Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-10
UNDER MUNICIPAL CONTROL
Superintendent Mckenzie Favors Street
Sweeping by Days Work
Report ON the Proposal to Abolish
the Contract System-Advant.
ages to the District.

recommends municipal control of the Sery-
ice ard advocates The proposition.
There Is little doubt that the Commits
sioners will recommend to Congress the
municipal control of this brarch Of the
District service. The report was made lii
response TO report from the Commission
ers for report on letter from Senator
Mcmillan, chairman Senate Committee on
the District Of Columbia, dated February
10. 1856. requesting to lie Informed 'if it
would not be for the best interests of the
District to have the Commits sioncrs as
sumo control of the street sweeping and
possibly other public works of that char
acter." Mr.. Mcmillan further stated that
it seemed to the subcommittee having
charge of the bill tSenate, 14iO TO regulate
the employment Of labor on public build
inSs and grounds belonging to the District
of Columbia, that the days work system
might he extended with advantage both TO
| the District and the labo.irg man
Mr.. MckenZie's report says:
I'm reply l respectfully submit the fol-
| lowing for your consideration and such
| ton AS you deem proper. In order TO he
| fully understood, the subject will have to
he treated at considerable length. The
proposition here made was discussed
informally by the House subcommittee on
al preparations for District of Columbia for
fiscal year 1872 ard At the request of Mr..
Clifton r. Breckenridge of Arkansas then
| a member of the House committee on APP
propriations i submitted TO him an esti-
| mate of cost of plant. necessary TO do the
directly, as now proposed. j also believe
made such an estimate for your inforna-
ton. some year or two ago, accompanying
ii with all estimate of annual cost for run
hing a sufficient plant to do the WORK
Heartily fn Favor of 1t.
1T will. therefore be readily seen that
am heartily in favor of all street work
being done directly by the District, and
| the doing away with the contract system.
I he f.c IN he
| fact that the contract system as conducted
| here Il speak of street cleaning only has
been an economical one and rendered good
service. Every requirement made Of the
contractors has been promptly and cheer
fully complied with at all times. but Ter
many reasons, which L shall endeavor TO
present, have come to the conclusion that
| the interests Of the public could not only
be as well. but in several ways better.
served by the work being done directly by
| the authorities; aid. further, that the in
| terest OF the nottingham engaged thereon
would also he advanced by the change.
Il am well aware that in many cities the
contract system is preferred. One OF the
| principal reasons advanced in support OF
same, End against direct municipal control,
| is that politics has prevented and int; fercd
| with the economical and judicious eNpen-
| diture of money and the discipline of the
| force. places being sought aad filled as
| sinccures rather than for effective ard hon
| est work. Such. however, would not be
| being happily eliminated by our system of
| municipal government, we would be free
| from drones, or the man with pull /
| therefore believe that under such circum-
stances every cmploye, be he a supervising
| officer or laborer. would feel that it was
| solely by his own merit that he could re-
| tain his position or be promoted.
That being the case the public would re-
| oeive for every dollar expended an honest
| return in labor. This city is therefore, in
! my opinion. most favorably situated for
| successfully carrying cut the change pro-
| posed. If the force and appliances neces-
| sary to do the work OF street cleaning was
| directly owned and employed by the DIS
| trict, and Immediately under the control
J OF this service. several advantages would
| result over the present system of doing the
work
| Advantages to Re Gained.
| I'm case of bad weather, and work had
| to be stopped, it could be resumed again at
| the first opportunity. Under present sys-
tenn the contractors may have gone in and
| are beyond recall; or if route should,
| from any cause, be unfinished, as much or
| little of it as might be necessary could be
| cleaned up afterw2rd, as occasion might
demand. In extended periods of damp,
| heavy weather, when streets get in that
peculiar condition that prevents sweeping
| by machine, hand work could be done,
| much little, might be required: the
| same III periods of dry, cold weather. when
| too cold to sprinkle. With the roadway
| clean and the cutters filthy hand work
| could again be called upon.
| Snow alG ice Oh ro2iways, cutters and
| crossings to be kept open, again demands
| handwork by the force. 1t may be said
! this would come under head of extra work
| ard the contractor could do it as well. Yes
| but why pay the contractor market rate
| of wages and ten per cent added when it
oolld be done at first for only the market
rate paid to laborers in the direct employ
| of the District? There ale times when :!is
| extra work, as termed, amounts to a con-
| Siderable sum, increased it is by the ten
per cent. Again the advantage of having
| direct control of the force is made manifest
| by being able to divide it up. and sending
| to the different points of the city where
| their labor is most needed.
| Advantage can be taken of the weather
! for an hour only, if deemed necessary. In
| short time the city would be able TO thor
| oUPhly drill its men, to weed out from its
| force the worthless and diScreditabe and
| to present class of employees to the public
| eye that would not offend by any unneccs-
| sary display Of uncleanneSs, other than
| that inseparabie from their work Work
| would be carried on with less noise and
| bad language, more care would be TAX an
| with the work, for each individual would
| know that he was held responsible for
| his proportion of same; hence, il would be
] better done.
| The LabOrers.
| Il have endeavored to show how. in my
| opinion, the DlStrlct would De better served
| How about the laborer? In answer, 1 be-
| lieve that he should. be employed by the
| month at a fair compensation, according
| to his class, skilled or unskilled. 1 prefer
| the monthly employment for two reasons,
| one that 1t gives more control over him
| and is more conducive 10 discipline; the
| other that he is assured as to his income
| he and his family know just how far to go
| with their expenses, it gives him more
| standing and better credit and is in every
| way more satisfactory. Paying monthly
| wages will bring into the service a bet ter
| and more reliable class of laborer as he
! will understand that to secure employment
| that regular service is what is wanted and
| will be required.
Direct monthly employ will make better
| citizen of him. The tendency Will be to
| sobrety and industry and a greater inter-
| est in his work. If it is conceded that the
| change proposed will be of advantage in
| the directions stated to both the District
| and the iaborer or employee, there remains
then but the question to the economy of
| same. Can the work be done as chcapiy
| and as we'll as at present? j honestly be-
| heve it can. AS to being done as well, L
| will dispose of that by saying that it can
| beyond doubt. In regard to its being done
| as cheaply, which, of course, means can
We sweep and clean much surface as the
| contractors aggregate during the same
60 3. l.