Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-05-01
OWNERS NOT TO BLAME
FOR DIRTY LOTS, HE SAYS
Writer Says Residents Nearby Use
Vacant Lots for
Dumps.
Protests Suggestion of Assessment of
Costs for Cleaning-Criticises
Officials.

Vacant Lots" in your issue of April y,
you touch upon a matter of vital In
terest not only to the community gem
orally but to the owners of vacant
land in particular. You begin by
rightly proclaiming that some way
should be found to compel the clear
ance of vacant lots of rubbish and
refuse accumulated on them" and then
enumerating the varieties of rubbish
and discarded material" SO far so
good. but, continuing, you assert that
the owners" of these lots are re
sponsible" for the existing conditions
and that they should be compelled to
put their premises in decent ORDER
and failing to do SO it should be done
by the District and the cost assessed
against the property" as an added
tax
Evidently your interest and zeal for
the general veal has prevented your
mature consideration of facts and con-
d1tions and caused you to overlook
deplorable conditions and placing the
responsibility where it rightly belongs.
Says Owners Are Blameless.
1t is a fair statement to say that not
one owner of vacant land in one hun
dred in this city is responsible in the
least degree for the accumulation of
rubbish, waste and filth upon his or
her property. 1t is probable that not
more than / per cent of the owners of
vacant land live adjoining or even
near such land. Many such owners, in
fact, do not even live in this city il
Is clear. therefore. that such owners do
not themselves haul and deposit refuse
upon their land, nor any more do they
give permission to others to do SO, if
for no other reason than the considera-
ton of their own best interests in de-
preciating the value of their property
by rendering 1t unsightiy.
The persons responsible for these un-
slightly and unhealthy conditions are,
first and loudest of the nuisance,
created or abetted by themselves, viz,
the residents abutting or ad iacent to
vacant lots or such of them who use
these lots as a dump. for / do not as
sert that all residents indulge in this
reprehensible practice. Secondly, the
officials charged with preventing such
conditions, who. either through neglect
incapacity or lack of proper facilities,
utterly fail to ascertain and place the
responsibility where it rightly belongs.
Treated as Commons.
Vacant lots are considered and treated
as commons by neighborhood. and own
ers of vacant land are absolutely at the
least protection against depredations and
the use of their property us dumps or
otherwise by neighlors An owner Of
vacant land cannot be expected TO keep
constant guard over it, either III person
OF by hired watchmen, and 1t is utterly
useless 10 post 4 lot against trespa s. ng
or dumping refuse. no attention what
c0a To Y,lt1 to, v,,t.
contrary, such signs are often repeatedly
torn down and destroyed. as l know from
experience Even the erection of a costly
fence does not avail. even IL owners could
be expected to incur such expense on
vacant land, for irresponsible neighbors
will deliberately throw their trash over
into the vacant lot, or even into the yards
Of vacant houses, rather than take the
same amount Of trouble and energy to
place the refuse In receptacles where IL
would be regularly collected by the city
without cost to them
''Soak Helpless Owner"
i have repeatedly and am constantly
| having this occur and having such condi-
lions arise / have, In the interest of
owners whom I represent, repeatedly re-
cuested those officials charged with the
prevention Of such conditions to seek out
| and deal with the guilty parties; but
claiming lack of adequate facilities or
authority, they have utterly failed to
ascertain what the most elemental efforts
| on the part of themselves. or with the aid
Of the decent residents, should be able &c
| detect. They appear. In fact, quite unable
to apply the ounce Of prevention. but are
always ready to soak the helpless owner
| with their pound or more, Of cure.
| | have repeatedly and am constant!s
having vacant property which l repre-
| sent cleaned of accumulated trash ant
| refuse, both upon demand by the au
thorities and more often voluntarily, il
to owners and personal trouble, bu
| with no permanent result, as thought
| Less or willful neighbors promptly re
| sumo their unwarranted use Of tn,
| properties. or course. decent peopl,
| would not resort to such practices: blu
there are always a large number o
| thoughtless or deliberate trespasser:
| is an imposition upon innocent and de
fenseless owners. both in the annoy.
ance and the added tax and burden, l,
| have to be "compelled' to clean u,
| others litter
Places Responsibility.
IL is not the owners but these ma
turally untidy and indifferent resident!
who are responsible" II you can br.nf
about an Improvement OF these condi
lions by ascertaining and fixing tn
responsibility and cost where 1t right.
belongs you will then perform valu
able service to the many owners of va
improved) and to the community a
large lint I Submit that IL is not tins