The Washington times., 1910-12-06
District Government Is a
Good Government, De-
clareS Taft.
PRAISES THE WORK
OF POLICE FORCE
Declares There Is No Graft, and
That Commissioners
Are Economical.

District sewers and preventing the poll
luton OF Rock creek and Anaeostia
river
The report points ont the improved
conditions resulting from the new build
ing regulations, from the inspection Of
boilers. and recommends that elevator
operators be licensed.
The estimated valu= OF building work
during the year. exclusive Of Govern
meut building. was SIS, 81, ef8. an increase
Of s1.546.SS7. The number Of permits Is
sued was 10,037, an increase Of 1,0S2- Or
{ the question OF municipal buildings the
report contains this sta, ement-
the work OF constructing buildings
Tor the District OF Columbia including
school buildings. police stations fire
engine houses, public convenience sta
tons. etc, and the making OF repairs
thereto. was placed by ar act Of Con-
sreSs approved March ;, Ezsl9, under IN
! Office hereby created, designated as
( municipal architect Prior 10 that time
/ Il was part Of the duties OF the inspec-
/ tor Of buildings
Al the beginning OF the year the
municipal architect entered upon the
Discharge Of this duty, with twenty
eight buildings, editions and other
structures awaiting ire preparation OF
] plans. specifications and contracts
Actual construction has been started
on al such buildings for which ap-
DEODFldtfUElS nave Den mace Win the
exception o. the third extension 10 the
Mckinley Manual Training School anj
| the engine house on Pennsylvania ave
nue. southeast. near Minnesota avenue
Plans for these two buildings are now
IN course Of preparation
The District appropriation act Cor
the fiscal year 1911 made all apprOpria-
I tons for school buiEinEs immediate
( act. instead Of awaiting the beginning
OF he fiscal year on July l. This was
an important change IN previous pTaC-
/ tice and enabled the work 70 be started
n procuring the sites and preparing
plans with no loss Of time. This pro
vision should be extended 10 cover re
pairs 10 buildings q - especially Of
i school buildings, as tt vacation period
/ extends 70 about the middle of Septem-
ber.-
Work of Various Offices
The Commissioners take up in detail
the work OF the various Offices OF the
! District government and explain the
dutss Of each. the amount OF wori-
| they have accomplished, the fees Ne
/ ceived, and the cost OF service TEese
/ Offices include the automobile board.
the plumbing inspection the electrical
/ department. the gas and meter inspec-
tor, the water department. and others
The Commissioners spent S51t-0 In
q
ommend an appropriation OF $500 for
repairs for next year
one more public convenience station
IS recommended and free public baths
are urged
The Commissioners give considerable
attention TO the board for cOndemna-
ton Of insanitary buildings, and COM
mend its work which has included
the condemnation OF L7S5 buildings IN
the past four years IN this cOnnec-
ton IS the following recommendation
for the treatment OF Willow Tree
alley:
The Commissioners have Included n
their estimates for the fiscal year 1872
an item Of Sl25,0G0 for the purchase OF
the interior OF square 634, lying between
3 and c, Third and FOuT-and-a-Tfalf
streets southwest Including what Is
popularity known as Willow Tree al
lev This Is an inhabited alley. con
tanning sixty-eight structures occupied
BY 405 white and cOlO-ed inhabitants
That portion OF the report concerning
the ARacOstia river and fats describes
what has been done and recommends
what work should be done in the fu-
ture. Tt follows
Anacostia River Plans
THE Commissioners have included in
their estimates for the fiscal year 1872
an item asking for the sum OF S200, 900
toward improving the Anacosia- river
and fats from the Pennsylvania avenue
bridge Z, the District line It IS pro-
rosed that this money be expended
under the supervision OF the chief OF
engineers, L : army and IN accord
anCe with plans approved by an en-
ginee- board TO consist Of the EHgi-
neer Commissioners OF the District OF
Columbia, the officer IN charge OF pup
&c buildings and grounds, and the en-
gineeT officer in charge OF Potomac
river improvements
Appropriations have already been
g.
dredging and retaining the fats along
that portion Of the Anacostia river from
the Potomac river TO the navy yard or
AnacOstia bridge. 1t Is assumed that
this latter Improvement viii be con-
tinued TO the Pennsylvania avenue
bridge. which is the head OF navigation
on this stream under appropriations
for rivers and harbOTs, and the estimate
above referred TO IS for continuing the
improvement Of this river and the fats
above that point II Is believed that
the work above the Pennsylvania ave
nue. bridge can be done more econom-
Z the work now being done under the
direction of the chief Of engineers on
the lower part of the river"
The Commissioners renew their rec
Ommendation for an appropriation for
the Improvement Of the harbor front,
and for the creation OF a park com
mission TO work out a definite system
Of parks for the District. In their re-
port they call attention to the failure OF
Congress to make an apTs 4DTiation for
Meridian Hill and MOntrOse parks, al
though these parks were authorized"
Recommendations concerning Rock
CTee6 Park are made as follows:
Rock Creek Plans.
For the fiscal year 1872 the sum of
so. 600 viii be asked for the care and
Improvement Of the park With the ad-
ditional amount 1t is proposed to build
a road into the park from Sixteenth
street extended, near Kennedy street,
ard TO oil a part OF the roads in the
park where sprinkIing is difficult Il is
also intended, when funds permit, to
extend the system OF macadamiZed
roads, 10 build shelters. and 70 grad
uaIIy open 90 general use the portion
Of the park above the Military road
Appropriations Of $500 for extend
ing the trunk line sewer mains to Con-
gress Heights and Of 81, 100 for extend
ing TO Twining City are recommended
In conclusion the Commissioners rec
OsSmend the enactment Of the "JudsOn
bin, BY which il Is proposed to carry
the foStinE debt over until after the
bonded Gebt Of the District has been
paid. and 10 effect permanent improve
ments from current revenues.