Evening star., 1897-06-03
Mr.. NIGHTS TRIP,
District Commissioners Observations
ID New York City.
his quEA .llFrER 4 INFORMATION
The Street. Sweeping System as
Enforced ii the Metropolis.
2. =
TWO CITIES CONTRASTED

Commissioner Wight returned to the city
this morning, after. an absence Of three
days in New York and Philadelphia. He
left primarily 20 attend the annual parade
of the police of New York, and while away
took particular pains 10 inquire into the
workings of the several departments In
those cities, which are similar to those
which come directly under his supervision
in Washington.
The Commissioner was delighted with his
trip, and brought back considerable In
formation of a municipal character. which
will be Of future benefit to the city,. He
said to a reporter of The Star this after
noon that he called upon the police COM
missioners of New York. and was hand
somely received. One Of them. Commisr
sioner Andrews, he knew, having met him
in Washington Some years ago. when he
used to live here. Commissioners Andrews,
by the way, is the son-in-law OF General
Schofield. -
In the Reviewing Stand.
Commissioner Wight said he was invited
to place in the reviewing stand on the
day of the parade, with Mayor Strong. and
! was much pleased with the showing made
| by the police
After the parade he was given special
officer as escort by Commissioner Andrews,
| and visited all of the police stations. ne
found them. he said, for the most part. Ola
| and unfit for the service 10 WnNn , .meS
were put In the ninth precinct. however
| new station house IS being erected on
modern principles which will cost, exclu-
| sve Of the ground. about SS6.OW
more compensation than the Washington
| officers. They get s., 400 per annum, but
out of that must buy three uniforms eacn
| year and purchase their own bedding ana
the Increased cost of living. did not. he
| thought net more than our officers receive
here. ~
| It was an interesting fact to rote, ne
| said, that New York city spends more IN
maintaining her police force than WASH
ington expends for the entire municipal ex-
| penses.
The force costs New York between $s,-
0OO, 600 and $7,NOO, 600, and there are about
5000 or 1900 members Of the force. He
| was impressed with the neat appearance
| of the officers. Their coats were put,one9 y
/ up at all times. and they were pronlnitcoo q
| from swinging their clubs, thlng ti'at
| Is to be deplored here.
| Several years ago he had seen the New
| York forces. and his visit this time I'm
| pressed him. with. the wonderful improve
! n,ent. that had been made there.
| About 400 of the present mefnhers' of the
! force had been appointed. under the ne"
| regime. and appointments are mace there
| ard dismissals ordered strictly upon Iaf
! Mef1b SSySltJ4l..
Mr. Wight was also agreeably disappeint-
! ed in the order maintained in the slums
and contrasted the situation there very
| favorably With ours here. Lately Commis,
| sioner Wight has visited the Division and
fully acquainted himself with the s:tua
ton 1t was merely visit of inspection
| and nothing was accomplished.
Inquired About Street Cleaning.
While In. New York the Commissions
dropped In and investigated the fire de
pa rtment. and said the same condition
there existed here. The fremen had bet
ter quarters than the police had. His mos
Important inquiry there was relative to tn
trodueed to Colonel Waring. who has charg
of the street cleaning department, an
learned the details of the most excellen
system of hand labor in, vogue there.
inform himself on this subject. in view o
| the fact that contracts would shortly b.
let for this work in Washington.
Col Waring informed him how the cit;
was subdivided and told him what eacl
laborer was expected to do in the way o
| cleaning. A man employed as ssweepe
must clean 1900 square yards in the resi-
depce., portion Of the city fourrttmes. eac'
| day, while the requirement. fol. the bushes
| section was that each man should cleal
5000 square yards twice ras daysn r,sa''"'
Trust in Honesty ana .Sagacity.-
One of the funny condolences Of the tri
was the reply he received to an inquir
concerning the Office Of sealer of weight
and measures from a prominent official i
Philadelphia. The Commissioner asked t
be directed to such person, and was In
formed that no such office existed.
How do You manage to keep your scale
! correctT' asked the Commissioner.
The reply was that the clerks of tn
market houses kept the scales in the mar
kets correct.
But how about ice scales, hay scale
and coal scales," persisted the Commis
2 | sioncr
t "Oh. well, in those cases we trust to tn
3 honesty of the dealer and sagacity o
the purchaser -
Il MNV NSIOk