The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-07-14
WASHINGTON LETTER
Isnecial correspondence.l


The Municipal tuberculosis hospital
Fourteenth and Varnum streets, north
west, an institution which is regarded
as the best equipped of its kind in the
country, was recently opened for pa
tents.
i The structure Is of brick and is -four
stories. 1t is situated in the center OF
thirty-five acre tract, high and
.healthfuI and is set off with trees
shrubbery and gardens. 1t has accom-.
modations for 100 patients, who will
be from the INDECENT class. Forty pa
tients are under treatment at the in
stitution.
Arrangement of Hospital.
DR.. George NJ. Kober, who has done
more than any one else for four years
past to make the hospital a reality,
succeeded in working out one of the
most difficult problems connected with
the hospital-how to provide open air
wards. The fourth floor of the wings
is left open on each side for outdoor
patients, while the bath and dressing
rooms are on the upper part of the
central tower. The wards are high
4 above the ground, and they will get
! plenty Of fresh air and be free from
dampness.
On the first floor are the dispensary,
diet kitchen, examination room, dark
room for x ray work, linen closets,
isolation room for serious cases, nurses
rooms, baths, two large wards and
sun parlors. The third floor has dress
1 ing rooms for the open air wards, four
small open air wards protected on the
north by windows In the basement
are storerooms, scullery, cold storage
plant, kitchen, heating plant, coal bins,
rooms for the disinfection of clothing
and bedding and dining rooms.
New Fire Headquarters.
The fire alarm headquarters Of the
| District Of Columbia. which for num-
/ Der of years has been located In the
building used by No. IA engine house
on Eighth street above d street north
west. has been removed to the new
District building.
The fire alarm headquarters not only
send out alarms Of fire, but act as a
i telephone exchange for the offices Of
the District government and super
wise the telephone patrol system used
in the police department.
The mechanism and apparatus used
In fire alarm headquarters are particu-
larly intricate and expensive. Great
care and skill had to be exercised in
moving them from the old quarters to
the new building. Still greater care had
to be exercised in installing them. In
connection with the transfer, the Dis
trict has purchased considerable addi-
tional apparatus. va {,
New Government For District.
/ Not in long time has municipal
Esubject aroused such deep and univer-
sal interest among business men Of
Washington as the proposal Of Presi-
dent Roosevelt to ask congress to do
away with the commission form or
government and empower him to APP
point one responsible head, governor
or mayor, charged solely with the-ad-
ministration of District affairs.
The preponderance of taxpayers ia
voring the change is great. Compare
lively few citizens have expressed sat
isfaction with the present system Of
government and yentured the belief
that it needs no improvement.
81 Advisory Board Favored.
4 In some quarters the idea of an adj
(. visoryy board Of prominent citizens to
assist and counsel the governor in his
administration is brought forward, on
the theory that 1t would be impossible
for one man, unassisted, fully to keep
himself familiar with the peculiar and
ever varying needs of the different sec-
4 tions of the District. Practically all
\ agree that the chief officer of the Dis
trict, If congress provides for his APP
pointment, should be District man,
\ thoroughly familiar with the needs and
resources of the District, successful
business man himself; that the place
should seek the man and that. when 1t
has found him. it should pay him sal
j airy worth his while--from $4,000 to
$4,000 year, yss
Washington Architecture.
Il Decorative sculpture ON both the ex-
terror and interior of business houses
and residences is playing more and
more of part in the work of the de-
bsigners of the new Washington. Carvr
ings in stone, wood and cement, cast
ornaments in plaster, cement and COM
position and castings In iron are being
used in number of the handsomest
houses now building in the national
capital.
Bas-relief Figure Of President.
Louis Meynell, Boston artist, Is
working upon bas-relief of the presi-
dent to place In what is called the peace
conference room at the Portsmouth
navy yard, New Hampshire. This is
the room In which the peace confer
ence between Japan and Russia took
place. The artist was commissioned
to do the work by D. Estes. a wealthy
New Highlander,
An Opium Commission.
, President Roosevelt has appointed
three commissioners to represent the
United States on the joint interna
tional commission to investigate the
j opium question In the far east. They
> are Thomas Burke, an attorney Of
! Seattle; DIR. Hamilton Wright OF
. Maine and DIR. Charles D. Tenney
Chinese secretary Of the American
legation at Pekin Similar commits