The Washington times., 1894-08-04
POOREST WORK EYER DONE
Supt. Davis Comment on Contractor
ODay's Street Sweeping.
BOND BILL LIKELY TO PASS
Varying Opinions as to the Value Of Gas.sav-
ing Machines-Many Minor Matters Of In
terest Brought Before and Disposed Of by
the District Commissioners.

James O'Day, who has the contract TO
sraping and sweeping Pennsylvania avenue
is in hot water again with Supt. A. H. S
| Davis, of the street and alley cleaning de
partment.
Recently O'Day was notified by the Com
missioners that unless he did better work ir
cleaning the Avenue the District would do II
at his expense. On July 27 O'Day asked the
Commissioners to allow him an extension o.
thirty days to use the scrapers that were
loaned him by the District as the firm Of
whom he had ordered new ones would not be
able to ship them to him for two weeks OF
more. This request was submitted by the
Commissioners to Supt. Davis, who, on July
81, replied as follows:
"On June so fifteen scrapers were loaned
to Mr.. ODay for fifteen days. At the end OF
the fifteen days he made verbal request to re-
tain them a few days longer, which request
granted. July "a l addressed him note ask
ing him TO return the scrapers In as good
condition as when he received them not later
than the 3lst instant He wholly ignored the
request as he does every request and sugges-
tion from me or any officer Of this depart
ment. As an officer of the District govern
ment whose duty it is to look after the inter-
ests of the District cannot directly or indi-
rectly approve the work he Is doing on Penn
sylvania avenue. My own observation and
the daily testimony OF the three inspectors,
whose sole official duty it is to inspect and
report upon the manner of work done, all
conciusively proves that Mr.. ODay is not
carrying out his contract agreement to do the
work of cleaning Pennsylvania avenue as
promptly and as efficiently as his prede-
cessor, Mr.. Rusk, did it. By recommending
that he be allowed IAN extension OF thirty
days to use the scrapers," which he now
asks, would be 10 give my consent to
have continued for thirty days longer the
poorest work that has ever been done on
Pennsylvania avenue since l have been con-
nected with this department. l cannot do it,
and trust that you will direct Mr.. O'Day to
comply with my request of the oath instant
without further delay
On the receipt of this report Commissioner
Ross ordered O'Day to return the scrapers by
August Is without further extension OF time.
VALUE OF GAs-sAvISG MACHINES.
The Commissioners yesterday approved En-
gineer Commissioner Powelrs recommends
ton that a six months contract with the Peo
pies Gas-savins Association be made for the
use of the gas-saving machines at current
price. and no increase.
This was due to the TACT that the contract
with the company by the District had
expired on June 90. NJ. S. Hopkins,
president of the company, asked for
a continuance of the contract. He said that
the compensation OF $40 per month for forty
machines was inadequate, and desired the
rate to be at $50. Building Inspector Ent-
wisle submitted report of the results of the
work done by the machines in twenty-one
buildings belonging to the District. and COM
pared the operations of them in June, 1898,
and 1894. The saving on the twenty-one
buildings was 1868 The cost of the ma
chimes for that period was s2l thereby entail
ing loss TO the District of 517.35. The po-
lice report" he says, mo change in
they report the lights not SO good as
before they were placed in them. 1t is, there
fore, evident that there is no economy in
using them, much less to allow the advance
asked for"
Superintendent of Lamps Burnell also had
a hand in tho investigation of the matter, his
report following Inspector Entwisle's. On
July 27 he reported TO Capt. Powell that the
report of the inspector OF buildings appears
to be erroneous in the comparisons Of the gas
bills of the police and fire departments for the
months of June 1898 and 1884,"
He figured it out that the gas bills were s5
less with the governors than in the CORE
SpOn0lDR month Oh 1875 WITHOUT tnetn IN tne
In the police station-houses
there was saving OF Sl.25 for the month of
June, 1894 The present compensation for
the machines he thinks is enough. He says:
That these governors do control the pres
sure and do save in the consumption OF gas
is proved by the reports of DR.. S. G. Ford.
United States Inspector of Gas and Meters;
the bills of the nine police stations for the
years 1892 and 1893 show saving OF S525 in
one year. and under the personal observation
Of the writer"
He says that the month of June is not fair
test of the efficiency ofthese governors, for
the reason that the consumption of gas during
that month is small.
COMMISSIONERS ORDERS.
The Commissioners yesterday issued the
orders:
That all bids on sections A, D. C. and for
sewers are hereby rejected, and |
sections Z, F, G., II, l, and K are awarded to
.he lowest bidder.
That sewer be built in Florida avenue. be- |
tween North Capitol and Q streets.
That the following wells be Abandoned On |
Eighth street. between c and d streets north |
west; on Colfax street. between First and Sec |
ond streets southeast; at the corner of Second |
and B streets northwest.
That Inspector of Lamps ]. B. c. Chapman |
DC directed to proceed to Philadelphia and in
'pect lanterns now being made there for the
That Joseph A. Baur be given master
Dlumber's license.
That the contract for parallel seat gate
TaIves be awarded to the Mohawk d Hudson
Company.
That James Il. Nash, fireman in the water
department., is dismissed.
Col. J. NJ. Wilson, Commissioner of Public
and Grounds, has informed the
Commissioners that the lexington and Sol
iiers' Home Railway Company in construct
ng its new tracks at the intersection of
florida avenue and North Capitol street has
placed the railroad ties upon the four-inch
main which conveys water to the Capitol
his, he says. endangers the pipe and he was
informed that in constructing the tracks
lole was made in the pipe by a workman. He