The Washington times., 1924-02-02
WAR
IN NEED
Of MEN
Inspection Forces Too Few
for Cleanup, Fowler Says.
1916 Notices Sent Out.

A broad expansion of the Dis
tritc health and fire inspection
forces probably will result from a
hearing on the District alley situa-
ton today before the special SUBJ
committee Of the House District
Committee.
Wants IS Members.
The committee looked faVorably
upon the request Of Health Officer
William c. Fowler that his force Of
health inspectors be increased to
twenty-five members under the re-.
quest Of Chief Engineer George w.
Watson that the fire inspection
force be increased to thirty.
The committee also discussed a
proposal by Inspector Shelby, of the
Police Department, that the police
officer be granted the power of
health inspectors in reporting sani-
| tary hazards. The committee also
considered the creation Of a central.
lied inspection force to undertake
health and fire and other inspec.
tons.
The committee heard the follow.
ing witnesses: District Commits.
sioners Rudolph, Oyster, and Bell,
Health Officer William c. Fowler,
, Inspector Shelby, Of the Police De-
partment; Fire Chief George s.
Watson, and Fire Marshal l.. v.
Sieb.
DR.. Fowler told the committee
that 1t is utterly impossible with
the present Health Department
force to keep the Washington alleys
properly supervised. He stated that
the chief difficulty in the alleys
Is that the dwellerS make a practice
OF collecting all kinds Of broken
down furniture and household goods
discarded at the homes in which
they work.
LOIS Notices Served.
Ur. Fowler stated that the entire
health department force has been
taken off all other work and nat
into the alleys during the past week.
He said that LOIS notices have
been served this week on alley
dwellers. requiring them to clean
up their premises.
Many places already have been
cleaned and are now ready for the
OHASSS NAO@hAh6 OCPtIA SuLGllL " re-
move refuse" he said. IF you will
go back to the alleys you will find
that there has been a decided i'm
provement since last week.
This, however, Is an unusual
effort on the part Of the Health
Department and cannot be kept up.
Unless we have extra men cOndi-
tons will be just as had within q
month as they were last week."
DIR. Fowler told the committee
that Congress had provided only
$4,000 during the current fiscal year
for the abatement Of nuisances. He
stated that $4,000 would he neces-
sary for cases which h o. already
come up during the one month Of
1924. He declared that there should
be force Of not less than twenty.
five sanitary inspectors. These men,
he stated, now receive salaries of
only $500 year. This statement
created considerable surprise, and
several members Of the committee
declared 1t was an inadequate sal.
airy, and that the pay should be i'm.
mediately increased.
Commissioner Oyster brought to
the attention Of the committee a
condition which he characterized an
a crying disgrace and serious men.
ace to the city Of Washington" He
referred to the slaughtering Of
calves and sheep near the Center
Market. He stated that this condi.
ton has existed during the past
sixty years, despite persistent ef.
forts to break It up.
The committee decided to summon
the corporation counsel to appear
next week to explain the reason
why laws already passed are not
being enforced.