Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-03


in the city, the largest colored popu-
lation of any of the precincts and sec
~ ond only to the fifth in the amount of
city territory covered, the eighth pre-
cinct station of the metropolitan police de-
partment is by no means the least i'm
portant in the city. In breadth it reaches
across three precincts on the south. from
Brentwood avenue northeast to 22d street
northwest; and in width it reaches from
@ street to Florida avenue northwest. With
in these bounds are found all kinds and
conditions of people and therefore all kinds
and conditions of police duty are required.
One of the important points in the pre-
cinct, best known generally throughout the
city, is the base ball park, and the officers
of this precinct are called upon to handle
the immense crowds which gather almost
daily in the base ball season near 18th and
Florida avenue northwest to witness the
league games. The crowd is an eXcitable
one and is gathered quickly. During the
season. and whenever there are base ball
or foot ball contests at the grounds, Off
GERS are detailed there to preserve order.
In the western part of the precinct are
found the residences of many of the leading
business and public men In the city. 1t
includes the handsome homes along New
Hampshire avenue, Connecticut avenue and
the regular numbered and lettered streets
which are lined with fine houses between
Q street and Florida avenue. The problem
Of properly protecting these homes during
the summer, when their owners are away
at the seashore of in the mountains, Is an
important one. The vacant houses are re-
ported to the station house and frequent
visits are made to the houses to see that
they are locked and that they have not
been looted. The system has worked well
for the past few summers and few reports
of robberies in any of these houses have
been made.
Like the other precincts in the city the
eighth has its alleys. But its quota is not
as extensive as in most of the other pre-
sincts The eighth precinct includes sew
eral localities which still have descriptive
names attached to them, largely on &C
count of their past records. The conditions
which led up TO the designation of these
sections have partially disappeared now.
The one which has kept its original nature
best is "Cowtown," noted for brawls, where
the tin pail is the adjunct of the family
and crap is the favorite pastime. The
Camp" section near the base ball park,
also is very lively at times and requires
careful police work. 1t was there that
serious shooting ARRAY occurred not so long
ago. Also most of "Hell's Bottom Is in
Guided in the eighth precinct. On the cor
ner of 18th and Q streets officer Crippen
lost his life while trying TO arrest des-
perate man.
Two important railway crossings are IN
cluded in the precinct, and crossing OFF,
GERS are required to guard them, prevent
accidents to the many persons who transfer
at the corners and to prevent blockades
and confusion At 18th and L streets thou
sands meet every day from 8 am. TO il
midnight; and 18th and Florida avenue,
which catches much of the base pan crowd,
is AN important corner all day. AT both of
the crossings an officer is on duty between
s am and midnight. In the extreme east
ern section of the precinct, near the juno
ton of Brentwood and Florida avenues, a
mounted officer is required, as the terri
tory is large and not thickly populated
Around the large railroad works, also in
that section a bicycle officer does duty In
the crowd of workmen that are engaged
police work is required TO prevent SQUAD
bles that are bound to arise.
For the policing of this territory Included
in the eighth precinct ffty-two ofhcers TOUR
crossing policemen and two desk sergeants