The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-30
WOMAN CLEANS STREETS
MRS. PAUL WILL HAVE CHARGE OF
CHICAGO THOROUGHFARES.
Her Employment a New Departure i'm
Municipal House Cleaning-Grent
Undertaking for Anyone.
Chicago Evening Post.

main thoroughfares the disgrace which has
been attached to them.
When Mrs. Paul marshaled a troop of
twenty-five men in military order, with
brooms perched upon their shoulders, down
Washington street to-day at 5 O'Clock the
work of keeping downtown streets and
crossings free from refuse was begun.
HencefOrth business men and citizens will
see a discipline in the STRENGTHENING force
which will awaken civic pride. Mayor Har-
rison is determined to have clean streets
and sanitary conditions in the filthy alleys
Unless all signs fail Mrs. Paul will be Chi
Cages Colonel Waring.
Mrs. Paul was the first woman to take up
street cleaning. 1t was through her efforts
that women were first employed by the au-
thorities of this city to look after its house
cleaning. She says she has given up all
social attachments and other pursuits and
will devote all her energy to the work of
cleaning and keeping clean the downtown
streets. There is sentiment in Mrs Paul's
devotion to this trying work. She is a
widow, and when her only child died of
diphtheria several years ago she resolved
that the deadly and disease-laden atmos-
phere must be purified. Several weeks ago
she returned, as emlssary of the Civic Fed
Grafton, from a. thorough inspection of the
street cleaning and garbage systems in
operation in New York, Baltimore, Brook
lyn and other Eastern cities. These obser-
vations she embodied in a report to the
federation, which was also submitted to
Commissioner of Public Works McGann and
Superintendent FitZsimmonS, of the street.
cleaning bureau
WILL HAVE COMPLETE CHARGE.
Mrs. Paul is to have complete charge of
the downtown STRENGTHENING and garbage
forces. The city authorities recognize and
appreciate her ability and will allow no one
to interfere with her in the performance of
the duties intrusted to her. Although the
proposed change in STRENGTHENING methods
was announced by Mayor Harrison upon
his return from a tour of investigation in
Eastern cities, it remained a secret until to-
day that the work was to be carried out
by a woman.
Chicago is the only city in the country
which has a woman at the head of its chief
STRENGTHENING brigade. Mrs. Paul says she
fully realizes the Importance of her position,
and she speaks with enthusiasm of the man.
ner in which she expects to make the c1t1-
ZenS of Chicago proud instead of ashamed
of the conditions of their thoroughfares and
alleys. To judge from the record of Mrs.
Paul as special commissioner for the Civic
Federation and the Municipal Order League
the contractors who have become rich
through the Indifference and neglect of in
spectorS will be introduced to new regime,
at least so far as the downtown district is
concerned.
1t is not often that one is afforded the sight
of a woman "bossing twenty-five men,
commanding them to fall into line two by
two and then leading them through the
streets to their various stations That Is
what Mrs. Paul will do every morning. I'm
der the west approach of the Randolph
street viaduct the city forces have been
given main station and tool supply house;
Every morning at o'clock Mrs. Paul Will
read the call. To-day she appeared bright
and early. The men, some in jumpers, 9TH
or cir working garments. were lined
before the entrance When Mrs. Paul APP
peared they DOTTED their hats and saluted
her. When asked how she oVercame any
prejudice the men might have against
woman boss" Mrs. Paul said she had
cheerful nature which she never allowed
her impulses to destroy
COMMANDS THE SWEEPERS.
"Get your, brooms, boys" she commanded.
AT the words twenty-five pairs of toil-worn
hands grasped the handles Of as many
brooms and fell into line
Fall in line-march, boys"
Incoming passengers on the Illinois Cen
trail Railroad crowded the curb to watch the
strange procession. The brigade marched in
perfect step to Michigan avenue, south to
Washington and west on that street, the
men dropping out two by two at the in
terSecting thorOughfareS. The men will be
held responsible for a certain number OF
crossings and intersections. They have no
means of knowing wnen Mrs. Paul, in her
buggy, will call and see if they are perform
ing their work.
In short time this body of men will make
a picturesque appearance in bright new
uniforms The color of the uniforms is a
subject stilf troubling the officials: Mayor
Harrison is opposed to the regulation blue
because to use his own words, 1t would be
a case of all coons look alike to me-
Some want the yellow, but the Celtic ma
jority of the street cleaning forces is set
against such color. Mrs. Paul says she
does not care so much for the color as the
washable character of the uniforms.
Mayor Harrison has taken up the down
town STRENGTHENING question with spirit
which promises relief from the filth which
filters streets and alleys. One obstacle to
the plan of the mayor and Commissioner
McGann is the lack of funds. Mayor Har-
risOn wants three hundred men placed in the
downtown streets. When he inspected the
system in New York and Pittsburg he was
astonished to learn that Chicago used but
small sum for sanitary purposes as COM
pared with the expenditures in eastern
cities.
OTHER CITIES SPEND MORE.
Colonel Waring, of New York, he says, is
allowed $3,2OO.OOO annually to carry out his
system, while Pittsburg gives it's street.
cleaning bureau $4,000 more than Chicago,
although that city is only one-sixth the size
of Chicago. Moreover, the mayor found
that Colonel Waring received payment from
contractors who obtained the garbage of
New York for rendering purposes. 1t is re-
moved free of charge and brings In $4,000.
Mrs Paul, who will carry out the new
rules for street cleaning, is a native of
Rockford, Ill. She was rigidly domestic in
her tastes until her child died. In 1894,
when the Municipal order League with
Ada C. Sweet at the head was formed for
the purpose of changing the shameful con-
dition Of STREETS, Mrs. Paul was appointed
to lock after the work, with the sanction of
Mayor Hopkins.
During the first year Of Mayor Swift's adj
miniStrdtiOn a woman was for the first
time appointed to inspect streets. Miss Jane
Adams being placed in charge of the
Nineteenth ward. When civil service was
established Miss Amanda Johnson came to
the front in examinations and was APP
pointed at the solicitation of Miss Adams
TO take care of the streets in the Nineteenth
ward. Although an effort was made by
Alderman Powers and his associates to
displace her, sentiment in the Hull House
district overruled the SpOllsmen and Mrs.
Johnson has been reappointed. woman is
also at the head of the Second ward. Miss
Coddington has earned the gratitude of the
people of that ward for her administration
of the street cleaning force there. Although
the champions of the new woman may re-
gard Mrs PauIs appointment a victory for
their cause she denies that she is a new
woman.
Il was too old when the new women
came. and / did not seem to catch the
spirit" she says
The work of Women's Clubs.