Evening star., 1917-01-16
JUNK TRADE CONTROL
URGED BY DR.. EMMONS
East Washington Citizens Associa-
tions Is Told of Damage to Health
and Property.

DR.. Charles NJ. Emmons. president of
East Washington Citizens Association,
at a meeting of the association held in
attention to the efforts that are being
made to obtain new law regulating
the purchase of junk. He spoke of
the efforts made last week by DR..
l.. d. Walter. vice president of North
east Washington Citizens Association.
to bring the question squarely to the
attention of the Commissioners, and
said he heartily seconded his efforts.
DR.. Emmons said he would have a
law requiring segregation of junk
shops and identification of persons Of
fering junk for sale, as suggested by
DR.. Walter. and more. He would in
sist upon the spraying of all rags and
other junk that might be the means of
communicating diseases that are con-
tagious and would have such estab-
lishments confined to outlying sections
as a precautionary measure against
fire.
c. Howard Buckler, secretary, read a
communication from the Commissioners
which, DR.. Emmons said, might be of
interest in the matter of locating junk
shops. The letter conveyed the in
formation that the Commissioners will
give a hearing on the question Of
designating business and residential
sections. When such n law is framed.
said the president, provision can easily
be made for the segregation of junk
shops.
Damage to Plumbing Fixtures.
The speaker told of the vast amount
of damage done by persons cutting
lead pipe and other plumbing fixtures
from houses and said the depredations
probably would stop if the thieves were
unable to find a market for their
plunder. He suggested the enactment
of law which would require per-
sonal acquaintance with a customer or
a police verifcation before purchase
could be made.
There should be no such thing as old
rags and other refuse being stored in
the center of the city," said DR.. En-,
mons. Such material is held in stor-
age rooms for months in order to COM
mand better prices. no regard being
shown for fire and health conditions"
He urged the enactment of a law to
compel fumigation of all junk in order
to prevent the spread of contagious
sorts of places, he said, and many of
them are from houses in which dis
eased persons reside. Pickers, usually
the poorest class of persons. should
be protected against contracting dis
eases from the refuse and spreading 1t
among others.
Wants Junk Shops Isolated.
when a man is sent to prison." said
DR.. Emmons, the fumigation of his
clothing is the first thing that is done.
and with the old rags there is far
greater danger of contagion. but
nothing is DONE
He further declared it to be neces-
sary to wash old bottles with an anti
septic solution. Locating junk shops
on the outskirts and not adjacent to
property of others. he said. would &C
far toward protecting the public
against disease and fire.
John II. Adriaans suggested the
health provision might be met in an
amendment to the present health laws
but Dr. Emmons said he thought /,
better to deal with the junk business
in a separate measure.
On motion of DR.. Emmons, the asso-
citation voted to ask the District Com
missioners to have a law enacted to
cover the several phases of the ques-
tion brought out in the discussion.