Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-09-27
STREET SWEEPING ACCOUNTS.
Statements Of Contractor Draney In Re-
ply to Mr.. John H. Crane.

streets has sent long letter to the District
Commissioners respecting statements made
by A1r. ]. II. Crane in letter to Controller
Matthews concerning the accounts rem
dered for sweeping streets in this
city. Mr.. Draney says in effect that his atten-
ton having been called to communications
from Mr.. Crane, in relation to the account rem
dered for sweeping streets, he desires to make
the following statements:
As TO THE MEASUREMENT
In the FIRST place that so far as the measure
ments of the streets are concerned he has had
no connection with it in any shape
or manner. The health Office furnishes him
schedule Of the streets to be swept in which is
stated the number OF square yards in each
street. II there are any inaccuracies in these
figures he Ii in no wise responsible and Sec
ondly
NO SEPARATE CHARGE FOR sPRyNKLrNa.
There is no separate charge or payment
for sprinkling the streets. Sprinkling,
sweeping and cleaning are the els-
ments that enter into cleaning the streets.
Sprinkling is an incident Of the cleaning, some
times necessary and again not needed, aud the
price per square yard is in nowise affected
to state that be has no voice in determining
what streets shall be swept. The health officer
furnishes him a schedule each day OF the streets
to be Swept that night, and whether a street
Is swept too often. or not often enough,
Is q matter over which he has no
control. The number Of times streets are to
be swept is not fixed by any law, but is left to
the judgment OF the authorities and their
judgment naturally depends largely on the size
OF the appropriation.
THE RAINY DAYS IN NAY.
Mr.. Draney then refers to Mr.. Cranes criti-
cism that there we're sixteen days in
May which were rainy. and that there
fore he could not have sprinkled
the streets twenty days. Mr.. Draney remarks
that probably the streets were not sprinklsd
twenty days, but that they were cleaned twenty
sprinkling is only part Of cleaning, and
neither adds to or lessons the cost.
IN REFERENCE TO 1sT, AZ AND Sd STREETS,
Mr.. Dransy says Mr.. Crane is mistaken in sup
posing they were swept only once per week.
These three streets, he says, were swept
six times in May and eight times in June of
this year; but were these streets only swept
once per week 1t would be no fault OF his.
THE AREA SWEPT.
Mr.. DIaney states that he wishes the matter
Of the inaccuracies in the measurements Of the
streets to be looked into. He receives
the schedule Of the number Of square yards
from the health office and has always considered
it correct.
He says: "And I now express my desire,
since attention has been called to this matter,
be ascertained, to the end that II
any payments have been made to me
in excess of the number Of square yards con-
tanned in the streets, 1 may refund it, and if
have been sweeping streets where / have
been receiving far less than the actual num-
of in he afr I ha
compensated therefor"
THE DOUBLE CHARGE ON STREET.
Mr.. Draney says that ON examination he
finds Mr.. Cranes statement that payment has
made for sweeping @ street twice in one night
is correct and he wishes the mistake
rectifed. He says that this duplication
seems to have escaped the attention
of his superintendent and book keeper and that
certainly it never came to his knowledge until
his attention was called Ia, it by Mr.. Cranes
letter.
AFFDAvrrs OF DRIVERS.
Mr.. Draney presents afidavits from his
drivers to show that on June 2 Cat which date
Mr.. Cranes letter stated over one-hslf
Of the avenue to be under water
from LIST to 18th streets) he swept both
sides Of the avenue down TO 10th street. From
10th to 9Th it was spept for q portion Of
the width and from 9th to 9Th 1t was
swept. From 9Th street on 1t was
not swept. On the portion Of the avenue COW
cred by the water the accumulation OF filth
was SO great as to render double sweep neces-
sary.
The Horse Hospital on Third Street.
Reference has HERETOFORE been made in
The STAR to the complaints Of W. II. Browne
and J. o. Clephane relative to an alleged
nuisance existing in Frank Wards old build
ing on Sd street In the shape Of q hospital
for diseased horses. The matter was referred
to Health Officer Towushend for report. He
said he found that the building was used as Q
hospital for sick horses, but as the diseases
were OF q non-contagious nature and as the
place was in an exceptionally clean condition
there was nothing upon which TO base action
by his department
Attorney Riddle was called upon for an
opinion. He said In substance that the Police
Court cannot enforce decree Of the Supreme
Court in Equity unless . violation Of the de-
cree amounts 70 an act made penal In the Dis
trict.
The remedy Of the oomplainants 10 in the
court to enforce its order; the supreme court
sitting In equity.
The above opinion was based upon the In
junction suit decision rendered some time
since, when il was ordered that no horses
n Il