Evening star., 1898-08-01

sSHSS VI CoHnpiliItS TO the eHeCl tNdt
homes are invaded by dust, persons blinded
with It while driving over them, etc. An
other benefit derived from sprinkling is the
protection to the road bed.
AS is shown in The table, we expended
during the year $1.5O7 for this purpose.
For the current year $1,000 ,s available,
which will enable us to sprinkle a few
more streets than we were able to do last
year. To do this work properly we should
nave an appropriation of $500.
Snow and Ice Work.
Statement of force employed, with cost of
same, for removing snow and ice during the
months of January and February, 1898:
Number of laborers. G21; rate Per day, 81;
cost per day. $3.50. 10; number of horses and
carts, 259 rate per day, s1.G0; cost per day,
s456G1; total cost, 81, 1871.
This class of work is done under a pro-
vision of the contract for machine cleaning,
which provides that payment for the neces-
sary force shall he at the market rate, with
an allowance of 10 per cent extra for tools.
During the winter of 1895 the sum of s., ,0SS
was expended for the removal of snow and
Ice. but in the winter of 1896, the weather
being very mild, only $500 90 was expended.
In 1897 S1,949.1 IL was paid out on this work.
The work b5ing an unknown quantity,
We cannot estimate for the amount neces.
sary. Prior to the act of March, 1897, gov.
erning the removal Of snow and ice, in
which an appropriation of 81 900 was made.
fund for this department.. During the past
winter 1t cost s1,139.71 to remove the snow
and ice from the business streets alone,
Which was $139.71 more than the amount
appropriated, which excess was paid out
of the general emergency fund.
In order that we may be prepared to
meet any emergency, we should have for
this work an appropriation of al least s1O-
600. which amount. or such part Of it as
might be found necessary should be avail
able only for this purpose.
Public Dumps.
Fourteen laborers are employed at thu
public dumps, at $50 per diem eacn, or at
a total cost of s5,94950 per annum. The
public dumps are located in different Sec
tions of the city, each in charge Of labor
er. These labo, ers are under the super
vision of a foreman whose duty it is to
visit daily each dump and see that the Ia
borer in charge thereof is having the work
done properly end the dumps kept in sani-
tary condition. The dumps being located in
different sections of the city are of great
service to the department, saving much
time in the removal of the sweepings.
Contingent and other Expenses.
Statement of the cost of tools. printing,
livery of superintendent and inspectors
horses, office furniture, repairs, etc, for the
fiscal year ended June 3O 1898: Livery, SUI
perintendent's horse, $40; livery, inspect
ors horses. 81 ,S75. 12; all other expenses, ST.
293. .46; total, $3,409.1S.
Included in the above amount are the
following large items Five bicycles, $262;
printing various kinds of schedules, 1910;
repair of supsrintendents buggy, and one
set of harness, S61; emptying waste paper
boxes, $2oO.S6.
Statement of amount paid to the various
employees for the fiscal year ended June 80,
S,1nn ri,,H "A
$1,000; clerk, $500; four inspectors, at 81 200
each, 1890; ten inspectors, at 81, 100 each,
$1,000; three assistant inspectors, at $500
each, 81, 400; ona foreman of public dumps,
$500; one messenger and driver, $500; total
amount Of salaries, SA, GOO; deduct for lost
time, Sl5.35; net amount expended, $2S, 1854. .6J.
The unexpended amount, $1535, was due
to the time intervening between the rssig-
nation and appointment of one of the as
s1stant inspectors.
Recapitulation.
Statement of expenditures for the various
branches of the service for the fiscal year
ended June 80, 1893:
"Cost of machine sweeping improved
streets and avenues, $61 934.35 cost of
hand cleaning, s37 $50; cost Of cleaning i'm
proved alleys. $1O,92906; cost of cleaning
unimproved streets, $13,SS0.37; cost of
cleaning unimproved alleys, 81 6T2.25; cost
king unimproved streets, 81 ,507; cost Of
snow and ice work, 81 900; cost of labor on
public dumps, s.. 80; cost Of contingent
and other expenses, SO, 400. 1S; cost of en-
ployes' salaries, S23 ,9S4. IS; total $164 SS2 OIL
Total appropriations, $165.00 amount ex-
pended, $164 ,SS2.91; unexpended balance,
$117.O0
Estimate for Fiscal Year 1900.
For daily hand cleaning, entire paved
area of the city, $162 600; for cleaning the
improved alleys, $4,000; for cleaning the
unimproved streets, $4,000; for cleaning
the unimproved alleys, $3 600; for cleaning
around Center market, $1,000; for sprin-
king unimproved streets and roads, S5 600;
for fourteen laborers on the public dumps
$6,o73; for inspectors horses, 81 ,O2O; for
contingent expenses, $500; for livery Of su-
perintendents horse, $240; total, S2O5, ,933
For snow and ice work, under act of March
1897, $4,000.
Salaries-For one superin tendent, 50. 500;
for one assistant superintendent and chief
clerk, $1,000; for one clerk, 81 200; for one
chief inspector; ~ 300; for three inspectors,
at $1,000, $4,000; for ten inspectors, at
LOO, S11 900; for three inspectors at
81 100, $1,000; for one foreman of public
dumps, $500; for one messenger and driver
department work, s205 1913; for snow and ice
933
The Expiring Contracts.
The estimates for the fiscal year 1900
differ somewhat 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 depart
ment expire June 80, 1899. Your recon-
mendation submitted during the last ses-
sion of Congress for legislation to do away
with the contract system received, to a
certain extent, consideration, having been
favorably reported by both the District and
appropriations committees, and provision
was added to the bill giving authority to
use $15,UO0 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 further
fact that 1t has enabled us to demonstrate
that this work can be done at 20 cents per
1000 square yards, instead of 80 cents, the
contractors price, and with better results,
at the same time paying our labor better
wages, / most respectfully and earnestly
recommend that the efforts of the honora-
BILE Commissioners be continued for legisIa-
tion to do away with the expensive and un-
satisfactory contract system. That it is
unsatisfactory and more expensive than
the hand cleaning system by day labor I
need not use space to explain, as 1t must
be apparent to all who have paid the slight
est attention to the cost and efficiency of
the two systems.