Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-30


Cost of cleaning streets and avenues,
1883. 1873 square yards at IS cents
| per 200 yards S65 635 10
Cost of cleaning improved alleys, H.
22l .3OS square yards at 20 cents per
1000 yards. ;.:...:............... 1895 90
| Amount paid for labor OF unim-
proved streets and ALLEYS CUTTERS
| sidewalks, cutting weeds removing
| washings and attending to COM
plants by citizens. 1883. 90
Cost OF removing snow and ice..... 9S4.46
| Amount paid superindent, assistants
clerk and messenger, &c. S.8l4OO
| Amount paid out on account Of con-
tingent expenses for horses, tools,
repairs, &C.. ...................... 1542.29
Total OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. .s9s, 1874. 81
Balance on hand ................. a665. Os
INCREASE OF THE WORK.
4 Supt. Arnold then continues as follows,
''Since the close of the last fiscal year the num-
Der of streets and avenues swept have been in
| creased to the full extent the appropriation
| would warrant, there being an increase of a.
! S25, 947 square yards. The service on the i'm
| proved alleys has not been increased, but a
larger area has been cleaned by reason of the
paving of old and opening up of new alleys,
| the increase over the preceding year being
JAG. 725 square yards.
The work on the unimproved streets and
alleys has increased owing to the increased
building throughout the city and the conse-
quent demand for the opening UP of new
| streets and alleys. The growth of this class Of
work Is also brought about by the opening up
or extension of suburban streets As have
already stated. it is almost impossible to give the
amount of this work in detail for the reasons
stated. L cannot, therefore. show the actual in
crease of work performed during present fs-
cal year over that of 1880.
THE INADEQUATE APPROPRIATION.
"While the service has been increased in
many localities and larger areas are now being
| swept than ever before, such has been the
growth of the city, the increase of travel and
the opening up of new streets and alleys that
this department has not been able to keep pace
with the improvements or meet the demands
of citizens. as the sum of 100, Goethe amount
appropriated,is. inadequate to perform the
work required and demanded. There are in
the cities of Washington and Georgetown, in
ending suburban streets. about 127 miles of
streets and avenues, with area of over
3, 100000 square yards. over forty miles of un-
paved (but graded and otherwise improved)
streets, with an area of about 100000
square yards, and in addition thereto
there is of improved and unimproved
alleys an area of 100000 square yards making a
combined area of about 100000 square yards
TO be kept clean during the year. Notwith-
standing the large on the one hand and
the small appropriation for street and alley
service on the other the thoroughfares of the
tNo CAticS nave Dctu htpl III SOOu OTOcT, 30
much SO that Washington is regarded gen.
orally as the cleanest city in the
country; while said results have been
obtained with but small outlay. when COM
pared with the cost of like service in other
cities, ard is most gratifying There is still
room for greater improvements, but to attain
this much desired end larger means must be
placed at the disposal of the honorable Com
missioners. 1 therefore respectfully urge
upon You the necessity of securing. if posi-
bic. an appropriation that will be equal to the
actual wants and necessities of this branch of
the public service. in order that the streets of
the capital city may be by their cleanliness one
OF the chief features of this most attractive
city and a source Of pride, not only to its own
citizens. but to those Of the country az large"
ESTIMATES FOR NEXT YEAR.
Estimate for 1892 50:
For sprink,ing, sweeping and cleaning
streets and avenues. s10O, 900
For sprinkling, sweeping and cleaning
improved alleys. ................. $500
For labor on unimproved streets and al
leys, cleaning cutters. sidewalks and
attending complaints. .............. $4,000
For pay roll, 6c-..... 10000
For contingent expenses ............ 150O
Total NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. S145 900
These estimates are based, Supt. Arnold saws
upon what he believes 70 be actually needed 10
thoroughly do the work expected of the de-
partment and fully warranted by the expansion
IF the city, the increased building and traffic.
as well as the extension of streets, avenues and
alleys. Alengthy table is subjo,ned giving in
detail the amount of work proposed that could
be doneunder the increased appropriation.
There is.however, the report goes on. lone
other matter connected with the street and
alley service that has been considered, but
which is not included in the estimates
made for the next fiscal year. l refer to the
proposed work of gathering refuse matter mt
once. on certain streets and avenues where
deemed best, class of work that has been in
troduced in several cities of this country and
received most favorably by the public.
THE EXPERIMENT ON PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE.
while no trial was given this system during
the period covered by the fiscal year of 1891
think may be permitted to state herein the
result of the trial of the method re-
ferred to during July, 1891. The street
chosen was Pennsylvania avenue from 7th
to 18th street, with ten men. three
carts, foreman and assistant foreman
This section worked from July 3 to {?
when owing to the tearing up of the car tracks
the work was transferred to section between
LIST and 9th streets and carried on between
these points until the list. when it was stopped
by reason of the street being more or less
obstructed from LIST to 18th street. The results
were most apparent. The street was clear at
all times and presented most attractive APP
pearance. The business men on the avenue
and the public generally were more than
pleased and regret its being discontinued. 1t
was hardly necessary to sweep the street at
night, as usual, SO little debris had accumulated
after the work had stopped for the day.
The average amount of material gathered
from the street per day was fourteen cubic
yards, being total of 100 cubic yards. The
cost per day $3.50. l am SO we'll satisfied
with the experiment that as soon az the avenue
is cleared from LIST to 18th street respectfully
recommend that the men be again placed at
work thereon With the knowledge acquired
as to what can be done. l can safely say that
a force of sixteen men and four CARTS
with a foreman and assistant foreman, can
clean the avenue from LIST to 18th street better
and cleaner than ii swept daily by machine
and that it will at all times present better APP
pearance. The area between the points named
is l0l ,975 square yards which to sweep by ma
chine costs daily S35.70; to clean by hand
$3.50. the difference against the hand labor
being but Sl.S0. In view of this fact recon-
mend that the daily sweeping by machine be
iscontinued and that the streets between the
points stated be only swept by machine once O
week-Saturday nights.
EXTRA COST BALANCED BY CLEANLINESS.
''The extra cost involved will be per month
about S1S95O, which, in view of results, will be
more than balanced by having the street
always clean and free from dust. am of the
opinion that this system can be extended to
other thorOughfares with like good results and
ut comparatively small advance on present
cost OF sweeping by machine 1 am inclined TO
hlnE hat hon har e,aIx