Evening star., 1897-06-08

trast to the dirty avenues and thorough
fares which were left behind in Washing
ton.
begins observations.
Early Monday morning the real nvesti-
cation began. The Commissioner was on
the streets shortly after the sweepcrs went
to work, and with note book in hand took
copicus notes of the plan which was In
troduced by Col. Waring and which has
placed New York at the head of The clean
est cities of this country.
The first inspection made was on Madi-
son avenue between 3lth and 39th streets
This section correspo onds very nearly to
Washington. 1t is residence section with
smooth asphalt pavements. The four
squares were il charge Of one of the
wmte wings, German about fnrty-five
years of age, and i hustler. He was dress
ed IN the regulation costume of white duck
with Whlte helmet, and pushed before
him small conveyance. upon which was
stretched, with its mouth open, a common
tw1lled bag. such as are used by the farm
ers for grain. He also carried a short
broom, long push bro )m and a shovel
scoop. such as is used on PENNSYLVANIA
avenue, with the exception Tat the one
used there Is provided with s,nall wheels
Whcn are brought INTO operat ation for NOV
ing the snoVel more readily when the lat
ter IS full. ~
rms constituted the paraphernalia of tho
cleaner. and judging from the condition IN
which he lett the first street. after thirty
one minutes OF manipulation, they were
ample. Ills modus operandi showed care
ful training. and he swept the street thor.
oughiy without taking any unnecessary
Steps. F.rst OF all the scoop shovel was
brought into use. He divided the street in
half lengthwise, and proceeded in long.
regular tours to remove the heavy dirt
When the shovel was filled it was tii.eI ND
on the wheels and conducted to the gutter.
where the pile was deposited. Four similar
excursions were made, and as many piles
deposited in the gutter.
Work of Minute.
Tie shovel was put aside and the bap
carrier wheeled to the first pile. 1t was
the work of a minute to sweep this nile
into an ordinary shovel and deposit IT in
the bag. After the dirt piles had been re-
moved, the street was gone over in spots
with the big push broom, and the refuse
left by the scoop shovel was pushed into
the gutter Three manhole covers were
carefully swept. and, after working thirty
one minutes, actual time, the street was
thoroughly clean.
The dirt from this street was quite heavy.
owing to the fact that 1t had not hesn
swept over Sunday. and by the time 25th
street was reached the bag was quite full
1t was first taken from Its frame and Sc
curely tied. Then 1t was lifted to the side
walk and new bag put into position and
the next street commenced. 1t was after
ward learned that cart followed the
sweeper and collected the bags. There was
no blowing OF refuse over the streets
once bagged the only feature noticed that
could in the slightest be criticised was the
leakage which stained the pavement In
some places.
Careful inquiry elected the fact that a
man was supposed to sweep and ka.p
clean In the neightorhood Of 5000 square
yards. This made 1t necessary for a cleaner
to carefully patrol his district, ana remove
from time to time all droppings as they
feli. While the Commissioner was talking
to the cleaner liveried foreman, mounted
on bicycle. rode up and gave the man
some instructions. He was shortly follow
er by another, who was afterwarJ found
to be an assistant foreman, and later by q
third, who was the district superintendent.
Inspection Almost Perfect,
1t was claimed that the Inspection of the
work was as nearly perfect as possible
With three inspectors over body of thir-
ty-one men. each responsible to the other.
there Is no chance for loafing, and the
cleaners are kept on the move all the time.
A man In this section was given as his
next block. where there was a Belgian
block pavement, but two squares were con-
signed to a cleaner, for the reason thar it
required harder work to keep such paving
clean.
The cleaners receive $2 per day of eight
hours: the assistant foreman the same:
the foreman 500 per month. and the dis.
trict superintendent 81 $40 per annum, and
the latter is allowed q horse and buggy,