The evening times., 1899-07-21

MeSSrS. Daggelt q 1DuS3n tnlS IOreuOOu
flied with District Commissioner Ross
reply to the recent communication Of the
Commissioners notifying them TO show
cause in writing why they, as contractors
for sweeping the streets Of the city by
hand, should not be suspended for alleged
violations of contract and other parties
be employed to do the work.
The communication OF the Commission
ers was mailed upon the Recommendation
of Warner Stutler, Superintendent OF
Street Cleaning, who charged that the con-
tractors had not paid their men and that
in certain instances the streets were poor
ly swept. He furthermore deducted be-
tween $500 and $4eO from the amount due
the contractors on account of tie alleged
violations Of contract and refused to sign
vouchers whereby the contractors might
receive the money due them, exclusive OF
reductions. The consequence was that the
hand sweep=rs were not paid for three
weeks and a strike was threatened Be-
fore filing their answer today Messrs.
Daggett & Dugan placed money in the
hands of their superintendent, J. S. La
Rowe, with directions to pay the work
men for the first \ month of their work.
The statement fled with Commissioner
Ross by Mr.. Daggett this morning is in
teresting and reads as follows:
'.The first complaint is regarding the
failure of the contractors to provide bag
carriers on the lst of July. This failure
was not through any neglect OF the con-
tractors, for. many weeks before Ihe LIST
of July, and in ample time to provide these
l,o<. IL 20 haer tha nrl
Mr.. Daggett had about completed con-
tract with the Austin & Western Con-
pany. of Chicago, Ill. for them AT this
juncture Superintendent Stutler Informed
him that he would approve. and recon-
mended the purchase of, bag carrier con-
troIled by the National Brush & Broom
Company, OF which c. II. Livingston is
president, and that one of them had been
sent TO the contractor stable Tor inSpec-
ton. In consequence of this suggestion
of Mr. Stutler. and for the purpose of pro-
curing the bag carrier which was recon-
mended by him, the contractors ordered
from Mr.. Livingston's company fifty bag
carriers. at a price of 81 in excess OF that
charged for the ones now in use.
Very shortly before the lst OF July,
about the 10th of June, Mr.. Livingston Vls-
tied Mr. Daggett and informed him that his
company would not be able to make the
bag-carriers, through some failure OF the
inventor 10 get to work, at which he ex-
pressed great regret and dissatisfaction.
Mr. Daggett said that he, Livingston, had
placed the contractors in very bad situ-
alton. as il was improbable that anyone
could supply them by the 1st of July. Mr..
Livingston promised that he would explain
the matter TO Mr. Stutler, which he sub
sequentiy told Mr.. Daggett he had done,
and that there would be no trouble if the
bag carriers were a few days late.
Within ten minutes of the time that
Mr. Livingston gave notice of his inability
10 complete his contract, eighty bag car
riers of the kind now in use were ordered
by telegraph. The contractors We're in
formed that fifty of them would be shipped
on the 9th of June, guaranteed by the
railroad company to be delivered in fifty
hours. the remainder to follow shortly af-
ter AS a matter of fact. the first twenty
five were not delivered TO the contractors
until the 9Th or 7th of July, and the others
on the 18th inst. Mr.. Daggett made appli-
cation 10 Mr.. Stutler for a loan OF thirty
five bag carriers formerly used by the Dis
trict, to be used until the others came, but
he was refused. Subsequently an offer to
purchase them, made by MI Dugan. vas
declined. About IA bag carriers are now
in use and the contractors claim that IN
der any fair construction OF the contract
this number is sufficient. but an additional
supply not needed, in their judgment has
been ordered.
They admit that they began work
July ] with lao men. and deny that IL was
an inadequate force; on the contrary. they
say that il was ample to do the work. They
have since put on the work fifteen addi-
tional men. not because they were needed
but to avoid controversy on the subject,
The superintendent is mistaken in claim
ing that many of the contractors men are
required to clean $4,000 to $4,000 square
yards per day. None of them has any such
task The average is less than 5000 square
yards per man. and Mr.. Stutler admits
there are $50 men employed in sweeping
The average daily route is 100000 square
yards, in cleaning which l55 men are en-
| p!oyed, which gives less than S,O00 square
yards per man.
Regarding the squeegee. nothing had
ever been heard CT any complaint that il
was not used by the contractors until this
report was made. Not a word of enquiry
! or suggestion that they would be required
I The contractors have a large number OF
| them on hand. provided two years ago, but
their use had never been required. If they
ever are of any use il is only when slush
and loose ice are on the streets. and they
have never been used, even for that, either
| by the District contractors.
Superintendent Stutler asserts that the
contractors are short at least fifteen men
/ This they deny, and assert that they have
more men lnan are requisite to clean the
| streets. The only report of Superintendent
Suffers al hand shows that with thirty
| six men he cleaned 30S.512 square yards
daily. or $3.50 square yards per man; while
the contractors are cleaning only 7,f4l
square yards per man, notwithstanding the
4 fact that some of the dirrifsr streefc In
the city have been added to the schedule
Mr.. Stutler is mistaken in saying tha
| Mr.. Daggett ever said he would not EN-.
| ploy any more men. No such assertion
was ever made by Mr.. Daggett and Mr.
| Suffers statement probably grew out O
| the fact that Mr.. Dagsett claimed that tn,
number Of men employed tests with ths
contractors and not with Zhe Superinten.
dent. He may pronounce upon the aualit,
of the work but not upon the number o.
men employed. In any. event. it is 20
| true that there We're not enough men en-
! ployed. Mr.. Suffers figures of work per.
formed by him prove this. If he had con.
tinued to clean the streets as before tax
Ing his former average. he would tave re-
| CURED only 141 men 10 clean the presen
route, or fourteen less than are now EN-.
plcyed by the contractors, by re son of hi
| forced construction of the contract, from
| which the contractors appeal.
| The contractors deny that any instruc
| tions have ever been given the men, eithe!
by the foreman, or by any other employt
OF the contractors, to skip over their worl
IN any manner to get over it, On the con
trary, the contractors assert that the mer
| have always been instructed that they
were TO clean up all the dirt The CON
tractors submit that Superintendent Slut
l a W. that b.