Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-14
THE STREET SWEEPING.
Mr. Douglass Explains What the Conn
missiohers Hope To DO.

The Commissioners have lately received
many complaints from people all over the city
regarding the dirty condition of the streets.
Commissioner Douglass, in conversation with
a STAR reporter today on this subject, said:
"Yes, the streets are dirtier than they ought
to be- but for reasons that cannot be helped
for awhile. The fund for the current year was
Ss5,OO0 for sweeping all of the streets
and alleys. Out of this had to
be paid also all the inspectors and others
employed by the District in connection with
the work. On the LIST of April there was left
OF the appropriation for these purposes
some Sl9.5O0 or about $4,000 per
month. We ought to have not
do it well. If the present bill for
1891 passes the House as amended by the SEN
ate we will have for the next year 100000
With that a better state of things should be
had. You see We are short and will be until
the LIST of July.
THE PRESENT CONTRACT.
"You know" continued Mr.. Douglass, '.that
the street sweeping is being done under a five
years contract, which will expire July /, 1892
With the present state of the finances the con-
tractor cannot use all of his sweepers and will
not be able to until July 1. Less than a
dozen of the avenues aud streets are
swept daily; eight or nine tri-weekly; thirty
nine twice a week, and one hundred and ten or
one hundred and twenty weekly-all told about
one hundred and twenty miles Of improved
streets besides the alleys. Our streets are
smooth and white and show the least dirt
dropped on them, Just as fly speck will show on
mirror much more than on a rougher surface
A peck of dirt distributed on Pennsylvania
avenue will show more than cart load
would IN the same space in an
ordinary roadway. And another fact that is
not thought of plays an important part We
do not see the streets just after they are swept.
but hours after when the new deposits of dirt
are already on. The avenue at daylight is
clean and slightly, while at 8 or 70 am.
one-half of the days dirt Is already
on in the nature of things.
TO TRY THE PARIS SYSTEM.
AFTER the new appropriation is had it is
contemplated mot yet determined) to try the
Paris system. at least on one street, TO see how
that will work. That system Is one of constant
collection by boys throughout the day as the ne
cesslty requires. 1t should be remembered that
now Is the time of the year when cellars and cuts
for foundations are being excavated and the
earth hauled over the streets. distributing con-
siderable dirt in this way. In a conversation
lately on the subject of sweeping with one of
our officers j asked him whether the brooms of
the machines were dropped low enough TO
catch the dirt we'll He replied that the brooms
were down so low that they were worn ont in
six seven days, while for years before the
present contract the same sort of brooms would
last ten or twelve days.
BIG JOB.
THE truth is that l20 miles Of streets is an
immense surface to sweep with nine or ten
sweepers, all that We have been able to pay
for 80 far. We asked Congress for the next
year for S125,000. The House gave $4,000
and the Senate raised it to Sl00. 200.
While we believe that our figure
(Sl25.O00) was the proper amount we will
do our best to get along with 800, 900 and are
anxious that the House should concur In the in
crease. If an improved condition does not APP
pear pretty soon after We get more money
therefor We shall be ready for radical measures
and have been thinking over some remedies in
advance of such contingency