Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-18
THE POLICE AND STREET SWEEPING.
What Mr.. Davis Says in Regard to the Re.
cent Order.

What Mr. Davis Says in Regard to the Re-
cent Order.
Maj. Davis was asked by STAR reporter il
it was true that the police force had been in
structed to act as inspectors OF street sweeping
and alley cleaning?
mot to my knowledge" he replied. Sun
Intentionally, L presume, the matter has been
misrepresented. There is nothing In the order
of the Commissioners to warrant anything Of
the kind Their order reads as follows: That
the superintendent Of the Metropolitan police
force shall issue instructions that whenever
any member of the police force shall earn Of
any neglect OF the contractor for the sweeping
and cleaning of streets and alleys to remove
sweepings required by his contract
he shall promptly report the same
to the said superintendent, who shall
promptly transmit such information
to the superintendent of streets and alley
cleaning" There is nothing. certainly in this or
der indicating that"th police viii have to spend
about two-thirds of their time watching street
sweepers-" They are simply required to report
cases where the contractor has failed to remove
sweepings as required by his contract. viz: by
s O'Clock am. ii summer and o'clock Am. in
winter.
The issuance of the order by the commits
sioners was partly at my suggestion. Reports
Of the bad condition of certain streets have fire.
quently reached my department five and six
days after they were started-too late for me to
possibly ascertain by inspection their condi-
ton at the time except through report of
the duly authorized inspectors of this depart
ment, which in many instances agreed with the
reports coming through the police department
and proper reductions were made by this office
at the time for such failure on the part Of the
contractor. l insisted and still insist that in
order to accomplish good results reports of
the character referred to should be sent di-
rect to this Office instead OF circuitousy
through the police department and Commits
sioners Office. II dirt has been left in piles on
the street. and the object is to have it re-
moved. what earthly good does il do to apprise
this Office of the fact week afterward?
| talked with the Commissioners about it and L
presume that out OF that conversation came the
order In question, which does not mean that
the whole police force, or any portion of il,
shall act as inspectors of this department When
dirt is left in piles the street BY the contractor
after time specified in the contract it is the duty
Of any member of the police force who sees it
to promptly report the same to the superin-
tendent of the police force. who. in turn, will
promptly transmit said information to the
superintendent of street and alley cleaning
Il will say this much more. now that am on
the subject. The street sweeping and cleaning
department is not provided with sufficient
money by Congress to do satisfactory work to
itself or our citizens. 1t is impossible to keep
streets clean that are swept but once
a week No broom or force in existence
can accomplish impossibilities. Neither should
il be expected that two inspectors of sweeping
can perform work that really requires the care
full supervision of four. More than IS per CEN
OF our streets can only be swept once n week
under the present Congressional appropria-
ton"