The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-09-15
MOVING THE CdlTy 5.
Recommendation That Work
Be Done by the District.
FULL LIST OF ESTIMATES
SHpt. Stutler, of the Street Cleaning
Department. Fayors New system
Good Reasons for 1.-THE Cost
Comparatively Small.

Comparatively Small.
Warner Stutler superintendent of
streets and alleys yesterday submitted to
the District Commissioners estimate
of the cost of removing ashes at public
expense from the public schools the
buildings of the police and fire depart
ments and all other public institutions
and business houses and private dwell
ings in the city during the next fiscal
year. Et
II would respectfully recommend" says
Mr.. Stutler in his report of estimates
that the work, if done at all, be done
under the immediate direction of the
Commissioners without contract, as l
am thoroughly satisfied that 1t would be
done better and at less cost to- the District
than if done under contract"
Continuing, the report says:
"Basing my calculations on a weekly
collection service, which | believe will be
sufficiently frequent to satisfy the de-
mands of the public, i estimate that We
will require thirty horses and carts with
drivers, from May ! to October 81. and
fifty horses and carts, with drivers, from
November ! to April 30, at an annual cost
Of 1890; four inspectors, at $1,lOO each,
81, 400; one clerk, at SLIGO; miscellaneous
expenses, $1,000; total, $4,000.
I'm making up my estimate for this
work, it has been my purpose to ask for
10 more money than is actually neces-
sary to do the work in any wise salts
factorily. l do not believe in appropri-
ating money to uphold extravaganza,
neither do l believe in starvation econ
omy; but l have ideavored to strike
happy medium, that will enable
US to pay our wot - labor reasonable
wages and insure satisfactory results.
The appropriation asked for therefore.
represents the amount actually required
to do the work, and is not subject TO re-
| vision or reduction.
Il have gwen this subject much
| thought and have made a careful inves-
| LEGATION of the methods and cost of do
| ing the work in a number of the large
| Eastern cities and l assure you that l
| have entire confidence in my cacula-
tons however small they may appear in
| comparison with the EXPENSES of con-
| Quoting the work elsewhere In New
| York City the ashes and refuse are re-
moved at public expense at an annual
| cost OF S935, IA; in Philadelphia S5I7735 is
| appropriated for the work; In Chicago,
| $2l0.Su0; in Baltimore. Sll9, U.s.: in Butfao,
S94, l4s; in Montreal, So, 900 and in Savan-
| tons with the foregoing it is apparent
| that the estimated cost for the service in
| this city is very low indeed.
THAT this work should be done at the
public expense and under the immediate
control of the Commissioners, instead of
| in the reckless and slovenly manner in
which it is done at present-hauling ash
| es and debris through the streets in
| broken-down, uncovered carts, littering
them with droppings and offending the
principles of cleanliness and health in
many ways-is 50 apparent that | feel
that / need not go into detail TO explain.
The numerous expressions from our citi-
zens on the subject, together with the
good and substantial reasons pointed out
from time TO time by the influential press
of the city, keep us constantly reminded
that reform in the present method Is
greatly needed. 7ra
From a sanitary standpoint, the re-
moval of our ashes comes next in i'm
portance to the removal of garbage. In
fact, the two are so closely allied that
many of our citizens continually violate
the law and the garbage regulations by
mixing their refuse with their garbage in
order to have it removed as garbage
When such mixture is found the con-
| tractor for the removal of garbage is not
obliged TO remove il. and when he re-
fuses il is either cast into the public al
leys or it is hauled through the streets
in open carts or wagons. spreading its
foul and disease-breeding odors as It
| goes. Again there are citizens who are
not able TO hire an ash man to remove
their ashes.
The consequence is that ashes mike
with decaying matter. tin cans and other
Objectionable refuse, are allowed to ac-
cumulate until complaint of the foul
odors eminating therefrom is made 10 the
Health Department; and as is frequent
ly the case when such delinquents are
forced TO remove the same, and are not
able to hire some one to do the work,
the refuse is moved from the house or
back yard only to the public alley to be
finally removed at the expense of the ap-
preparation for street cleaning. 1t does
not seem right to use money appropri-
ated for street cleaning 20 pay for the
removal of ashes and rubbish, but we
have. nevertheless, quite an amount of
it to do, and l respectfully submit that
an independent appropriation should be
made for such work as is the case in
other cities and that il should be done
under proper regulations.
1T costs annually So 50 to remove
the ashes from the public school build
ings, the police and the fire departments.
This work, in connection with such re-
mOvals from all public institutions and
private dwellings, should be done under
| one supervision ana De pald Ior out OF
one appropriation, insuring thereby bet
ter results at less cost to the CITY than
are had under the present unsatisfactory
and unhealthy methods.
with regard to regulations and meth
DDS for removing ashes, l would suggest
that before attempting the work card
of printed regulations, similar to those
governing the removal of garbage be dis
tributed to each householder. In this
way the citizens would know just what
is required of them. and by working in
harmony with the department satisfac-
tory results would be attained. The card
of regulations should specify the kind
of receptacle, giving dimensions or ca
pacity, said receptacle to be furnished
by the citizens. and in no case should its
capacity exceed 100 pounds, for the rea-
| SON that nnn man could not handle q