Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-01
HAND STREET SWEEPING
Controversy Between Contractors and Super
intendent Continued.
Mr.. Stutlcr Reiterates His Charges
DeniaIs - Hearing Tomorrow.


Messrs. Daggett & Dugan who hold the
contract for sweeping certain streets and
avenues of the District by the hand system,
and who were recently accused by Mr.
Warner Stutler, superintendent of the Dis
trict street cleaning department. of failing
to observe and carry out the requirements
OF the contract, We're given hearing today
by the Commissioners. The hearing was
not concluded, an adjournment being taken
until IL o'clock tomorrow morning, in order
to enable the contractors to prepare to
meet certain specifications of the charges
of which they claimed to be unaware.
The contractors were represented at to-
days hearing by Attorneys Wilson and
Hoehling, and. at their suggestion, Mr.
Daggett made a statement designed TO COW
er the charges filed by Mr. Stutler, explain
ing that the whole trouble seemed to be
due to what he termed is forced construc-
ton of the specifications of the contract.
He claimed that he and his partner every
day go over the whole area about . 10 900
square yards, which they are required to
daily clean, and thoroughly clean it, al
though, he admitted, that they do not
sprinkle the whole area, and only sweep
and clean those portions of the area which,
In their opinion. stands in need of cleaning
Mr.. Daggett felt that Mr.. Stutler has no
iISiit " CuIlDtl 1llIl TO CREAM streets winch
are already, in the opinion of the contrac-
tors clean; for as Mr.. Daggett put it.
''you can't clean something that is already
Clean
Superintendent Suffers Position
In reply to this Mr.. Stutler explained
that he could not conscientiously recon-
mend payment to the contractors for areas
over which they never worked. Mr. Slut
Ter also stated that, in his opinion, the
contractors are required to go over the
area and thoroughly clean it by noon each
day, and where there is a failure to do
that one-half is deducted from the amount
allowed for cleaning that area. and one
fourth where the area is cleaned by mere
ly removing the droppings.
In his statement Mr. Daggett eyn1ained
how the firm had been delayed in secur-
ing bag carriers, in which the dirt is taken
up and placed in bags. and he submitted
number of letters and kilograms which
passed between the firm and the nanufao-
turers of the machines in support of he
contention of the firm that it had made
every effort to secure them in time When
the work was first commenced said Mr.
Daggett, 40 men We're placed on it, and
that number has been increased from dav
70 day until 100 men now at work
The firm he stated. does not question he
right of the Commissioners to approve de-
auctions for failure to provide a sufficient
number of bag carriers or for failure to
remove the dirt promptly and thoroughly
MIR. Dasgett also admitted that the firm
IS not fully equipped with bag carriers
While man can ordinarily, in his opinion.
clean by the hand system 5000 to IA 900
square yards a day. he contended that his
100 men average little more than 1000
square yards day.
Reports of Inspectors Read.
In response to this statement of Mr. Dag
gett, Mr.. Stutler read reports made to
him by hi inspectors in which it appeared
that one of the men employed by the firm
had been required to clean 1900 square
yards, and the average. he stated is yet
about from 10000 to 1900 yards. Mr.. Dag
gett having claimed that the delay in OBJ
tanning the bag carriers was due in Il meas
ure to the failure of the manufacturers of a
certain make of machine to fill an order
given for fifty of the machines of type
recommended by Mr. Stutler the latter
said he had merely stated to the firm that
such machine would be accepts BILE but
added that others just as good, if not bet
ter. could be secured.
Claims and DeniaIs.
It was claimed by Mr.. Daggett that Mr..
Stutler has required the contractors to take
off men from side streets and put them at
work on Pennsylvania avenue, ard because
the side streets were not cleaned by noon
has deducted one-fourth of the amount due
on such side streets. This Mr.. Stutler de-
MED, explaining that he has merely permit
ted the men to be taken from such side
streets and put at work on Pennsylvania
avenue. What the contractors should have
done, and what he has insisted they Shall
do. is to place enough men on all streets
and avenues to not only perform the work
properly. but in the time required by the
terms of the contract
Referring to the charge made by Mr.
Stutler that the firm had not paid their
men promptly, Mr.. Daggett stated that the
men were told they would be paid twice a
month, and until they struck on the DIST
OF last month he hat ba
men were dissatisfied. Heretofore he said,
the men have been paid weekly and the
contractors twice a month, and he denied
the charge that the men were forced by
the firm to Zeal at store run by the firm
Store Run at a Loss.
That store, he explained, was started to
keep the men sober and to prevent them
from cashing orders on stores in the vtc1n-
1ty and then purchasing liquor The store
run by the firm, he declared, has been con-
Quoted at loss, and he characterized as a
lie the statement that men have been dis
charged because they refused to deal at the
store. The men, he said, are paid in cash.
but are given credit at the store.
Another Hearing Tomorrow.
Commissioner Ross having invited the at
tention of the contractors to the fact that
they have been charged by Mr. Stutler
with failing to properly sprinkle the
streets, and to the fact that the police de-
partment has been directed to report as to |
the character of the work done by the |
contractors as well as to the time in |
which the streets are gone over copies of
these reports were handed to the firms at |
torneys, and the hearing was adjourned un-
til tomorrow, in order to enable them to |
consider and reply to them
District Employees.
AS data for the blue Book issued by
the Department of the Interior the Dis
trict Commissioners have forwarded to the |
Secretary of the Interior table contain |