Evening star., 1915-03-25
WATCHFULNESS URGED
IN CLEANUP CAMPAIGN
Writer to The Star Tells Of Accident
to Child From Burning
Trash Heap.

The necessity for care and watchful
ness in the progress of the cleanup
paint-up campaign that is to be waged
throuEhout the District of Columbia
the two weeks beginning April 10. is
urged in a letter to The Star. The
writer Of the letter directs attention to
the fact that during the two-week K
campaign many trash piles. accumula-
| tions of dry refuse and the like will
be burned on vacant lots and in alley
ways, and urges that children be es-
pecially warned to avoid playing
around these bonfires. An accident
which occurred during last spring
cleanup campaign is pointed to as
evidence of the need for constant care
in this respect. .-@
Two young nephews of the writer,
the correspondent wrote, during the
illness of their mother, came upon the
smoldering ashes of trash fire in an
alley near their home. The boys, three
and FIVE years old. were dressed in In
dian suits. the leggings being fringed.
Not knowing the danger of the ap-
parently dead heap of ashes, and not
in the vicinity of such innocent-ap-
pearing piles. the boys began playing
about the remains of the trash heap.
The fringe of the older boys suit
caught nFe, ana UerOfe nelD arrived the
boy was so terribly burned about the
legs and body that for months his life
was despaired Of
At this time, more than year after
the accident occurred, the physician in
charge OF the case is lust beginning TO
hold out hope for the boys recovery.
The Stars correspondent writes. and a
long and painful process of skin graft
ing will be necessary before recovery
is complete. Carelessness on the part
90 n1Nv -h~ y.
trash pile to be burned and failure to
leave some one to see that the fire was
completely extinguished, as well as to
warn children against playing about it,
ing of the little boy and the equally
terrible mental agony of the boys
mother and others of his family
The Stars correspondent urges that
watchfulness be made a feature Of
this springs cleanup: paint.up cam
paign. so that similar accidents may be
avoided.
Several hundred cleanup and paint
up" buttons were distributed at the last
meeting Of the West End Citizens AS
ISOLATION. each member present receiving
several of the buttons to be distributed
before the opening of the campaign A.
III. McGhan, chairman of the executive
committee of the Master House Painters
and Decorators Association. cooperating
with the clean-city committee in the
1915 cleanup. paint-up campaign, is dis
tributing the buttons, of which 10000
have been provided. These buttons are to
be distributed among the members of all
citizens associations of the District of
Columbia. as well as among the pupils Of
the public schools and through other
agencies
1t is expected by DIR. Arthur L. Murray,
secretary. and W. II. Richardson, chair
man. OF the clean-city committee. that
the official proclamation for this springs
campaign will be promulgated By the Dis
trict Commissioners early next week
meeting of the cleanup. paint-up
committee of the Brookland Citizens AS
sociation is to be held Saturday evening
at the home of Mrs Elizabeth Daniels,
1893 Newton street. The committee is
composed of S. D. Boss. chairman Mrs.
Daniels. Mrs Charles V Burnside. Mrs
Joseph Ralph, Mrs Charles Molster. Miss
bowling. Mrs. John WignaIl, Mrs. s W.
Burgess. DIR. Thomas, Charles G. Tancil.
Claude Phelps, Harry Butler and DR..
Patten