The times., 1897-09-23

city {outSide the cobbIe streets, now clean
ed by lahor gangs is correct, viz, $3.50,
600 square yards, the cost To hand clean,
would oe II work wa doaa duriag 290du vs.
of the year and at present contract prices,
about $3G1 500. II two-thirds of the area
was cleane d daily, the cost would be about
S201,066 ana the remaining one-tEfrd
MAS swept three times per week ut 500
ESQ, total cost would be $25l, 1916. II only
one half OF the city was cleaned daily
and tie other half three times per week,
the total cost would be S203, 1876. II one
third Of the city was cleaned daily, and
the remaining two-thirus cleaned three
times per week, total cost would be about
S200,900. IL one-fourtb was cleaned daily.
one-halfcieaned three times per week, ana
one fourth cleaned twice per Week, cost
woald be about S175,S37 One more step
would bring the s9st to tha figures of my
estimate for 1899, viz: $151 600.
| have no doubt that many viii think
that the figures of MY estimate for 1s99.
are sufficiently large, and that an appro-
priation for the amount estimated for
this work generous one, and SO it would
be, but 1T would he still $4,000 short OF
what ii actually shonld be. The sum
back to the statement of work proposed
under that estimate no street In the city
tother than the cobble paved would be
swept less twice per week by hand. II
the pUblic-spirited citizens OF Washington
(and their number is legion 5glIl only
think what a difference this increased
cleaning would make in the health, com
fort, and general appearance of the city,
am sure every one of them would gladly
aid by every means in their power the
authorities IN eclring the means neces-
sary to carry out the work Indicated.
No matter how stately the buildings
may be that line a thoroughfare, how
beautiful the thousands of trees may he
that shade it, 81 how smooth the pave
mcnt, if it is not kept clean, all the
other beauties lose tlleir attractivenesS, ana
what would otherwise be a delight to
the eye becomes offensive, both to resident
and the stranger within the gates"
To sweep the entire area OF the city
daily for go days, at present contract
prices, viz, % 81 cents per 900 square
yards, would cost $217 900, or approxi-
mately SS3,713 less than hand-cit5ning,
but il must be borne in mind that there
is an estimated difference Of thirty 900
days bet@ cen the two Systems that is
to say, that hand cleaning can be applied
29o days and the other but 260 The
hand system Is therefore entitled TO
credit for these thirty days. which would
amOInt TO $4,000, the actual difference
therefore, in favor Of machine sweeping
is but S32 2,517. The cost OF machine
cleaning the other areas as given for
If the desire to furnish as much work
as possible To the unemployed prevails, as
it should, making them self-supporting citi-
zens, the adoption of the hand SYSTEM
seems certain, as it would can for about
g per cent mere labor of all classes than
the machine system.
estimate that the force required by
the fotlacr, OF al grades, for cleaning
entire area, would be about 5T5, and
3l6 for the latter, a difference or $50
persons. representing probab bly, ,294
others dependent upon their labor for
support. To taake 1t plain, one system
would furnish the means OF support for
2 2,S75 people, and the other bot ESQ
If the area of sweeping was reduced as
a matter of course the force ON either
system would be cut down proportion
ately.
l have devoted considerable space to
the subject of street cleaning. Ii IS
most important one, ana for the further
reason that Il has two systems, hand and
machine work, which are on trial in the
city for the first time, 10th using i'm
proved ne thods. 1t therefore seemed
incumbent en- me to enter into details,
as tc area sweeping and cost OF me, as
well as to give some expression as TO
the merits of each system. l unhesttat
ingly pronounce III favor of the hand
cleaning, for two reasons, it does better
work and dlsturbs no one, and that it
affords more worl; for willing hands