Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-07
THE DISTRICT BILL
Local Appropriation Measure Passes
the Senate.
SfRBET-SWEEPIEG AMENDMENT
Contractor Must Pay Same Wages
as the District.
q Z G Il LY ACTED ON

The Senate began the consideration Of the
District of Columbia appropriation bill i'm
mediately after the routine business had
been disposed Of
When the provision for sweeping the
streets OF this city was reached Mr.. Cal
iinger suggested that the men who sweep
the streets receive starvation wages. and
he thought the bill should name the wages
TO be paid these men. He understood the
contractor paid them 30 cents a day. and
he had received good many protests
against such a starvation rate of wages.
The House had provided In the bill that
the Commissioners should not let a contract
for price exceeding % cents per thou
sand yards. and in the event Of their fall
ure to do this they should be authorized to
expend sum equal to that rate for street
sweeping under their immediate direction
struck out by the Senate committee and the
following was inserted in it's place:
senate Amendment.
Provided. That the Commissioners of the
District shall make specifications for the
manner OF sweeping and cleaning the
streets by machinery and by hand labor,
and shall advertise to let the work to the
lowest bidder, according to such specitica-
tions, and IL the same or any part thereof.
cannot be procured to be done at price
not exceeding - cents for hand work and
p cents for machine work per 1900 square
yards, then they may do said work under
their immediate direction, but the same
shall be done according to the said speci-
fications."
Senator Allison replied to Mr.. Galllnger,
saying under the provision by the commit
tee the Commissioners could make such
specifications they like, and they could
have the work done by hand or by con-
tract.
He said he understood 81 a day was paid
by the contra ctor. who claimed that he had
made no money from his contract last year.
although others had claimed he made a
large profit.
Mr.. Galllnger-"It strikes me that II men
are being employed sweeping the streets OF
Washington at 81 a day their pay is very
Inadequate. HOW they manage 10 support
a family on SO a week passes my compre-
hension. l am willing to say I'm this bill
that men shall not be paid less than Sl.25
a day"
Mr. Allison said he thought such a pro-
vision in the bin would not be proper.
Mr.. Gallnger-''Ne provide salaries of
school teachers. and carefully name the
amounts they shall be paid. We do not
trust The Commissioners to fix their pay,
and 1 see reason why we should not
adopt the same plan in regard TO the meu
who sweep Vhe streets"
MIR. GnlIinger's Amendment.
Mr. Gallinger finally proposed the follow
ing amendment, which was accepted As an
amendment to the committe amendment:
Provided that the specifications for bids
shall provide that the wages for labor in
the execution OF said contracts shall not be
less than that now paid by the Commits
sioners Of the District of Columbia in clean
ing rhe streets by hand"
Mr.. Gallinger said the Commissioners are
paying Sl25 per day for street cleaning
work done by hand.
Senator Mcmillan proposed an amend
ment to the bill. which was accepted pro-
Niding that the Commissioners, on applica-
ton of any corporation or individual. might
appoint special policemen for duty in pro-
tecting the property Of such corporal ton or
INDIVIDUAL, such policemen to be paid by
the corporation or individual Interested
ana subject TO regulations made by the
Commissioners.
ne various committee amendments were
rapidly gone over and agreed to The con-
Sideratlon OF the entire bill occupied the
Senate but little more than an hour