The times., 1898-08-02
HAND LABOR IS A SUCCESS
New Mefhod of Sweeping Better
Than by Machine System.
WORK Fer WORTHY LAB0RER )
Supt. StuttIer's Report Details the
Successful Results of the ENperi-
ment Inaugurated Last Year-The
Cost Averaged Twenty Cents Per
Thousand Yards.

Warner Stuttler superintendent of the
street cleaning department of the District
of Columbia, in his first annual report for
the last fiscal year, submitted to the
Commissioners yesterday, makes several
very important recommendations relative
to the removal OF ashes at public expense
and the sweeping of streets by hand la
bor
The first recommendation, which is of
prime Importance TO the laboring section
of the community. favors the extension of
the hand sweeping system and the aboli-
ton of the contract machine work.
The second recommendation is for the
removal of ashes at the public expense
and under the immediate control of the
Commissioners.
When hand labor was first tried here in
the cleaning OF streets ii was only as an
experiment. A year was given over to
the testing of the system and now splen-
did results have been secured In his re-
port Superintendent Stuttler says:
1.-The daily hand cleaning is no longer
an experiment. The work has given
such general satisfaction that it could
only be dispensed with at the risk of
serious complaints from citizens who
have been quick to appreciate its supe-
rior qualities over machine sweeping.
During the year urgent demands were
made for its extension, the pressure hav-
ing been so great that the daily schedule
was gradually increased from 1884, I2S
square yards TO 612, ,494 square yards.
BY this system the streets are kept
clean during the day. Each man is as
signed TO certain section or block and
is provided with a bag carrier and half
a dozen bags, push broom with scraper
attachment. hand sprinkler. short-handle
shovel and broom. After sweeping the
entire surface in the morning the area
is constantly patroled during the day and
the droppings gathered and placed in
bags for removal to the dumps.
-Four inspectors are employed, one of
whom has general supervision Their du-
ties are to patrol the different sections
and see that the work is done properly.
report any failure on the part of the con-
tractor 10 comply with contract proyi-
sions, note inferior work and any area not
swept on account of Instructions. Upon
their report allowance is made at the
contract rate, which is 80 cents per 1000
square yards; said area to be kept clean
during the day of eight hours
Should work be suspended on account
of rain or other cause, deduction is made
according to the time lost; in other
words, If two hours time is lost. one
fourth of the area is deducted from the
schedule. The total number of DAYS
worked during the year was 26S; av-
erage number of square yards cleaned
per day, AL, $50; average cost per day.
S141.2I This amount is just S5290 more
than 1t would cost per day, or s14, 1884, 2S
more than it would cost per annum, if
the work was done under the direct con-
troll of the Commissioners without con-
tract.
This system of cleaning the streets
having been in operation for one year
has enabled us to figure very closely. and
since we have taken charge of a certain
portion Of this work and have been clean
ing the same for one month outside of
contract, We are satisfied that it can be
done for less than has been submitted In
former statements.
That the entire paved area of the city
can be cleaned by this system satisfactor-
lily at cost not to exceed 20 cents per
1000 square yards has been proven.
1.-THE estimates for the fiscal year 1890
differ from those of former years, not
however, as to the amount but as to the
manner of doing the work. All contracts
for doing work under this department
expire June 90, 1889. Your recommends
tion submitted during the last session of
Congress for legislation to do away with
the contract system, received, to GER
tain extent, consideration, having been
favorably reported by both the District
and appropriation committees and pro-
vision added to the bill giving authority