Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-07
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS TO CONGRESS

] I'LL UUV
| duced the smoke nuisance caused by
| their locomotives by the use Of coke
and other fuels and by careful super
vision and instruction of their engine
rules made for the purpose. For this
| they deserve commentator. But this
purely voluntary method Of dealing with
the matter might be changed at any
time and ought to be replaced by the
positive requirements of the law that
would secure a continuous Improvement.
! The owners of the plants in the District
! OF Columbia which have complied with
the smoke law are justly critical or the
| exemption of the railroads from Its re-
quirements. The campaign for cleanli-
| ness in the interest not only OF beauty
| but Of economy is being pressed even
| in the cities where the most smoke has
| been observed. Merchants and house
| holders have been interested by demon
STATIONS that the smoke damages goods
and furnishings to a very large amount.
| besides spelling the appearance OF public
buildings and private houses and parks
| be less annoyed by smoke than any other
| city, but SO long as the locomotive CON
! tinues outside Of the law the efforts which
will be put forth to stop the smoke from
stationary stacks cannot be entirely sue
cessful in removing this nuisance.
The coroner reports that during the
fiscal year the number of deaths from
natural causes was 525: violent causes.
344: stillbirths. 172; homicides In Dis
trict of Columbia, %: homicides origi-
mating outside Of the District in which
death occurred in the District. 8: legal
hangings, 2: suicides In the District, s.:
accidents from poison, q; autopsies held
| in District of Columbia cases. 40: au-
l.. YJ-Sk o$.k@ tn
quests, 81: bodies received at morgue,
| 512; deaths from all causes. 1.04.
Excise Board and Liquor Traffic.
The Commissioners submit the following
summary Of the operations of the excise
| board:
For the year ending October 81. 1907.
521 applications for barroom license were
approved and q rejected; 142 applica-
| tions for wholesale liquor license were
approved and 10 rejected.
| During the present year. which COM
| menced November I, 1907. $40 barroom
licenses have been granted, have been
rejected and are pending; 1873 applica-
lions for wholesale liquor licenses have
ing.
Under date Of April %. 1908. the Com
| missioners. in reporting upon the various
bills referred to them by the Senate and
Cno House committees or the DlStrlCC Oh
Columbia, made the following recon-
mendatfOnS:
First. that the prohibition zones be in
creased in number so as to cover the
| neighborhood OF the navy yard and
Marine barracks and the War College
and Engineer barracks.
Second. that no barroom license be is
sued, renewed or transferred, without the
| consent in writing Of the majority of all
property owners and of all tenants In
fl.o l@1, q t. o. Ia
the four squares confronting that square.
and that license shall be revoked upon
| the conviction or the forfeiture of col
lateral In one case.
Third. that the wholesale liquor license
fee shall be $500 and the barroom license
| fee shall be 81 800.
Fourth that no license shall be issued,
renewed or transferred for use in any
saloon within 400 feet Of any building
| used for public or private school. or
other educational institution or play
| ground, or any house of worship, or place
regularly used for worship, or religious
! institution
Fifth, that the so-called "growler'' trade
| be prohibited.
Sixth. that the law be strengthened so
as to prevent imitation hotels and clubs
obtaining licenses
| Seventh. that in no event shall there
| be issued in any year more than one
barroom license to every 1000 OF the pop
ulation within the fire limits of the city
| of Washington.
Fire Prevention and Fighting.
| The fire department has done an eff
cient service in 50 far as the means at
its command permitted. 1t fortunately
did not have to deal with any great fire,
| and most fortunately 1t did not have to
deal with two great fires at the same
| time. although that situation almost oc-
OAI
when the entire fire department, with the
| exception Of one chemical engine, went
| into service for two large fires in the
business district. If another large fire
had occurred at the same time the fire
department could not have dealt with it.
The suburbs and all the outlying district
of the city of Washington were left en-
tirely without protection. II It had been
| a winter night Of inclement weather the
conditions would have been much worse
| necessity for the installation Of q high
pressure gravity water-prOtection system
for the center of Washington, for which
the Commissioners renew their recon-
appropriation of $4,000 to cover the cost
| Of installation. the necessary cost Of
maintenance being comparatively small.
They have also asked for additional
houses, apparatus and men, which are i'm
peratively needed until this system is in
stalled, and can be utilized afterward for
additional fire protection. One OF the
older fire department buildings should be
Immediately rebuilt. Further repairs can
not be economically made upon it, and 1t
is SO shut in by the new railway construc-
ton in Virginia avenue southwest that
the company ought to be moved to an
other location. All the older buildings re-
quire extensive repairs. and Congress is
asked to appropriate the full amount rec
commended.
Many Special Inspections.
The fire-prevention service. to which the
Commissioners have devoted special at
tention since 1900, causing regular inspec-
lions by the fire marshal and his assist
ants and the inspectors OF the electrical
department and special inspections by the
chief engineer of the fire department, the
electrical engineer, and the inspector Of
| buildings serves to account in part for
| the fact that the fire losses have not in
creased in proportion to the increase Of
| population.
The national government has asked for
special inspections of some OF its build
| ings with q view to proper fire protection
| this year as in former years. and much
! work of this kind has been done by the
fire department.. whose recommendations
| have in all cases been accepted by the
| national government.
| The Commissioners believe that the Of
fcers and members Of the fire depart
ment should be allowed more time off
| duty. Each officer and member Is al
1 yoxvr Iovv 80 1,y4rv l.,