Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-08
CLEANING STREETS AND ALLEYS.
Annual Report of the Superintendent in
Charge-Some Suggestions Made.


Charge-some Suggestions Made.
The annual report of Superintendent A. II. S.
Davis of the strest and alley cleaning depart
ment was submitted TO the Commissioners to-
day.
During the fiscal year ending June so the de-
partmcnt swept 1874, s42,595 square yards at
cost of s64,694.2o. During the same period
1854 cubic yards of dirt was removed. In the
cleaning of alleys 16, 1896, 442 square yards we're
swept, s,2i516 cubic yards were removed and
the cost aggregated s4,92s.s9.
The total cost of sweeping Pennsylvania ave-
nue by hand from the Peace monument to
Washington Circle was s9,507. The sweeping
machines also went over the street once or twice
per week at a cost of SIS, 79035, a total cost for
cleaning Pennsylvania avenue during the year
OF S13. 297.35
During january, February and March
81, lzS5 90 was expended in removing snow and
Ice from the streets.
USIMPRovED STREETS.
1t cost s24, 1892 to clean the unmproved
streets and alleys. The work of cleaning and
sweeping these unfreq uented places, Mai.
Davis says, is work of far more importance than
Is often attached to it. he believing that these
often neglected places because of their usually
poor reputation and isolation should be placed
rs nearly on a level with the far more favored
sections.
During the year 900 complaints wero received,
l0a as to streets and lie as to alleys, of which
but 142 needed attention.
In conclusion Maj Davis saws
WHAT THE RAILROAD COMPANIES SHOULD DO.
There are large number of places on the
streets along which steam railway cars are run,
In some instances extending for two or three
squares, that are not only impossible for car
riages, but sources Of filth and disease. They
cannot be properly cleaned by this department,
because the railroads occupy the entire stree.
and encroach upon the space allotted to pedes-
TRANS to such an extent that nothing but mar
row footpaths remain. The cutters are usually
filed with refuse matter Of all kinds, and grass
grows and decays where there should be good
sidewalks. 1t would be impossible for this de-
partment to keep these places clean. even
though Congress should appropriate much
larger suIn than it does for STRENGTHENING pur-
poses, because in some instances for squares the
space on either side of the track is not of sufli-
Gent width to admit the entrance Of horses and
carts for the purpose of removing the accumu-
lations. Complaints against the unsanitarv
coEoltlon OF these places, especially during the
heated season, have been frequent. We have
done the best We could to remedy the evil, but
! submit that this department should not be
subjected 10 the expense OF work that should
properly belong TO the railroad corporations
10 perform. These corporations were granted
y
given them to infringe on rights of
citizens along the thoroughfarcs over which
thalr roads pass by permitting distractions
which create standing nuisances, or il cleaning
their tracks TO throw any debris they may find
thereon into the streets adjacent. | would ear
nestly ask that in your forthcoming annual report
you recommend that Congress enact laws MAX
ing it obligatory the railroad companies to
Keep these places In a clean and healthy condi-
ton, at their own expense, imposing upon
them heavy fine for failure to do so.
COMPLAINTS OF HAULING DIRT.
Another source OF complaint and annoyance
to this department arises from the haulings, by
contractors, of dirt along the streets, and l
would suggest that more stringent measures be
adopted TO compel such contractors to keep
clean the thorouEhfares over which they cart
dirt from excavations of any kind. In many
ins tances some Of our finest streets have been
80 dishgured by the droppings and drippings
from their carts and wagons that l. - been alb
soiutely impossible to proper sweep such
streets. The dirt is often of such Il nature that
1t becomes so firmly packed on the payements
as to make it imperyious to anything short of a
shovel and hoe.
I'm conclusion desire to say that If the law
or regulations against the throwing, placing or
sweeping of paper or other refuse of any kind
or character into the public streets ard alloys
was more strictly enforced it would not only
relieve this department of much unnecessary
expense ard trouble. but the streets and ALLEYS
would at all times present much better APP
peerance. The same may be said OF the PERM
clous habit OF throwing grass cuttings. vine
trimmings and decayed vegetable matter into
the streets, which is not only unjust to the con-
tractor for cleaning the streets, but n source of
danger and trouble to the sewer department by
such debris being washed into the sewers and
choking the same, thus endangerinS the public
health of the city