The times., 1898-08-02


10 use sl5Co0 of the amount appropriated
without contract on the hand cleaning
work under the direct supervision Of the
department
In view of said action and the furth-
er fact that 1t has enabled us 10 demon
strate that this work can be done at
twenty cents per LOCO square yards, in
stead of thirty-two cents, the contractors
price, and with better results, at the
same time paying our labor better wages
| most respectfully and earnestly recon-
mend that the efforts of the honorable
Commissioners be continued for legisla-
tion to do away with the expensive and
unsatisfactory contract system. That ii
is unsatisfactory and more expensive
than the hand cleaning system by day
labor | need not use space TO explain, as
il must be apparent TO all who have paid
the slightest attention TO the cost and
efficiency of the two systems.
in my estimate for this work ! have
taken as a basis of calculation the cost
per LOCO square yards to do the work
der our present sys-em, which has been
in operation one month and has proven
TO US that the cost per 1000 square yards
will not exceed 20 cents including plant
and wear and tear on same. For $162 G06
the amount of the first i>em, we can clean
3,000,0 eco yards daily. or the entire paved
area of the city. during the go, the aver
age number of working days in the year.
To clean this area by machine under CON
tract at the presen. rate, 25 "a cents per
LOCO square yards, would cost S20s,5 or
$46, 515 more than ii would cost without
contract To clean the area by hand at
the present contract rate, 80 cents, would
cost 1888 200. or a difference OF $97 200. In
other words, to whatever amount Con-
gress would appropriate for the work. 50
per centum additional would be required
under the contract system beyond the
amount required under the system with
out contract.
Having received substantial encourage
ment from the committees the last ses-
sion of Congress- we are hopeful that the
Commissioners will be given direct con-
troll of the work under the department
which will insure better service. better
rate of wages to the worthy labor of the
District, the employment of four times
the number of men, and a saving of money
TO the District as well as to the General
Government. Not only this, but in addi-
ton, peace and happiness will reign in this
department, for reasons too well known to
those who have the contract system to
con,end with to need explanation"
Under the head of general suggestions
Supt. Stuttler treats the subject of the re-
moval of ashes in detail The important
recommendations which he makes are as
follows:
Removal of Ashes.-To my mind this
is the worst nuisance that the citizens of
the District and this department have to
contend with, on account, principally of
the reckless way in which ashes and rub
bish of like character are collected and
disposed of. This work is now being done
by anyone who can procure one-dolar
horse and a broken-down wagon or cart.
going as they do from house to house
calling out in reverberating tones, Old
ash man! old ash mani, Get your cellar
cleaned out! etc. This being the only
way to have refuse removed from houses
and yards, the man is paid by the citi-
Zens to do the work. and in removing
the refuse quite frequently he scatters it
from the premises to the street. where
what has not been blown into the faces
of persons passing by or scattered along
the sidewalks and streets is placed in the
wrecks of wagons with holes in the bot
toms and sides, and no cover. He then
proceeds on his way to the dump, scat
tering ashes paper, etc, along the streets
as he goes, until finally he reaches the
dump and deposits what he has left-pro-
vided he does not find favorable oppor-
tunity to sneak into an alley, as is very
frequently the case, and dump his load
for this department to remove.
In most all cities that in any wise
compare with Washington in size and i'm
portance in the United States, ashes and
refuse of like character are moved at
public expense. Why not in Washington?
The citizens pay taxes hero the same as
in other cities: and 1t would seem that
what has been done to the satisfaction
of the people of other cities would apply
equally as well to Washington. Too much
stress cannot be put on the necessity of
having this class of work done under the
immediate control of the Commissioners
and at the public expense; and it would
in the end cost the citizens no more than
at present.
"If, however. legislation with the nee
essary appropriation cannot be gotten
through Congress TO do the work in this
way, / would recommend that each per-
son before being allowed to remove ashes
etc, be required to present his wagon or
cart for inspection, after which, provided
his wagon conforms to certain regula-
tions, permit be issued him and the
number of same painted on his wagon.
In this way persons violating the police
regulations could be easily detected and
their permits revoked. which would insure
a better service for this class of work.
"Sanitation.-keeping the main thor
oughfares of the city in a condition to in
vite the favorable comments of visitors
is only small part of the duty of the
street cleaning department The uncom-
planning poor should be as carefully con-
sidered as those whose stately residences
line our broad streets and avenues. A
proper sanitary condition demands that
every lane and alleyway, every cellar and
back yard, should be kept free from con-
taeious filth and noxious odors.
1.-The battle of this department is not
against besiegers from without, but to