Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-18
Better Service Must Result.

The Star is satisfied with the primary
results consequent upon its inspection and
report upon local street-cleaning methods.
and there is promise of still greater i'm
provements TO result therefrom in the flu
ture. The case presented to the public was
one of such convincing strength tha1 wen
the contractor, by his silence. has admitted
the accuracy of the charges made: and he
may be expected to do better work In the
future: so long, at least. as the renewed
vigilance of the inspectors is undated.
The accuse tons made were not broadly
general or difuse: they were specific and
direct, and in many instances were fully
cOrroborated by the testimony of some Of
the government inspectors whose duty it
is 10 see that the contractor does not get
paid for leaving undone any of those things
which he has agreed to DO. Violations of
contract stipulations having been incon-
tes,ably proven. the District Commission
ers at once became commercially active;
and as result there will be no more COM
plants by citizens whose early evening
comfort has been sorely disturbed by the
dust-raising that is necessarily consequent
upon street sweeping as it is now done.
The fat has gone forth that the work of
sweeping must be done within the reason
able eight-hours' limit of the contract, viz:
from III to 6 am. Following the en-
forcernent of this order one may expect
such increase in the street-sweeping equip
ment and force will enable the contrac-
tor to live up to the terms of an agreement
voluntarily entered into by himself. More
sprinklers. sweepers and carts are needed
to satisfactorily accomplish the task for
which the contractor is paid all he asked.
II he asked less than was sufficient to COM
pensate him he did so with the idea that
profit could be realized out of improper
performance: IN which event he ought not
to be, and must not be, an object of NUM-
cipal sympathy.
The inspection service should be strength
ened; there ought to be sufficient number
OF competent and loyal men whose sole aim
should be the detection of any shortcomings
in performance of the contract. More than
this. there ought to be system of fines
for non-fulfllment of specifications 1t is
not enough to make deductions for work
half done or undone. Mere deductions for
discovered deficiencies do not fill the bill.
No one believes that all the omissions and
defects ale discovered and reported, and
the system is a temptation to thescontrac-
tor to save money by hasty. slouchy work
with inadequate force and equipment
small percentage Of cases in which he Is
caught and reported
The odds are all in favor of the contrac-
tor. and when the end of the fiscal year
arrives it will be strange If 1t is not found
that he has, somehow or other. secured
possession of all the moLey that was set
apart for him when the year commenced to
be- remedy for the methods exposed by
The Star would be the assessment of fines
commensurate with the offenses. The Dis
trict Commissioners might give this sug-
gestion a little considera ton. The present
contract may not permit the levying Of
fines: if that is SO the fact should be re-
membered ard put to good use in any
future contracts.
But then there may not be any future
contracts We moving steadily toward
that desirable condition when the munich
pality will have direct control of the street.
sweeping end do all such work by day
labor.