 10 and this number increases each
year. as wiis.a new buildings are constructed
ana the guarantee of the contractor TO keep
tnsn IN repair for one year expires. they
are turned over to the superintendent s,1 re-
pairs TO be cared for out of the appropria-
lions made for repairs
The Commissioners would again urge upon
Congress the necessity OF an appropriation
TO purchase the necessary ground and to
construct thereon building for a repair
shop for the District of Columbia Th
present repair shop is rented by the Distric.
and is entirely inadequate. new shop
should be large enough to accommodate tn,
carpenters, timers, and painters while get
ting out shopwork, and should, In addition,
be large enough to carry a full STOCK OF
paints, tin, castings, cements, hardware
etc, as well as certain kinds of lumber,
such as doors, blinds. aad sash Economy
OF administration, greater promptness. and
more satisfactory results would be obtained
Plumbing and Plumbing Inspection.
The work in The Office of the Inspector of
plumbing increases yearly. The number o:
Inspections made during the fiscal year was
2I,33T, being an increase of 1,1o3 over the
fiscal year 1904 and 2,U39 over the fiscal
year 1893 1t is believed that the value o.
this office to the public at large and to the
property owner in particular is very great
The most efficient supervision Is exercised
over the installation of plumbing both IL
municipal buildings and In private build
ings. Work can only be done by registered
plumbers IN accordance with the most mod
ern regulations, and the consequence has
been that the plumbing Installed In the
can not be excelled. This Office, like the
building office. however. suffers from a lacL
of an adequate inspection force. The offct
has charge OF the expenditure of money 70,
repairing and changing plumbing in the ex
listing school buildings, and in the report OF
the inspector of plumbing a statement is
made of the work done under this appro-
priaton and the amount expended.
Plumbing Board.
The plumbing board now consists of Ave
members, whose annual compensation Is
$500 each. ,or total Of 81 500 per year.
The board held 25 sessions and examined
SO applicants. The Commissioners believe
that this board is unnecessarily larga.apG
that it could be very advantageously re
duced to three members One of these
should be representative OF the govern
ment Of the District of Columbia one u
master plumber, and the other journey
man plumber competent tc, be licensed
a master plumber. The plumbing boars.
concurs in this view of the matter
Public Convenience Stations.
Congress. al its last session, passed ar
act for the establishment of two public
convenience stations in the District o.
Columbia. each to afford accommodations
for 90 males and 10 females Fifty thou
sand dollars were appropriated for the
purpose and $4,000 for the maintenance
of same during the present fiscal yeaI
Work in this matter is new in progress
1t is proposed to place one of these sta
lions above ground and the other one
under ground. The one above ground will
be located on the reservation belonging
to the District of Columbia, in front OF
the Center market, at Seventh street ane
Pennsylvania avenue NV. The under
ground station will be located in public
reservation No. 80. in front of the New
National Theater and bounded by Penn
sylvania avenue and F. street and Thir-
teenth and Thirteen anda-half streets
NV. The work of designing the buildings
is now under way and 1t is hoped will be
completed in a short time. The establish
ment of these stations VII be of srea
convenience to the public. both to thos
residing in the city and district and the
immense number of people who are con
stantly visiting Washington in attendance
upon the Inauguration. conventions, etc. IL
this line also the Commissioners believs
that public baths should be established
such as those which now exist in othe,
cities.
Permit Clerk.
An examination of the report of the per
NIT clerk will show that the duties Of this
office have been gradually increasing for
number of years. This Is shown by the
number of permits issued and the amount
of fees received for the same. In the fisca
year 1894, 1855 permits permits were is
sued and the receipts of the Office diirint
that period weretSS. 1903. During the presen
fiscal year the number of permits tssuee
was 13y0S and the receipts s9,31S.
Street Extension.
Five street-extension measures were en-
acted during the last session of Congress
and legal proceedings have either ben com
pleted or are now in progress to accom-
plish these extensions. The street-extensio
Office not only looks after the prepara1iod
of reports on street-extenson measures an
prepares cases for presentation TO the cour,
but 1t also prepares plats, descriptions. etc
for the opening and condemnation of mino.
streets and alleys. Congress, at its las
session amended the code 50 as to provid
a better procedure for condemning inino &
treets and alleys. Proceedings for the open
ing of a number of alleys have been In
stituted during the past year. This ONO
also looks after the preparation of map
and papers In the condemnation of right:
OF way for sewers and the sites for school
houses fre-engine houses. and other munfc
inal buildings. and in general in all mat
ters where private ground is to De takei
for public use.
Street Names IN the District Of Colum