The Washington times., 1918-02-23

juggled from one department tc
another so that their usefulness haC
been extended for weeks and months
The most interesting. feature, per.
haps, was the disposal OF rubber hose
used by the Fire Department. The
exigencies of fire-fiRhting are very
trying on hose of all kinds. At the
end Of a year, Mr.. Shoemaker is call
ed upon to condemn and dispose OF
something like a mile OF fine rubber
hose, 2IS inches in diameter and still
OF value, though 1t is no longer OF
use as fire. hose.
II that hose were put up at auction
and sold. II would fetch but a 1.-THE
OF its real value. Instead OF selling
the fire departments cast-off hose,
Mr.. Shoemaker bales it up and sends
it to the District penal farm at oc-
coquan. Va. Down there, the District
purchases hundreds OF pair OF shoes
a year for inmates, who wear out
their shoe-soles. There is a prison
repair shop for half-soling them.
Leather is very high but good rubber
makes a sole that is quite acceptable.
The prison shoe-shop takes this rub
Der fire hose, splits 1t into sections
and cuts il into shoe soles.
Hose Is Non-RepaIrabIe.
The Fire Department has another
kind OF hose constantly wearing out,
a canvas-covered hose not adapted to
repairing shoes. The Occoquan farm
uses a lot of harness. They are max
ing harness traces out of the canvas
covered fire hose. This idea has not
been tried out sufficiently to tell
whether it will be a complete sue
cess.
In the course OF a year. the depart
ments OF the District government use
and wear out lots OF brooms and the
handles must be turned over to the
survey officer for fnal disposal. There
are also mop handles. hoe handles,
AXE handles. handles OF every descrip-
ton. Survey Officer Shoemaker, how
ever. doesn't permit any of those
handles to be thrown away. As soon
as a mop or broom is worn out, that
handle is sent to Occoquan, where
they raise broom corn. The prisoners
are set to work making brooms, and
in the course OF a few months, all
these handles come back with brand
new brooms attached, all ready for an
other term of service.
The sewer and water departments
break up a lot OF pick handles. They,
too. go to Occoquan where the pieces
are turned into hammer handles, and
almost every hammer handle in the
service of the District today was
once a piece OF broken pick handle.
One of the tasks OF the survey Of
hcer is 10 dispose OF whole houses
that are acquired when the District
takes over land for an extension. say,
to a school house. The District has
TO buy the land, .housuj and all. and
then comes the problem o: what to do
with the nruses-
Whole House Used.
Mr. Shoemaker cited 4 very inter
esting example Of this feature Of his
work. The DIstric. is planning to
extend Calvert street beyond Conncc-
ticut avenue. Right il the path Of
the extension, in the west side rf
avenue. was new
built, finely constructed garage. The
doors and lumber IN that building
were OF a quality that is almost IN
in these war times. The
fancy variety.
Mr.. Shoemaker. with his wide knowl-
edge OF the Districts property needs,
knew that the officials OF the Home
for the Aged and Infirm had been
forced to halt construction on q build
ing they were erecting on the grounds
4 the home, simply through inability
o get the proper materials. The ma
-erials in this condemned garage wore
lust exactly what were needed at the
lome, and the whole garage IS being
orn down and carried to the home
iccemeaL
The District government has con-
.'ol OF the trees in Rock Creek Park,
~.
ling. These limbs are seasoned, dry, /.
nd the best OF kindling. 1t would
-Ost the District q good deal OF money
o buy kindling for its varied instI-
.utionE. The wood that falls in Rock
'reeIl Park is gathered by workmen
md hauled to the institutions where
Iindling is needed. In the course OF
one year. says Mr.. Shoemaker. the .
District gets from $50 to 800 cords
u kindling wood from the, trees in
Rock Creek Park.
HOrSeS Grow Old in Service.
TNe saddest part OF this conserya-
ion program though, Is the way Il .
Affects the horses grown old in the
service. Fire horses IN Washington
ire rapidly passing, but when a fire
lorse cant answer the first alarm
With his old-tIme zest, he Is through
IS Gar as running to fires Is con-
.erned-
The survey officer has a heart for
lorses, and he makes every effort TO
Eet these horses in the street clean
ng department, where they do not
ave TO go out OF a walk. Eventual.
y, though, G horses usefulness ends
n the street cleaning department.
hen an effort IS made to have them
ent 70 one OF the District farms"
II homes, but II there IS not a place
here the horses are sent to the
uction block.
This seems a pity, but city govern.
nents are run for efficiency, and the
looks won't show sentiment, soms-
Ow or other, as an asset.
JrW DCCTATDLNT