The Washington herald., 1914-12-08
Commissioners Hold
Down Cost In Report
BOwmg to the Necessity for Economy, District Fathers
Made Few Recommendations Budget System One
of Suggestions Of Work Done

yeer 1913 the unprecedented figure OF
1888, the record for 1914 bids fair TO go
even lower. Comparing the calendar
year 1872 with the calendar year 1918, the
number OF deaths fell, notwithstanding
the increased population. from 6,2JS to
6.oO6: and a fall from I, 81 to 3,l3S appears
upon comparing the records Of the first
six months of the calendar year 1913
with the corresponding period Of 1914.
which latter period marks the close Of
this report. There has been the usual
excessively high death rate among the
colored population, which contributes so
larssly to the high death rate to the
population as a whole, the ColoTed death
rate having been 2LS4 as compared with
white death rate of 1898. The cOlored
death rate showed, however, remark
able fall in comparison with the same
rate for the preceding year. from. 26.S9 to
@4.A. The most important causes OF death.
with their respective death rates per
10000. were as follows: Organic heart
diseases. 203: pulmonary tuberculosis, 1872;
Bright's disease. l3S; pneumonia. l37: apo
plcXy. los: malignant grOwths, @. With
respect to each OF the death rates stated.
except that of malignant growths, there
was a gratifying decrease as compared
with the record OF the preceding year.
The in"NpliCable increase in the death
rate Of malignant growths continued,
however. during the year. the rate rising
from 81 to the figure stated. g.
Praise District wOrkhouse.
Declaring the District workhOusc
stands today as the most advanced step
in the treatment OF prisoners" the Com
missiOrCrs strongly recommend the enact
ment Of an indeterminate sentence law
TO provide for the commitment OF chronic
offenders for an indefinite period sub
ject to discharge or parole upon a record
OF good behavior for a casOnable length
of time.
Appropriation of money for the COM
menCement Of work on the municipal hos
pital. for the plans OF which money was
appropriated last year. is recommended.
and an institution for the commitment
of feehle-minded children is urged again.
Congress is warned that appropriations
will he needed soon for bridges to replace
the Aqueduct Bridge across the Potomac
River at Georgetown. the Calvert street
bridge across Rock Creek. and for the r"-
placement with permanent material %
the timber floors on the NJ and p street
bridges across Rock Creek.
Under building operations, tine 'cPor:
says. In part:
The estimated value Of building CDn-
structiOn. including repairs. during the
year. but not including buildings under
~ the United States gov crn-
ment, was $S.544.3O2. This shows 4 de-
crease under the preceding year OF Ss99.
44G
The number Of dwelling houses con-
struCted was I.l6I. "A decrease OF 379 under
the preceding year: the number Of bust
ness buildings constructed was 30l. an
increase of ; over the preceding year: the
Of apartment houses was a. an
increase OF % over the preceding year.
the number OF buildings repaired was
4. Ol9 a decrease Of 81 under the preced-
ing year The total number OF new
buildings erected during the year vas
!. 496 a decrease of 35l under the preced-
ing year.
The distribution Of the cost OF these
improvements, including repairs to exist
ing buildings. was as follows: