The morning times., 1896-11-16
COST OF STREET CLEANING
Major Mckenzie Compares
the Two Systems.
HAND METHOD COMMENDED
Reports Upon His Inspection of the
New York Mode of Collecting
Dirt-Both Systems Are Used
There With Good ResuIts-Com-
parison of Expenses.

Major A. G. Mckensic, superintendent Of
the street and alley cleaning department
under the District government, has just
placed in the hands of the Commissioners
q report of his conclusions from personal
observation and inquiry upon the hand
method of cleaning streets as in force in
New York city, together with Il statement
of the cost of the system and the prcsenta-
ton of much other interesting data.
The superntendent's Investigation was
made by direction of the Commissioners as
one means of collecting data for use in
determining the future system Of street
cleaning in Washington.
Major Mckensie says he personally in
spected various sections of the city, and,
taking into account the immense amount of
traffic on the majority Of streets. he
found them in first-class condition. This
much he said by way of comncndarion of
the hand method.
The streets of New York are cleaned by
bothmachine and hand sweeping On lower
Broadway, from the Battery to Fourteenth
street, the work is done under contract.
The street is swept by machine every .ight
in the year, and in addition, the contractor
furnishes one man for every GOO feet for
patrol service during the day. This EN-.
ploys twenty-five men, who brush up all
litter that falls while they are on duty
A third force of carts and men removes all
ashes and garbage put out after o'clock
p. m.
The other sections of the city, east and
west of Broadway, below Fourteenth street,
and sections rs far out as Harlem River,
with the exception of one small area, are
hand cleaned, by laborers employed directly
by the city. In the excepted section, from
three to five sweeping machines are used
by the department.
COST OF THE SERVICE.
The city is divided for cleaning purposes
into eleven districts, and these districts a1e
subdivided into sections, the average area
of each h-section being about I'll 900 square
yards. The cleaners are distributed ac-
cording to the needs of each locality.
1nrespect to the cost OF the service, Major
McKensie says:
"Of the eleven districts eight were Sc
lected, and from these eight two sections
from each were taken as an average If all
had therefore sixteen sections upon which
to base a calculation, but to reach an
average used only fifteen, reserving one
for sparate statement
His exhibit of the cost is added, as fol
lows:
In fifteen sections the total aren cleaned
was 2,56T, so square yards; broom men
employed, 4O7: carts with drivers, 147;
average pay Of broom men, 81 so g. 4 per
day; cost of carts per day, with driver,
including all other expense attached, such
as feeding, shoeing, grooming and stabling
of horses, $3.50 per day. The average cost
Of brooms per day, at the rate OF two
brooms to man, per month, 407 men,
twenty-six days to month, $20.S7, or at
the rate of l. 8 cents per man.
The superintendent then makes o show
ing of wear and tear at the rate of 1-S
cents per man, and says the total cost
per day is 81, ,279. 4 for total area cleaned
of 2,567, 150 square yards. Average area