Evening star., 1915-02-21
DISTRICT BUILDING.

Commissioner Brownlow had his first
of public hearing. AS president Of
the board, Commissioner Newman gen.
orally presides at such sessions, but
neither that official nor the other mem
Der of the board. Maj. Kutz. attended
Thursdays hearing on the petition OF
the Retail Merchants Association and
other organizations for a revision of
the traffic regulation establishing park
ing zones. Mr.. Brownlow was en-
tirely in charge of the proceedings, and
the frank and direct manner in which
he conducted the hearing was the sub
ject of much favorable comment by
the fifty or more representative busi-
ness men and citizens who attended.
The new system of considering routine
matters at stated board sessions is con-
sidered by the Commissioners to be
big improvement over the old plan un-
der which official papers containing in
dorsementS would be sent from one Com
missioner to the other and finally acted
upon without having been discussed
at joint session. 1t is claimed for
the new plan that it not only expe-
dites business, but tends. to break up
the lines of demarkation between the
groups of departments that come under
the respective jurisdictions of the Com
arately the Commissioners now act as
board in all that the term implies
and no paper is approved until it is ex
planned by the member under whose
jurisdiction it originated.
Miss Blanche Miller, stenographer to
Corporation Counsel Conrad H. Syme,
and Jack Armstrong, craftsman ex
traordinary of the surveyors Office, are
raising flowers, shrubs and even trees
iv,t no OF iof h,,{1 nf
the corporation counsefs office has
been converted into a miniature hot
house. while one end of the surveyors
office resembles a Florida fruit farm.
Miss Miller is particularly interested
in the production of hyacinths, gera-
NUNS and other potted plants. Arm
strong has lemon, orange, grapefruit
and date trees growing under the
Municipal building roof Valentine day
produced a considerable increase in
the number of blooming plants in Miss
Miller's conservatory.
Mrs Emma v. Morgan, recently ap-
pointed as telephone operator. was
detained from duty several days last
week on account of illness.
On account of the illness of his moth
er, c. c. Staub, sanitary inspector in
the health department: was absent from
the department practically all Of last
week.
c. D. Hermann, clerk in the health
department, is in Geneva, n. Y, where
he was called by the death of his
mother.
John J. Murray, inspector in the fire
alarm division. was called to Frederick,
Md. by the illness Of his mother.
De Witt c. Smith of the public utilities
commission returned Friday from Char
lotte, N. c., where he attended the lay
mems missionary conference.
Among those absent during the week
on account of illness were c. H. Harris
and A. A. Judges, clerks in the office of
the auditor.
Changes in the personnel Of the public
utilities commission during the week in
cluded the appointment of Edgar o.
Brooks as inspector in the traffic inspec-
tion division. Mr.. Brooks succeeds
Maurice Jarboe. who resigned. George
S. Kilgour. inspector in the same division.
was promoted.
S. ]. McCathran. craftsman in the
sewer department, Is in East Hampton,
l.. l., to attend the wedding of his
brother.
L. R. Calvert. rodman in the sewer
department, will spend Washington's
birthday with relatives in Virginia
Jack Armstrong of the surveyors Of
flee left last night for Baltimore, where
he will remain over the holiday.
tometer division of the water department
at the Bryant street pumping station, has
been detailed to temporary Service in the
District building Office Of the department.