Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-13
Commissioners May Accept
Nathan Straus' Gift.
NO COST TO THE DISTRICT
Site and Water Connection for Pas
teurizing All That Is Asked.
Donor in City.

In OTucT 10 facilitate TIC acceptance -
his offer of a complete milk pasteurizing
plant to the city of Washington, Nathan
Straus of New York came here last even
ing and is stopping at the Willard Ho-
tel. He has not yet seen any one in
Washington but expects to take up the
question of his plant with the District
Commissioners and other officials within
few days.
WAS hington," said Mr.. Straus this az
ternoon, "seems to know more about the
dangers of raw milk than any other city.
and it would be an excellent place to
erect my pathological plant. A complete
plant is now In Heidelberg, Germany.
and / have made al arrangements to
have 1t sent here at once. 1t could ar
rive in about two weeks. l expect TO go
to California or Europe in January, and
thought that l had better come here first
so that there would be no delay in case
my offer Is accepted
Mr. StrauS does not know exactly how
long he will remain here.
To Be Taken Up at Once.
Commissioner mcfarland said today
that he will now be able to give thor
ough attention to the offer of Mr..
Straus. and that the only reason
why the board of Commissioners has had
to delay conferences on this important
subject was the fact that the business at
the Capitol with the committee on appro-
priations has demanded nearly every hour
during the past several days.
Although not officially stated, it is quite
possible that several philanthroplcaliy IN
clined Washingtonians will confer with
the Commissioners on the subject OF
whether or not the city should accept the
offer. which came originally to DR.. Wood
ward in the form of letter from Mr..
Straus. That communication is the only
one which has been made public yet Dr.
Woodward has been corresponding with
Mr.. Straus on the subject, and said this
to be cleared up before the entire plan
is presented to the public.
DR.. Woodward asked Mr.. Straus by
wire what the cost of installing and OPP
Grating the plant would be. The plant
is now at Heidelberg. Germany. Mr..
Stratus replied that if the city could
provide a suitable location, with steam
and water connections, the city would
have to stand nothing Of the cost OF
installation. The cost Of operating. said
put desired and whether or not the city
wants to deliver milk Cost compared
with results is infinitesimal,' is the clos
ing sentence of the paragraph
The Original Offer.
The 0ner, as outlined III LHS OIlSlHdl
letter from Nathan Straus, follows:
"Dr. William Creighton Woodward,
Health Officer, washington. D. c.
Dear DIR. Woodward:
You are to be congratulated on your
courage in telling the truth. namely. that
Is per cent of those who die from tuber-
culosis are victims of drinking raw milk
from tuberculous cows. 1t is only by
such clear and lucid statements of the
responsibility of tuberculOus milk for
the prevalence and persistence of the
be led to avail itself of the protection
against disease afforded by thorough pas
teurization of the milk supplies.
In this connection / want to recog-
nize the important services that you
have rendered humanity by your en-
Iightsned stand on the milk question,
and / want to aid you in your brilliant
work Of reducing the death rate of
Washington, and help you to make the
capital Of the United States the healthi-
est city In the world.
Il have long had this on my mind. and
nearly year ago told Surgeon General
Wyman Of my desire. From your state
ment of the dairy conditions round about
Washington, 1t seems to me that the
time has arrived.
Il would like to present to the city
of Washington, through you, a COM
pacity to properly pasteurize all the milk
of untested herds, SO as to make the
milk supply of the city as safe as the
water supplied with your improved fill
tration system.
Such a plant has been made for me
at Heidelberg. is ready for shipment,
and could be delivered to you free of all
charges before the end of the year. /
offer this plant because it has just been
completed and is ready to be installed
while it would take months to have, one
made here.
IF you have a place to set up this
plant. with steam and water connections,
| will be glad to cable to Heidelberg to
have 1t shipped to you. With this out
fit you can not only reduce the num-
Der of new cases of tuberculosis but
you can cut down the annual tribute of
health and life exacted by typhoid fever,
and you can save the children of Wash
ington from much of the scarlet fever
diphtheria and summer complaint that
now exacts such heavy toll.
Il believe that this project Will COM
mend itself to Senator Gollinger, who
/ believe, Is chairman Of the District
committee. and who. l know, is deeply
interested in the efforts that have made
to save the lives of the babies.
Il hope that you will find it possible to
accept this offer and to crown your eff
| f1cient services in promoting the health
of the residents of Washington by wiping
out milk-caused sicknesses. Very sim
cerely yours. NATHAN STRACS."