Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-19
Estimates Of the Superintendent for
Year 1899.
SLIGHT ADVANCES ARE ASKED FOR
The Reasons Assigned for the
Increase in Expenditures.
R E P RT IN ALL

i superintendent hCheuLle Oh the street
| and alley cleaning department has sub
| mitted to the Commissioners an estimate
| of the amount required for the support of
| his department for the next fiscal year.
which calls for an appropriation of sos, Log
The estimates in full are as follows:
For hand and machine cleaning, streets
and avenues, $1,000; for cleaning improved
| alleys. $4,000: for cleaning unimproved
! streets and alleys, $4,000; for laborers on
public dumps, twelve men in all, Sa.s34;
for inspectors horses, four in ALL 1,o52;
Tor livery superintendent horses, $40; for
| contingent expenses, $1,000
For snow and ice work, under act Of
March 2. 1S95-97, $4,000; sprinkIing unim-
proved city streets and suburban roads,
1900; total, $240,326.
Salaries.
For superintendent, 81 800; for chief clerk,
81 600; for one chief clerk, 81 800; for three
inspectors. $1,000 each, $500; for eleven
inspectors, SLIGO each, $l2.IOO; for three
| inspectors. $1,000 each. 5000: for one fore
! man of public dumps, $500; for one messen-
ger and driver, 5000; total s24,SO0; grand
! total, $265, 126
In submitting the foregoing estimate for
this department for ensuing fiscal year
1t Is proper that l give as briefly as posi-
bic some of the reasons which seem to
| AiiC ~ JuStity tut INCREASING Oh the total
amount OF that appropriation for present
fiscal year.
Total asked for 1899, including salaries.
$26o, l26; amount appropriated for present
nscaI year, si64,O00, increase asked for,
Sos, 126.
Il. The amount available for cleaning
pa aeed. streets the present year is about
wv, an increase of 1900.
deem this is reasonable. in view of
the TACT that the improved streets and
avenues OF the city should be cleaned more
frequently than we are now able to do
win the means at our command; that the
system of daily hand cleaning should be
extended. My estimate doubles the area
now daily cleaned Under that system At
present We clean 100000 square wards /
propose to clean in 1899 $4,000 square
, yards.
Hand-Cleaning System.
Il do not think it is necessary to present
to you any argument in favor of the hand
cleaning system, as it is so apparent that
none is needed. for the reason that the
streets so cleaned are in much better con-
dition than they have ever been hereto
fore.
Again. the hand-cleaning system af-
lords more work to the laboring class of
people. The increased cost over machine
cleaning seems justifiable in view of re-
suits Increase the area swept by ma
chine from about 100000 square yards
per day, as at present, to 1,175,ODO square
yards per day. This increase would per-
init US to sweep about every street in the
city, outside the daily hand-cleaned streets
about three times per week, which, in my
opinion. should be done. as l believe that
the better streets are paved the more rea-
son exists for keeping them clean and at
tractive, to say nothing of considerati tons
of health and comfort.
THE cost of cleaning the additional area
proposed will veiy closely reach the addi-
KID .irvao tod for
THE amount available for Sprinkling and
| sweeping the unimprOved alleys for 1858 is
about $4,000. For 1899 l ask for $I5oO0
ali increase of 5000 This seems to be alb
solutely necessary, when the fact is borne
In mind that new alleys are being con-
stantly added to the unimproved alley
schedule; also, that there are number of
improved alleys that should be cleaned Oft
efier than once per week, now.
The amount set apart for work on unin-
proved streets and alleys and sucn cobbie
and rubble paved streets too rough for
machine sweeping, for the year 1885, is
ebout $4,000. For 1899 ask for $3O. 900
an increase of $12.0 This class of work
II done properly, absolutely requires that
the force OF men, horses and carts Qifty-
two men and twelve horses and carts now
rsedD, should be increased about 60 per
cent.
THE area now covered by the present
force is far In excess of their ability to
do it properly; that is, the various gangs
should be strengthened sufficiently to en-
able them to get over the TERRITORY as
signed to each in at least every ten days.
Now they do not and cannot average a
round trip once in three weeks
without personal knowledge of the
time and labor required to clean cutters
filled with grass, weeds and dirt. to saw
nothing of the necessary work on the
roadway ITSELF one is unable to fairly
Judge of the labor ard cost attaching 10
same.
I'm regard to the unimproved alleys, If
proper attention is not daily given and the
grass and weeds kept down they become
but inviting places in which to conceal all
manner OF NTH. After heavy rains washes
from establishments fall into the streets and
alleys. and must be removed. Sewer traps
and outlets are often choked and covered
up, and II not Immediately attended to
much damage results. 1 therefore believe
that true economy and a proper regard for
public health necessitate the increase as
estimated for.
For laborers on public dumps there was
set aside, for 1898. $4,225. but it soon be-
came necessary to increase the same, and
1t now requires an annual outlay of $685.
and Will, for 1899. amount to the same, an
increase of about 81 400.
Estimates for inspectors horses have
peen reduced one-half, being for 1899 81 ,252.
bicycles having been substituted
Livery OF superintendent horse and con-
tngent expenses are left at same figures
$24O and $2OO respectively.
Snow md Ice.
Lie act VI MATCH z, $780, amended March
2, 1897, for removing snow. ice, etc, from
the streets and avenues of the city of
Washington. virtually requires the Com
missioners to keep the $50 miles of cutters
open. free Of snow and ice, during the win
ter season. for a width of one foot 1t also
requires that all street crossings shall be
kept open and free from snow and ice at
least ten feet in width. Reelection will
show that If the law Is to be carried out
in spirit or letter the appropriation of
$1,000 for that work is out of all proper
ton to the requirements as set forth In the
act. and for which the Commissioners are
held responsible.
Even though tie winter of 1898 and 1880
should be moderately mild, with but little
snow or freezing weather, the estimate I
have made Of the cost of this work-S30-
0O0-is very moderate one, ard If made a
special appropriation it could only be ex-
pended, or SO much thereof as might be
necessary, for the purposes expressed In
the act. The remaining balance could be
covered into the treasury.
l ask that the sum of 81 900 be appro-
priated specially to sprinkle unimproyed
city streets and county roads for the fiscal
year 1898. The Commissioners have set
apart 1900 to sprinkle streets and sub