Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-19
PLAN STRENUOUS CRUSADE
Intention to Remedy Existing Insani-
tary Conditions.
EMPLOYMENT OF CHAIN GANG
Those Responsible for Premises in
Unclean Condition VIII Be Prose-
cuted-Police Assistance.

missioner West and the heads Of various
departments under him today announced
the beginning of strenuous crusade which
has as its object the remedying OF any and
all insanitary conditions which may exist
in the CITY. s.>, .,.5r
Initial steps toward the end mentioned
were taken yesterday when Commissioner
West issued an order that the police on all
beats in the city cooperate with the In
spectors Of the health department In In
specting the city's backwards. cellars and
other places where refuse and other waste
material. which II directly or indirectly
detrimental to health, has accumulated. MIR.
West today called Superintendent Twohey
of the street cleaning department into con-
ference, and ways and means were dis
cussed for handling with dispatch the great
amount Of extra waste that Will be gath
cred from the highways and byways during
the next few days. Another suggestion
also made in connection with the cleaning
up crusade, was that the chain gang be de-
tailed for the few days necessary In cutting
down weeds on vacant lots throughout the
District, and the feasibility OF the plan mas
been taken under consideration.
Health Office, Handicapped
When he ordered the police to take a
hand in the crusade yesterday Commits
sioner West stated that he did SO only
because Health Officer Woodward had
claimed that he was practically powerless.
his office being inadequately supplied with
inspectors. The police were Instructed to
order yards and cellars cleaned wherever 1t
was deemed necessary. Now that order
has been supplemented with another and
the Commissioner declares that next Wed
nesday. July %. will be the last day of
grace. After that wherever yards. cellars
49, <aNI
or any building or property are found in an
unclean condition the police have orders
to take the cases into the Police Court and
charge violation of the sanitary regula-
lions.
In Chicago recently the authorities set
apart one day for a general and wholesale
municipal housekeeping. and 1t was shown
afterward that marvellous results were ac-
was fully 80 per cont cleaner when the
populace had finished the united effort.
Looking for Explanation.
Ever since the citys daily and weekly
mortality record assumed alarming proper
lions with the beginning of summer. and
since typhoid fever leaped the barrier sup
posed to have been erected with the COM
pietion Of the filtration plant. the authori-
ties have been casting about for ways to
account for existing conditions and for
means 30 effect remedy. The cause for
the increase in number of cases Of typhoid
fever Is an absolute mystery; and while 1t
filth are responsible for the spread Of the
disease, It II q known fact that insanitary
conditions ere largely accountable for low
cred vitality OF a great number of Washing
tonians and lowered vitality means an all
too easy conquest for the insidious disease
germ.
The oompaign. as far as 1t has been plan
ned, Will begin at once with a careful sur
on their respective beats, and the ordering
BY the police Of prompt cleaning where they
find 1t necessary. Until Wednesday next will
be given for any necessary work. and then
VIII come another house-to-house inspec-
ton by the police, and the prosecution of
property owners or residents who have
failed to obey orders. Wherever possible
the people will be required to dispose of
such refuse. yard sweepings and other ma
terial gathered together, but where the
waste cannot otherwise be handled Superin-
tendent Twohey of the street cleaning de-
partment, upon proper notification, viii
send bis inspectors to determine whether
the material comes under the heading Of
and whether the contractors can be re-
CURED to haul 1t away.
Districts Carts to Be Used.
In cases where the waste cannot other
wise be handled the District carts Will be
sent out. this service to be extended upon
request and where 1t has been determined
by the inspectors that the material col
lectef does not come within the schedules
of the contractors.
In some sources 1t has been claimed that
rank growths Of weeds on vacant lots might
be held responsible for the spread OF ty-
phoid and while this is yet only one of the
moot points in connection with the investi-
cation into causes OF that disease It has
been conceded that weeds tend to conceal
possibly insanitary conditions on the
ground beneath, and 1t was In connection
with that phase OF the general cleaning up
OF the city that 1t was suggested. In the
absence Of an appropriation by which the
District can hire labor to remove the weeds.
that the chain-gang from the workhouse be
equipped with scythes and rales and set to
work In spots where the weeds are thickest
Heretofore 1t has been the custom of the
Commissioners to keep the chain-gang as
far out of sight as possible, and the gang
has only been worked on county and park
roads and other isolated municipal i'm
provements-but Commissioner West has
stated that there Is nothing which could
prevent the chain-gang being put to the use
suggested. and 1t IL probable that the engi-
neer department will be asked to give up
their claim upon at least a portion of the
time Of the convict labor.