The San Francisco call., 1895-07-16
THE STREETS,
The Merchants Associations
Answer to Mr.. AshWorth's
Charges.
UP TO FORMER STANDARDS
The Superintendent's Office Denies
That 1t Failed to Do the Work
Ordered.

1nOmaS ASnWOrtl, superintendent VI
Streets, was sharply called to time by the
Merchants Association yesterday, ana as
a result of the superintendent structures
on the operations of that organization II
has gained point for which 1t has long
contended.
1t has always been the assertion OF Mr.
Ashworth that machine street sweeping
was better than hand work, while the
ideas of the members Of the ASSOCIATION
ran in an entirely different vein. They
have ever contended that the work OF the
hand brooms, if properly directed, would
keep the streets in by far the best conol-
ton.
Since July l, when the contract OF the
association to sweep the streets expired,
merchants have been sweeping the pave
ments on a verbal agreement with the
Board of Supervisors to keep within the
contract price until a new contract can be
drawn up and ratified.
For some reason which the association
does not attempt to fathom superintendent
Ashworth has refused to accept large
amount of the work done, the streets pro-
tested against being altogether those
which were operated on by the machines.
This has given the association the very
opportunity it has been looking for to dis
card hand labor entirely, and advantage
was taken of it Yesterday, when the follow
ing letter was sent to Mr.. Ashworth.
Mr.. Thomas Ashporth Superintendent of
Strees-DEAR SIR: Al a special meeting OF the
board OF directors of this association held this
day resolution was unanimously passed to
bring the following TO your notice:
Referring to the several reflections made by
YOU of machine street sweeping done by this
association, we have had the work that was
pronounced bad examined by several members
of our board and other business men aud the
substance OF their written report is follows:
A number of blocks are not as they should
be on account of distractions, such as vehicles,
etc, left contrary TO ordinances which should
be enforced by your office, and OF defects in the
pavements, piles of sand and other debris left
by contractors, and the materials scattered op-
pOsite buildings in course OF construction.
This association has often called attention to
these abuses, which make it impossible to clean
such blocks in a proper manner.
The rejected work, however, as whole,
making due allowance for the conditions men,
toned above, is fully up TO any machine work
ever done in this City. The condition of the
districts swept by machines is better than it
was at any time previous to our beginning
operations, and the business men and residents
OF these districts have thanked and highly
complimented US for the improvements made.
We admit, however, and have always main
tanned that FULLY satisfactory work cannot be
done by machines until the conditions men
toned above are entirely changed and until
the pavements have been generally improved.
the best machine work which it is possible to
do under present conditions, that you evi-
IDENTIFY agree with US III this respect.
When this association started in its present
contract, it employed only hand labor, and
intended to do so throughout but want OF
funds compelled it to have part of the contract
done by cheaper macnlne work; put as me
allowance which this association made to the
City on the contract price in the last seven
months has exceeded the entire charge for
machine labor during that time, the City has
rad ir1a arr hu Ia Of
the work done.
Now. however, since large enough appro-
priation is proposed to at least pay the contract
price, we are glad TO cooperate with you in
establishing higher standard for all the street
cleaning throughout the City.
We. therefore, beg to notify you that from
this dav, July Is, we viii only employ hand
labor and viii give the machines that needed
rest TO which their long but much questioned
service fully entities them.
Under these circumS tances we waive an ap-
peal to the Board of Supervisors as the work
rejected is q small sacrifice 10 this association
compared with the fact that we may congratu-
late the City and ourselves that now q standard
for street cleaning has been established which
will make q relapse into former conditions, as
far as the character Of the work is concerned,
impossible as long as you are superintendent
OF Streets no matter who may have the con-
tract for doing the work.
We shall, however, appeal to the board to
rule upon the principle, If still maintained by
YOU that when the work in one or several
blocks is rejected the entire street should be
thrown out without discrimination, because
such ruling would permit arbitrary and whole
sale rejection, which would be unjust to the
contractor.
Your charge that the men or the machine in
the employ of the Merchants Association were
instrumental in stopping up the cesspools on
the corner of Octayia and McAllister and
BRYANT and Sixth streets, does not, in the
opinion of our board of directors, require their
serious consideration.
We beg to call your attention to the fact that
the amount of work performed from July up
to date now exceeds $4,000, and that we shall
be glad 10 receive your orders in regard to the
amount of work to be done during the balance
of this month. Very respectfully,
MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION.
The Superintendent Office has taken
exception to the statement of the property
owners at Harrison and Ripley streets that
the resolution passed by the Board of
Supervisors on January "a, requiring the
cleaning of cesspools and cutters in that
vicinity was not complied with.
Deputy Donovan states that the work
required by the resolution was done on
February 20 at an expense of &c. which
was paid to the following, as evidenced by
the books of the Office: William Barrett,
81 50; John Shinson, 81 30, and William
O'Mahaney, 81.