Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-01

l, 1917, as ascertained by police
census and announced in January,
1918, was 395.947. In their annual re-
port to Congress, submitted last
month. the Commissioners estimated
the capitals population to have eS-
banded by considerably more than
100000 during the year following the
police census.
New superintendent Named
for District Penal Farm.
William II. Whitaker. superinten-
dent of the District penal farm, conf
prising the workhouse and reforma-
tory. resigned February 10. Charles
c. Foster of Louisville. NY, was APP
pointed his successor and took Office
April J.
In connection with the agitation for
government operation of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio canal. Representative
John II. Small, chairman of the rivers
and harbors committee. of the House.
in February publicly advocated the
construction of n water terminal ana
establishment of u great market ex-
change in Washington.
The capital in January faced q
food menace through ice foes Jan1med
in the channels above the city.
AQueduct bridge was closed to traffic
,
cradle damage was done to boat
houses, shacks and camps along the
river.
Clarence p. King retired from the
presidency of the Washington Rail-
way and Electric Company Febru-
airy %.
Realizing the necessity Of increas-
ing food production, Washington, in
March, prepared to interest farmers
in nearby territory. in cultivat,ns
= Gov ha
tween truckers and the war garden
&C mmittee of the District Council of
Defense. of which Edward f. Cola
day was chairman, were held at the
District building. As a result more
ground was titled than the farmers
had planned to cultivate on account
of the labor shortage. The committee
materially assisted the growers IN
obtaining labor.
Tn March the Capital Traction Com
pany granted an average increase in
pay to it's trainmen of cents an
hour. There was a wholesale Jail de-
livery this month, fifteen prisoners
escaping. All but three were cap
tured, and two OF these are doing
time" now in other institutions.
Skip-Stop on Car Lines;
Sunday Ball Lesnlized.
Skip-stops went into effect on all
street railway lines in the District
April 81. An impressive liberty loan
parade was held April 20. more than
81, 900 persons, including large num-
Der of District drafted boys, who were
led by District Commissioners Brown
low and Gardiner. participating.
Sunday base ball was legalized by
the District Commissioners in May
Many citizens associations, including
the. Congress Heights, Northeast and
others, adopted resolutions favoring
continuation of the half-and-half plan
Of appropriating for the District. In
fact, the majority of the citizens' as
sociations adopted similar resolutions
at one time or another during the
year.
The Commissioners in May decided
to purchase the plant of the WASH
ington Fertilizer Company, New Jer-
seH avenue and X street southeast,
and operate it as garbage reduction
works for the city. Operation OF the
begun July /.
Misunderstanding Law
Aids District Situation.
Rent profteering was one of the
most frequently discussed subjects in
Congress, at citizens association
meetings and the District building
during the first half of the year.
The agitation against the rent ba-
ron temporarily was appeased when
the resolution of Senator salisbury to
prevent eviction of tenants in the Dis
trict during the war, or until Con-
gtess should otherwise provide. was
passed by Congress and became a law
on receiving President Wilson'S sigma
ture, June ].
In the first summer month the dam
ger of a water famine attracted the
attention of the Commissioners and
citizens bodies, which passed resolu-
lions requesting Congress to give i'm
mediate attention to the matter. Rep
resentatiye Frederick N. Zihlman of
Maryland introduced bill calling for
an investigation Of the best means of
Increasing the water supply, which
passed the House. but was not acted
upon in the Senate.
Washington experienced its first
municipal government strike. in June.
Nine hundred District per diem en-
ployes walked OUT on the morn
ing of June 5, but returned to work
in the afternoon upon being advised
by the Commissioners that they would
endeayor to adjust satisfactorily the
wage grievances of the men. Confer
ences between the Commissioners.
presentatives of the Department of
Labor and the employees subsequently
resulted in satisfactory wage ADJUST
ments being made.
Washington's first draft registra-
ton of the year. conducted June 5,
for boys who had reached the age of
twenty-one years since June of the
preceding year, produced total en-
roIlment of 2.51s. Daniel J. Donovan,
formerly secretary to the board of
Commissioners of the District and
acting adjutant general for the Dis
trict, was appointed a major in the
National Army. Juno T. The Commits
sioners named c. Willard Camalier his
successor as secretary to the board of
Commissioners.
Ice Production Controlled;
Angelus Innugurnted.
Determined that Washington should
receive an efficient and satisfactory
ice service during the summer, Clar-
ence r. Wilson, food administrator
for the District, assumed control of
the production and distribution of
ice June Z.
June was a month Of diversified ac-
tivities. At a mass meeting, in the
boardroom Of the municipal building,
June IL, plans were perfected for the
inauguration of an angelus--a set
time for a daily noon prayer by Wash :
Ingtonians for victory and peace.
Park View residents were given a
branch post office in the school build
ing at Newton and Warder streets
northwest The municipal bathing
beach was opened for the summer, and
fnotormen and conductors of the
Capital Traction and Washington
Railway and Electric companies were
granted another increase in pay.
New Health Oficer and