The Washington times., 1906-11-18
Busy Week Put in BY
Mr.. Ashford and
Assistants
CRUSADE UPON HOVELS
A Dozen More InSanitary
Structures Listed for
Condemnation.

'T find this dwelling TO be IN the last
STAGES Of dilapidati0n. without proper
sewerage. and a menace to health.
recommend. therefore. that steps be
taken 10 have it formally condemned
and demolished
This brief statement and recommenda-
ton. surcharged with meaning for those
who undePstand its import. usually sup
plies the fCreword of an official action.
finally resulting in some sordid dwelling
being wiped from the District map.
Active work. locking 20 the ultimate
cleaning up of all the numerous insani-
tary, unwholesome, and disease breed
ing dwellings housing the sordid poor
OF both white and black. now is being
vigorously pushed by Building InsPec-
tor Snowden Ashford. Capt. William
Kelly, assistant TO Commissioner John
Biddle, and Health Officer ". c. Wood
ward, with Roy +. Haynes as secretary,
all comprising the board of condemna-
tion OF insaulUary buildings Since the
creation of the board. the object 3f
which is virtually TO ses as a hrst court
OF Judgment over the structural or
health conditions of any building in the
city. more than 400 buildings have been
inspected. with the result that hfty-siX
have so far been condemned as being
unfit for habltation. Many OF this num-
ber already have bcen actually torn
down. and more viii follow when the
Court of Appeals has decided questions
concerning the rights OF owners.
Fifteen Buildings Under Ban.
This last week has been a partieu-
larly busy one for the board. The mem
bsrs have made fve inspections in Va
rious sections of the ciJy, have wit
messed the passing OF fifteen as
aumbled-in, sOrdid. unWhOlsOme dwell
ings as ever disgTaCed the ciJy's face,
according 10 Secretary Haynes, ana
have in addition prepare a dozen others
40 less unfit for human habltatlon Tor
condemnation this week. Seven Of the
demolished dwellings were located IN
Van alley. a miserable quarter, located
between Third and FOur-and-a-halr, NJ
and \ streets southwest. depicting The
worst cuaraC teristies OF slum life II
was against these dwellings that the
Associated Charities long waged u
campaign Of determination. and that
the board has finally accomplished this
result has brought forth many eX-
pressions OF satisfaction from The char
manifold by the character Of these
dwelIers. unkempt, unwholesome, and
uncarlng. Another row Of eight equally
undesirable shacks. all leaky, some oc-
tupied and others abandoned on Volta
place northwest, fell under the efforts
OF the board. Evidence OF the board s
wisdom in working the destruction OF
these Volta place houses Is SHOWN IN
an accompanying illustration. rms
structure, anything but worthy or the
purpose il served, was the home or a
col0rcd family for several years. Ihey
the shack beyond the possibility Of re-
pair.
Decay in Ford's Row.
Structures in Ford's Row. also shown
with this story. were demolished at the
boards direction. They all represent
ed the worst types of decay and, accord
ing 10 Secretary Haynes. probably
would have fallen because of their
own sheer weight. if left standing this
winter. The houses were numbered
32l2-O4-0j Ford's place, near Whitney
avenue and Eleventh street northwest,
and were within "a stones throw of a
block of fine residences.
Another undesirable spot. described by
the social and charity workers as "a
sewer of vice and crime" which the
board especially desires to remove is
Blaeden's alley, the dwellers of which
have long been the disturbing element
of the neighborhood bounded by NJ and
y Ninth and Tenth streets northwest
This alley was the scene of the crime
for which Charles Edward Grant, the
negro murderer of his mistress, Eva
Barnes, on Friday paid the death pen
aty on a Scamnld at the District jail.
Similar crimes have been bred in its
precincts. In none OF the dwellings al
ready Inspected and condemned. Mr.
Haynes says, were found any bath
rooms, and few contained proper sew
erage disposal or anything but the very
crudest toilet facilities.
All the Inspected and condemned build
ings are photographed by Mr. Haynes
The Illustrations are considered inVaI-
uable by the board when presented in
court al the legal proceedings neces-
sray TO work the final destruction of the
1nsauitary structures