Evening star., 1921-10-18
HOME INSPECTION
IN DISTRICT URGED
Officials Tell Monday Evening
Club Plans to Keep Dwell
ings Sanitary.

House inspectors to rigidly inspect
local habitations. much in the same
manner that other inspectors of the
District government work, were ad-
vocated by Melvin c. Hazen. District
surveyor. in an address before the
Monday Evening Club, which met at
the Cosmos Club auditorium last
night.
the local alley house problem, which
was discussed by Mr.. HaZen, A. ). j.
Atkinson. executive officer OF the
board for the condemnation OF insan1-
Brown. assistant engineer commas
The house inspectors would go into
homes and see that they were being
kept properly and the people living
in them really knew how 10
:ive.'' MIR. Hazen stated: He had been
Amazed. he said. to find out that PEG,
ele could move into new homes. ana
t.thin a year be living in dirt. simply
6s.ause the residents did not kno"
how to live.
consensus of the speakers. is on one {.
which is working itself out nicely
through natural means, the nuinoe
of alley dwellers here nay haeing snn
people today. The petition OF the DIS
trict Commissioners that the alleS
law be not enforced until Two !eatS
after peace shall have been fatlleo
was indorsed by the speakers.
PLANS In Alley Program.
Mr.. Hazen outlined two main plans
for the solution of the alley problem.
These were opening up the alleys as
minor streets and converting the IN
teriorS into commercial areas. Nj
Hazen said the elimination OF the al
ley residences would Improve the
capital city and improve the dieS
residents. He advocated the reauc@
ton of the width of minor streets 10
thirty feet. the moving of houses PACK
to the new street line. resubdlViutns
into building lots. where necessary
and necessary appropriations 10 pea.
the difference between dement's anu
damages.
are the best thing to succeed the al
ley dwellings,. and made plea LOT
property owners to realize the Vaiue
of open space. rather than croWolhs
as many garages and other buildings
on their land as possible. working
out of natural processes. wnerboy M te
MANY of the alley dwellings are pc
ing converted into garages: ana otner
forces, is resulting in rapid reductloh
of alley population. he SAID.
Mr. Atkinson gave the numper ot
alley residents in Washington at
DreSent as 9.ooU persons, VI "hoA
. ooO are colored and 500 white.
Alley homes in the northwest sec
tion rent for an average OF $e.lo; N
the southwest, $3.50; northeast, S9.S4'
and southeast, $6.29.
Compulsory Baths Urged.
Compulsory baths should be given
attention. he said, as public compui-
sorry lighthouses would reduce the
spread of disease.
George s. Wilson. secretary OF the
board of charities, presided during the
discussion. which was opened by John
IhIder. Justice Frederick l.: Siddons
and w. E. Mahoney spoke. Presldent
Arthur u. Call introduced the preSid- :
ing officer for the evening. Miss Mabel
T. Boardman is first vice president,
f.. G. Graham second vice president.
Mrs. Edna X. Bushee treasurer
Francis De Sales Ryan recording sec
retary and Mrs. Olive Ross corre-
sponding Secre tarY.
New members admitted to the cluo
last night. were Miss Rosa Brown, Dr.
VaIeria Parker. Mrs. Adelene Jaynes
Pomeroy Mrs. Clara Sears Taylor
Mrs. George Webster, Miss Marjory
Everest Hendricks and Miss Grace
Sutphin.
President Call brought to the mem
bership a message from former Presi-
dent ROYAL X. Meeker. now in Geneva
The question of having printed. for
the education of members of Con-
gress, an article written by Walter s.
Jfford on the Monday Evening Club
was left with the executive committee