The San Francisco call., 1896-04-03
The Merchants Association Holds
Two Important Meet.
ings.
CONTRACTORS ARE PRESENT
San Francisco Compared With Other
Cities in the Matter Of Street.
Sprinkling.


the Merchants Association for the pur-
pose of considering the street-sprinkling
question.
Mr. Kohlberg by way of introduction
stated that when the Merchants Associa-
ton began the agitation in favor of clean
streets the subject of street-sprinkling was
also considered, and was made part of its
scheme of reform. He asked for express
sions of opinion on the matter under con-
sideration, and said all the association de-
sired was friendly understanding among
all parties interested to the end that some
good might be accomplished.
A general discussion then ensued, dur
ing which it was suggested that the
sprinkling of streets and the sweeping or
lighting was a municipal function and
should be under the charge of the City;
that the laying of dust being benefit en-
ioyed by the whole community, the ex-
pense attendant upon that benefit should
be borne by all in just proportion.
Mr.. Freud made the following state
ment, based upon statistics in his posses
sion:
For the purpose of sprinkling the city of ST.
Louis systema tically and uniformly the city is
divided into ffty-four districts, each district
being let separa tely by contract in February
OF each year. There is sprinkling superin-
tendent, clerk and twenty-three inspectors
whose services are paid for by the city. The
season opens March 10 and closes December
of each year, a period OF eight and half
months. The cost last year averaged about
215 cents per front foot.
The street-sprinkling of ST. Paul is done by
contract, the city being divided into districts
and separate contract let for each district at
so much per 100 feet per week. The average
price this year was from % TO % cents per
100 feet week. Very good results have been
obtained from this system.
The sprinkling OF the streets of Minneapolis
is done under the direction OF the Street Com
missioners and Aldermen OF each ward. An
assessment is levied each year upon all asses
kled, at q uniform rate per front foot in each
ward. The city furnishes the water free. Num-
Der of sprinkling-certs used in 1894 reached
152
The city of Boston is uniformly and system
atlcally sprinkled by the city authorities.
From a table published in the municipal re-
ports of the city OF Boston giving the amounts
expended in street sprinkling for the past
seventeen years it appears that the amount
has run from S23,59o in .ls1s to $S7, ,169 in
1894. During the years 1S9l-92-93 the amount
has averaged very nearly 800, cooper annum
In 1891 it reached $1040 the amount ex-
pended by the city for street-sprinkling.
Uniform and regular sprinkling OF the pub
lie streets by the city has been adopted in
nearly all progressive Eastern cities, such as
Brooklyn, PhiladeIphia, Cambridge, 3urling-
ton and in the Western cities OF Salt Lake and
Omaha.
The municipality sprinkles the streets in
every progressive city in California, such as
oakland, Sacramento, San Jose, Fresno, Santa
Cruz and Alameda.
The street-sprinkling OF Los Angeles is let
by contract, the contractor receiving S3O4O
per month. There are now seventy-fiye
sprinkling carts doing the work, but the city
OF Los Angeles is already increasing this num-
ber, so that there will shortly be 100 Sprink-
streets of the City of Los Angeles There are
140 miles OF graded streets TO sprinkle. Some
are sprinkled twice day and some only three
times week according to the condition of the
streets and the amount of travel. One wagon
will sprinS,e from one 10 four miles day
The sprinkling OF the streets OF Oakland is
Superintendent of Streets whenever required
and paid 81 per day.
Mr.. Freud and the other speakers ad-
vised the sprinklers to com bine and hold
themselves in readiness to accept con-
tracts from the City in the event that the
City should undertake to directly super
wise the street-sprinkliig system.
1t was unanimously resolved that the
Merchants Association shall use every
reasonable effort TO induce the Board of
Supervisors, upon fixing the new tax levy,
TO make ample provision for sprinkling
the streets of San Francisco uniformly
and Systematically.
In the evening there was an important
session Of the executive committee
Figures were exhibited to show that al the
end of the current fiscal year there would
be surplus OF about $21 ,000 remaining of
the street-sweeping and sprinkling fund
out of the original appropriation OF $780,
600, secured largely through the efforts of
the association.
time has been used for sprlnkling 1t was
therefore decided to petition the Board of
Supervisors to have the streets sprinkled
from now until the beginning of the fiscal
year, so that an intelligent estimate for
q the purpose can be made for next year 1t is
estimated that II this is done, there will be
left the 21,000 surplus mentioned
1t is the purpose of the association to
petition the Board of Supervisors to ex-
pend this sum in converting some of the
cobble-p paved streets in the heart of the
business section into bituminous pave
ments. Among the streets that will be
recommended for improvement in this
connection are Post from Montgomery to
Stockton, Geary from Kearny to Powell.
Stockton from Market to Suffer-
The matter OF securing the economical
transportation of the street sweepings to
Golden Gate Park was discussed. The
associations efforts are now particularly
directed to securing lots in which these
sweepings may be dumped pending their
need at the park.
An interesting and gratifying communi-
cation on the subject of street-sweeping
was received from Colonel George E. War;
ing. Commissioner of the Department of
Street-cieaning of New York City. 1t was
in part as follows:
The most suggestive communication that the
Department of Street-cleaning of New York
City can offer at this time is the announcement
OF the fact that 1t has determined after a very
careful consideration and calculation to aba n
don almost entirely the use of street sweeping
machines.
1t is found that hand-sweeping is more per-
feet in its results, and that under all ordinary
conditions it is at least as cheap. This is es-
peciaiiy true Wherever there is q regular force
as there is here. A force large enough to main
tain good condition in winter time, when
machines cannot be used and when the streets
are most used and Uttered, is surely large
enough 10 maintain a perfect condition in the
warmer seasons, when alone it has been the
custom to use sweeping-machines in New York
City.