The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-19
COST TO CLEAN THEM
Mr.. DefreeS Estimates on the Two
STRENGTHENING Systems.
The Orderly Method Costs % Per Cent.
More than the Present Machine
Method.

Morris M. Defrees, of the retiring Board
of Works. has prepared a statement show
ing the cost of cleaning the streets by
hand and a comparison with the cost of
cleaning by machine also the cost Of flush
ing the improved streets. This is the first
estimate of the cost of the new system as
in vogue in Indianapolis. He thinks the
machine method of cleaning the streets Is
a failure, not because the contractor has
failed to do his duty, but because OF the
method pursued. The present contracts for
sweeping expire June l of next year. The
Board of Works has RETAINED from let
ting contracts for sweeping the streets
built this year, trying various methods
other than that of the machine.
1.-THE method of hand cleaning, or the
orderly SYSTEM" says Mr.. Defrees. has
been tried in the city for the last two
months, giving results much more salts
factory than the sweeping method. Flush
ing with water and driving the refuse into
the sewers has also been tried, but both
methods are expensive. Complete data OF
cost of cleaning are unattainable, and
such cost would only apply to streets UNI
der the same condition, and estimate OF
cost for cleaning a street must be simply
an approximation, however close, and must
serve until an actual basis Is obtained.
The amount of dirt carried on to an inn
proved street from unimproved intersect-
ing streets amounts to a considerable item,
depending upon amount Of travel, condi-
ton OF unimproyed streets. whether kept
sprinkling. Data collected from work done
in this city may prove interesting, but 1t
must be understood from remarks above
that such data are applicable only to the
streets cleaned and to others similarly con-
ditioned in all respects. No allowance is
made for foremanship. wear and tear of
tools, etc.
During the month of August and part
of July, flushing was done by men In the
employ of the city. the price for labor be-
ing somewhat higher than that paid by
contractors for the same class of labor.
The water company supplied the water at
a cost of $50 week, with the privilege OF
more than nine hours out of twenty-four.
The quantity Of water used could not be
ascertained. During the period mentioned
II, 9i5, $50 square feet of streets were flushed.
making 545ia of our Squares, equivalent
to 1913 hours of one man or 5,094 square
feet an hour for each man, 443 hours Cor
each. team each hour, and SS5 hours for
the foreman, who worked the same as the
men under him, but directing it, or 16,SSS
square feet each hour for the foreman.
From the prices paid, the water and the
labor amounted to S1,14,&; cost of water,
$3.50; cost for labor alone each 10000 square
the cost of water, the total would make
cost each 10000 square feet s7S6, or each
square $2.15; or each 10000 square yards
S5993 and Sos respectively, for each flush
ing. A street fifty feet between curbs and
one mile long would cost for water and
labor alone $20.75 each flushing, and flush
ing once each week, between April 1 and
Nov. l, $62251. Hand cleaning, or the or
DERBY system, was pursued under direction
OF the board, wages being SLIGO day OF
ten hours each man and So a day for teams.
hn lots 10 al For OF
September only. Seven hundred and fifty
nine thousand seven hundred and six
square feet were taken care of by fifteen
men. an average of 50647 square feet per
man; total hours, 1857. Two teams were
employed "a days, 2O4 loads of dirt, averag-
ing about 81 cubic feet, hauled, the cost
team of AS loads day. These 204 loads
represent the accumulation of % days,
making 1855 loads day, or 1893 cubic feet,
equivalent to 6l9,S1 cubic inches or a de-
post of S95 cubic inches per day per
square foot or 104.260 square feet per load.
Applying the data to street one mile
long and fifty feet between curbs and al
lowing that such street should be cleaned
daily and that flushing should be resorted
TO at least once a week on swept streets
and at least once in two weeks on streets
cleaned under the orderly system. the cost
will be as followS
1.-Two hundred and sixty-four thousand
square feet at 50,6H square feet per man
will REQUIRE 5.N men. Two hundred and
eleven days accumulation, or 534 loads OF
dirt, from April 1 to Nov. Sweeping sea-
SOM
521 men, $50 days at $3.50 a day. 81 4O5 50
53l loads of accumulation at S7O5... 376.47
Hand tools. interest on plant, renew
Flushing Is times at s2o75....... sn.25
Profit 10 contractor, 10 per cent. 81. 80
Intersection added to property as
sessment .......................... 245. AZ
---
Total ,s77. 81
NJ
foot as an assessment against property for
the season.
by the present method of sweeping
the cost to the property is 80 cents
per LOCO feet each sweeping per
mile of a ffty-foot street. 81 ,663. 20
Flushing once in two weeks. 3l1.25
Intersections added. .................... 1877. 45
Total la. 90
cor the orderly system would cost on a
street OF average travel about q per cent.
more than under the present contract,
with flushings only once In two weeks,
been cleaned by the orderly system at
1000 horses a day. If the orderly system is
applied to streets of heavier travel the
charge would be greater, as these streets
are broader lin the city, and the accumula-
ton would be heavier. From experiments
conducted in Cincinnati 1t was found that
the accumulation amounted to Al pounds
per 100 horses. Applying data TO one square
of our Washington street pavement, Length
$40 feet, width so feet travel 5000 horses
per day, the cost Tor one season. hushihe
weekly would be:
One man. $50 days, $.50. .S270. On
One mans tools, etc. .......-............ ~
40 loads of dirt at 20 cents. ..........: T.W
Flushing, once each week at S3.2O 80 .,
Contractors profit, Is per cent......... SAG
Total .s51s 81
"Or about s1.22 per lineal foot Qntersec
tion included) or 81 cents per front FOOT
on each side Under the present contract
without flushing, the cost is S257, or u
cents per frcnt foot on each side, but In
dividual contributions from merchants wht
have the streets sprinkled will run the
cost UP greater than the orderly sys
tenn and the street never in a cleanly
condition In this last estimate nothing /:
allowed for flushing which should be done
to make the sweeping anything like effect
i've The orderly system and flushing should
be adopted on all our business streets, Il
we care at all for cleanliness If the dir
is removed properly sprinkling is unneces
sary, and the cleaning cannot be done prop
erly as long as sprinkling is resorted to.
AUGUST C. SMITH ARRESTED.