Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-03
End of the Hearing Of Charges
Against the Contractors.
SUMMING UP OF BOTH SIDES
Mr.. StutIer Claims the Charges
Are Made Out.
THE DECISION RESERVED

When the hearing before the District
Commissioners of the charges preferred
against Aessrs. Daggett & DuEan. con-
tractors for cleaning the streets and ave-
nGes Of tire District by the hand system.
was resumed yesterday afternoon Mr.. Jere
N. Wilson. representing the contractors,
occupied the attention of the Commission
ers in defense Of the contractors. He was
followed by Mr.. Warner Stutler. the super
lntendcut of the District street cleaning de-
Fartment who had recommended - the
Commissioners that the contract with
Messrs. Dagsett Il Dugan be suspended
and others employed to perform me work.
On the grornI that, as charged by Mr..
Stut!er. they have 50 far failed to properly
do the work ant respect the requirements
Of the contract entered into by them.
Mr.. Wilson, in his brief argument. con
tended that while it had, perhaps been
shown during the hearing that all the re-
luiremo nts Of the contract. as intzTprete ed
10y Mr. Stutler. had not been observed, that
alleged fact did not warrant the VIII 1lesala
deductions made by Mr.. Stutler in the al
lcw5.ncts due the contractors. These de-
Gcc:l5ns during the month of July, The
nrSt in which the contract was in opera
ticn. ran frJEl $3.50 on the 9Th of that
month to s6i-I3. the last named amount
having been deducted the 9Th, It'll and
10th of July. What the contract really
cortemplates. urged Mr. Wilson. and what
he believes the Commissioners desire is
that the streets shall he well cleaned and
lie objected 10 Mr. Suffers ruling that the
contract requires the entire area to be
cleaned TO be gone over by noon 1t is a
TACT. contended Mr.. WILSON, that some
streets are invariably much cleaner than
others, and that some are much easier to
clean than others. Therefore. he ex-
planned, where Il man can properly clean
10000 or even more square yards in some
streets. It would be impossible for the same
nan to clean more than 300 yards in some
Cther streets 1t is for this reason. he
stated. that the areas assigned by the con-
tractors to their men differ so materially
in size With the 40 men they first placed
on the work the contractors believe the
work could ne done in a perfectly satisfac-
tory manner. but Mr.. Stutler believing that
mere men were necessary. the firm placed
sixteen additional men on the work.
IN concluding his argument. Mr. Wilson
said that Messrs. Dagsett and Dugan have
70 desire to cYaGe proper performance
OF the contract. and ne assured the Com
mlssi9ners that if they should conclude
that Mr. Stut!er has made cut a good case
against them, sustaining Mr.. Stut!er in his
Interpretation OF the terms of the contract
entered into by them, the work will here
after be done strictly according to such in
depreciation.
PR. Suffers Statement
In replying TO the statements of the con-
tractors and to the argument of Mr.. Will
ment made by Mr.. Daggett which he cared
TO refer to was that wherein ne claimed
that the heavy deductions made in the al
lowaEcrS due the contractors were caused
by MS tStutler'sJ forced construction Cf sec
ton = OF the specifications in the contract
calm. said Mr. StutIer, that under
tn2t section the contractors must thorough
y clean The street by ROOM that is clean
Of all Of the fine dirt or dust, as well as
the heaFy dirt or droppings. / have never
given "rC@r mat every inch of surface must
De gore over. clean or not clean, and no
deductions have been made for any such
reason. | Do claim that IL d square or a
number OF squares of streets are clean and
II Is not deemed necessary ard the con-
tractors do not touch them. that l have no
f-5ht 20 pay them for something that they
GO rot do
I want 10 be clearly understood in refer
ence To deductions made by my inspectors
and approved by me. First if a street or
part Or street Is not cleaned during the day
no allowance is made for it. and by part
OF q square | mean. for instance where
one-fCurth Of q block or over is entirely
Hegieote5, and not square inch as Mr..
paSSett was pleased to put it. If one
isurth, one-hs.lf or a square or more is not
Cleaned by noon One-half deduction is
made. and if il is only partially cleaned;
that is. the droppinss merely gathered and
the Inc dirt left. One-fOUrth of the am0,Inr
not cleaned is deducted Whe~. the dirt
has not been bagged and removed one
fourth Is deducted. and ! might say right
l.c! thtt up O1itl the 18th of July least
Cne-haH the dirt was allowed to remain on
the street from early morning until late in
IAe evening and some of it over night
Dirt left on the street is blown and kicked
over the street and sidewalks and into the
sewers.
II streets are not sprinkled sufficiently to
Iay the dust deduction of one-fourth has
oesh made, but not until the last week
General Deductions
I'm reference to days that the work has
has been made from the schedule, section
II provides Il penalty. In our general de-
cuctiOns from the schedule no penalty has
been made "a yet. We have merely calcu-
lated the area of streets that have been
neglected or badly cleaned. ard if said area
amounted 10 GEe-fOurth. OF even more than
un--f"ufth. we only deducted one-fourth
from the total area of the schedule. and It
cannot he claimed that We made deductions
on streets that have been properly cleaned
n reference TO Pennsylvania avenue as
understand section IL. have the right to
Cedtct Tor work not done or for work poor-
" done 1t the contract rate. and that the
Commissioners have the right to fine the
contractors because of their neglect to do
the work, which has not been done as
nave never yet recommended u fine upon
the contractors i
The mere fact that the contractors have
not been allowed for failure to clean y
street OF for badly cleaned streat 49,
not satisfy the people living on said street.
W nat they want is the street cleaned and
II IL l. not the department is criticised for
H. dHt such criticisms are continually be-
ing received
Mr. DagSe:t claimed that meme of his
men were doing more than 1909 square
ydicS. ] have shown that N the, present
tlnle SOM OF tEtm are trying 20 do 1000
sInare yai!s. Notwithstanding the fact that
NE l'aSsrti said in his written statement
u ~, Senate committee on aDpropriat ions
lF7t. It was impossible for enc man 10 -.
'.''L@ square yards. He also said that If
.Hc entire city WAS cleaned by Suffers
hauG system II would he the dirtiest civ in
tEt HItsd States. If not iii the world
JltS.rS from the way he has cleaned the
s;reHts since July 1, he is trying TO MAKE
his words good.
Claims admissions
ne contractors have admitted to the
majority Of my charges. as follows:
That they did not furnish bag carriers a :
required in their contract: that they have
rot taken up the dirt as provided for; that
tEey have not spriukied properly: that they
have not furnished each man with a
's4ue, gee that they failed 10 clean the
Streets on the 21st of July because the nan