Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-13
Superintendent Before the Appro-
priations Committee.
REASONS FOR INCREASED HAND WORK
Explanations Made of the Esti-
mates for More Money.
NEEDS OF THE SERVICE

Mr.. Warner Stutler, the superintendent
of the street and alley cleaning depart
ment of the District government, today
appeared before the House committee on
appropriations for the purpose of explain
Ing the estimates for the fiscal year 1899.
and for the purpose Of laying before the
committee reasons why the amounts asked
for by the District Commissioners should
be appropriated.
Mr.. Stutler stated that the amount ap-
propriated and made available for the cur
rent year is $4,000. the total amount of
the estimates for 1899 being $500, $50, an in
crease Of $50, $50. The amount appropriated
under the act of March 2, 1s95-'97. for the
removal of snow and ice the current fiscal
year was $1,000, while the amount est-
mated for the year 1899 is $4,000, an in
crease of $1,000 The appropriation for sal
aries during the present year. he said, is
$4,000. the estimate for 1882 for the same
purpose being So, 400, an increase of 81, 400.
Therefore, he explained, the total increase
shown in the estimates over the appropria-
ton for this service for the current year is
ST. ,039.
In connection with mis- statement, Mr..
Stutler submitted table in further illus
tration, showing the present expenditures.
the estimates for 1899 in detail, and the
items of increase as distributed among the
several branches Of the street sweeping
service.
The table is as follows. the first figures
given representing the expenditures for
1893, the next the estimates for 1899 and
the third item being the increase in each
case:
Machine cleaning. $67 900, $4,000, $4,000;
hand cleaning, S33, 900, $4,000, $42OOO;
cleaning unimproved streets. $4,000 $24 900,
S6,Nu: cleaning improved alleys, 81 AZ.
$15O61. $500; labor. on public dumps.
s., 634, So 634 no increase; for inspectors
I'M Sa X
ling unimproved streets, 5000. S2oNo, no
increase; livery superintendent horse,
$40, $40 no increase: contingent ex-
penses 500. 5000. no increase: total, S14O,-
600 S2O0.Gi9. $3.50; snow and ice work,
81 600 $4,000. 5000 Salaries-Superin-
tendent $500, $1,000. 500; chief CLERK
$1.60, $1,000. no increase; clerk s:ao'
81 200 $500: chief inspector, 81 200. 81 200,
no increase; three inspectors, $500. S5.6U,
no increase; ten inspectors. S11OOO, $l1,Oo
no Increase: three assistant inspectors,
s.. 400, 1890. 5000; foreman of dumps, 5000,
$500, increase: messenger and driver,
5000, $500. no increase; total salaries, S24-
600. So. 400. 81 400; total for all purposes,
$1G4 900, $2:i5 .039. S1l ,O33.
Five Different Contracts.
Under existing law, the committee was
informed the work of the department Is
being done under five different contracts.
let to the lowest bidder III each instance, as
follows: First, machine cleaning Improved
streets and avenues: second, hand cleaning
improved streets and avenues; third, hand
cleaning unimproved streets and avenues;
fourth, hand cleaning improved alleys;
NTH, sprinlsling unimproved streets.
believing that with the present appro-
prlation it is impossible to give the city
satisfactory service Mr.. Stutler said. Il
regard the increase asked for as very rea-
SOnable.
He explained that for machine cleaning
an increase of $1,000 is included in the esu-
mates for 1899, being the purpose OF the de-
partment to clean all streets at least twice
Il week, although they should in justice be
cleaned three times week. AT present
about one-thrd of the area swept by ma
chine is cleaned only once a week, one
third twice week, and the remainder
three tines a week.
Another reason for the increase urged
ry Mr. Stutler Of Importance in this
uection is that the area to be cleaned is
constantly increasing by reason of the i'm
provement of streets and their addition to
the schedules.
Hand cleaning, said Mr.. Stutler, has
been shown to be far superior to machine
work. and gives greater satisfaction. The
advantages derived from hand cleaning he
stated briefly follows: First, the streets
are kept clean during the day with less
noise and little dust. the dirt being
gathered in bags which carried to the
dumps before being emptied: second, doors
and windows may be left open when there
is hand cleaning, and the fresh air
juycd by hOuSehOlderS in the warm wealth
er, without the annoyance from the clouds
of dust suffered along the routes when
swept by machine; third, when swept by
hand, streets need not be flooded with wa
ter and made slippery and unsafe for
travel.
One of the serious objections to the de-
poSit of a large amount of water OH thu,
asphalt paving, Mr.. Stutler explained is
made Ly the chief of the fire department,
who states that it is very hazardous for
the companies to drive over streets thus
treated, especially in cold weather, at thu.
rate of speed required when responding to
fire alarm. To sweep the streets by ma
chine without first sprinklIng them Mr.
Stutler claimed, is impracticabe on ac-
count of the dust. Another reason he
urged in favor of hand cleaning is that
under that system nearly five times the
number of men employed in the
sweeping by machine given chance
TO earn living, and, he said further, that
hand cleaning is superior to machine work
is fully attested, if there were no other
evidence, by the fact that many demands
are made by citizens for the introduction
OF the system on streets now swept by ma
chimes.
The Added Territory.
The increase of $4,000 for unimproved
streets and alleys estimated for, said Mr.
Stutler is occasioned by the addition of
new territory to the surface requiring at
tention. The force of employees should be
so increased. he thinks. as to enable them
to go over the area at least once in ten
days, at present the men being only able
to cover the territory every fifteen days
and the cutters become clogged with Of
fensive refuse. He referred to the fact that
the unimproved alleys are at present clean
ed but once week, remarking that in
the interest of the public health the work
should be done twice week.
Stating that for improved alleys an in
crease Of 1850 is estimated, Mr.. Stutler
said this will be insufficient, for the rea-
son that at present only the alleys within
the city limits the schedule for
cleaning, although he believes the suburb
an alleys should be added and regularly
cleaned AS means of promoting health
at least some of the alleys now on the
schedule should be cleaned oftener than