The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-03
YILL TRY FLUSHING
CITY ENGINEER RUNDLETT HAS \
NEW PLAN FOR CLEANING
ASPHALT STREETS.
LAST SUMNER WAS COSTLY,
HEAVY RAINS MAKING MACHINE
WORK MANIFESTATIONS ON
THE OUTLINING STREETS.
FULL FIGURES ARE FURNISHED
To the Board Of Public Works Show
Past Expenses and Future
Plans.
LAST SUMNER WAS COSTLY
FULL FIGURES ARE FURNIsHEI

By resolution introduced in the cOun-
Gil some weeks ago by Assemblymau
Dix, the board Of public works was re-
tested to report as to the cost Of
street sweeping, miles of streets swept,
and other information in detail The
board of public works in turn referred
the matter to City Engineer Rundlett
and that official yesterday forwarded to
the board the following report:
The total number Of miles of streets
which have been swept, not including
the asphalt is 1913 miles. OF asphalt
there were 1914 miles. The total miles
of machine sweeping done during the
year was 1855 miles, which would
be an average of about seven miles per
day. There was hauled off the streets
approximately 7412 loads, containing
1880 cubic yards, weighing about 49,,
$40 tons. The total number of days
labor of men was 1926, and teams, 1873,
and the total amount of money eXpend-
ed for this purpose was about $105OO.
From the time the sweeping was COM
menced, April to July 10, four sweep
ers were run and the daily average
cost was $3.50. At that time the funds
began to get low and it was found that
this amount of money could not be
spent on the street sweeping, and the
:
an average daily expenditure of 1880.
I enclose list of streets swept and the
number of times. This was varied as
the case required on account Of the
condition of the streets In regard to
the cost OF sweeping the cedar block
paVements, 1T is my opinion that if the
system could be carried out as started
at the beginning of the year, the re-
suits Of the sweeping would he salts
factory and the expense of doing the
work would be about $1,000 If swept
as called for in the resolution, the cost
would be about 81 900. The past year
has been a difficult one to keep the
paved streets in good condition, par
ticularly in its outlying districts on ac-
count of the large amount of rainfall.
The larger portion Of the cedar block
pavement is in such miserable condi-
ton that it is almost impossible to
clean it thoroughly with machines, and
where extensive repairs have been
made it has been necessary to keep off
the streets while the work was being
done. I desire to say that | have ex-
amined the methods employed in all
the principal cities and have also noted
the condition of the streets in these
cities and am Of the opinion that there
is no city where the work is being done
better in accordance with the amount
of money expended than In St. Paul
In regard to the sweeping of the as
phalt streets, would say the contracts
were let by the board of public works
for the sweeping of 1914 miles under
twenty two contracts and one contract
for gathering the material Thirty-One
men were employed on the work and
two teams in gathering the material
The cost was $S,021.31. Although the
asphalt streets were kept generally in
a fair condition the work was not alto
gether satisfactory. The price bid was
too low and in many instances the con-
tractors were physically unable to per
form the work satisfactorily and did
but very little except gather up the
droppings of horses [ believe the
principle Of doing the work is the
proper one, and that by making some
changes in the distribution, and letting
of the contracts to none but able
bodied men, efficient work will be Sc
cured next year.
1 am also making arrangements to
try the experiment Of flushing the as
pbalt streets with a line of fire hose,
taking the water from hydrants.