Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-20
FOR CLEAN STREETS alexandria, AIRS
Commissioner Johnston Di-
rects Enforcement of Law.
POLICE RECEIVE ORDERS
Throwing of Paper About the Thor
oughfares to Be Followed by
Prosecutions.

Cleaner streets is written on one of
the standards hoisted by Commissioner
Johnston. He has given the police to
understand that people will have to be
taken into the Police Court If they vio-
late the provision of the law that is in
tended to prevent the streets from being
given the appearance of dumps.
The law says:
No person shall throw. cast, deposit,
drop, scatter or leave, or cause to be
thrown. cast. laid. deposited, scattered
or left, in or upon any street, avenue,
alley. highway, footway, sidewalk. park
ing or other public space in the District
of Columbia. any dirt, mud, ashes gravel
sawdust, shavings, hay, straw, offal,
vegetable matter. garbage. trees. cinders
paper or refuse of any kind, or any dead
animal or putrescible matter of any sort"
Makes Personal Inspection.
Since Commissioner Johnston discussed
the subject with the police the latter
have been active in preventing the in
discriminate throwing of paper and refuse
about the public thoroughfares. The Com
missioner, shortly after entering upon the
duties of his Office, had occasion to go
about the city and note the condition of
was scattered about unnecessarily and
he took prompt steps to remedy the con-
ditions.
Maj. Sylvester was told of the con-
d1t1ons, and he, in turn, instructed the
members of his command to see that
vfolators of the law were punished 1t
is stated that it is due to the personal
interest taken by Commissioner john
ston in the enforcement of the law re-
lating to trash and paper on the streets
and sidewalks that several cases were
brought before the court.
In the northeast section Of the city
the police found the streets plastered
with big advertising. sheets: They
found small boys had been employed
Of them had been thrown upon the
pavements instead of having been
thrown in doorways. The man who
forfeited collateral in the Police Court.
Caught in the Act.
Hold on there, young man," was the
salutation which greeted a pedestrian
in the business section of the city re-
Gently, .3+
What's the trouble?" asked the
young man, turning to bluecoat.
Il want to tell you that you just
young man. How did 1 violate any
Iaw?''
He was surprised when the police
man told him he had committed an of
Tense by tearing an envelope and
throwing the pieces upon the sidewalk.
An apology was offered The young
man was willing to pick up the bits
Of paper, but there was a strong wind
blowing and they had gone in four di-
rections.
This time said the policeman, II sup
pose I'll have to excuse you, but don't
do so again.
Edict Is Emphatic.
The order that has gone forth is that
no more excuses ~be taken. Cash col
lateral 10 the only consideration that goes
Commissioners Johnston has interested
the street sweeping department in the
crusade against waste material on the
streets, and it is probable that an ef-
fort will be made to have householders
see to the sweeping of sidewalks every
day. ez
II is impossible. the authorities say. 20
have the trash collectors and white
wings gather paper from the sidewalks
To make such collections would mean
the employment of a small army of men,
and there is no appropriation for such
a purpose. During the last fiscal year
the street cleaning department collected
tons of waste paper from the streets, in
addition to the trash collected from
houses. Miscellaneous refuse gathered
during the year by the department, the
annual report states, amounted to 603, 600
bags.