The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-09
CLEANING UP THE CITY.
The Largest Force Now at Work Ever Be-
fore Employed.
NEARLY ONE HUNDRED MEN At WORN
In the Several OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Ward Orgnnizes-Meeting OF Cen
trail Committee Today.

| The mass meeting of citizens called oy
The Post last week to give an impetus
to public sentiment upon the subject OF I'M
proved sanitation is bearing good fruit
The city administration has put itself
In thorough accord with the popular de-
mand for improved conditions and 1t Is
doubtful that Houston was ever better
equipped in the various departments that
deal directly with sanitary conditions.
These departments are first. the health
department under Or. Massie, the street
cleaning department, under Street Com
missioner Kennedy; the garbage depart
ment, under Mr.. Fred Erickson, and the
scavenger department, under Mr.. Pete
Chalmers. While all these departments
are under separate and distinct heads
they all deal more or less directly with the
sanitary condition af the city, each hav-
ing an important function to perform.
From recent additions to all OF these
departments Houston has now more men
engaged directly in the work of cleaning
up the city than at any previous time in
its history.
Mention was made in Yesterdays Post
of the accessions to the health and scav-
enger departments, giving each of these
departments five inspectors, or total OF
ten with the scavenger inspectors in
structed to make reports for DR.. Masse
as to general conditions of premises. as
we'll as TO the scavenger. simply as to the
condition of the closets.
Street Commissioner Kennedy says his
force has been increased twenty seven
men. and that there are now forty-nine
men in his department whose time Is en-
tirely devoted to cutting grass and weeds
and cleaning bitches, In addition to those
who grade the streets and repair bridges
and those who attend to the teams that
remove the street cleanings. There are
ten of these, nine double teams and cart.
with two men to each team. These teams
do not handle any garbage, as this is left
entirely to the garbage department and
garbage includes cut grass and weeds.
Nor does the force OF forty nine men
under Captain Kennedy engage in cut
ting weeds and cleaning bitches include
four special men whose sole duty is to
keep clean the new pavement on Main
street
Mr.. Fred Erickson in charge of the gar
bage department, has % men in his de-
partment who handle eight carts and fout
double teams, besides two to look after
the garbage crematory. These men and
teams are kept busy every day removing
trash and garbage, cut grass snd weeds.
and Mr. Erickson says that anyone know
ing of any garbage to be removed Will
confer favor by notifying him OF the
fact through phone No. 457.
~
A sanitary organization was formed IN
the First ward last night as an auxiliary
to the central organization. The meet
ing was held over the First Ward Drug
Store. Mr.. C. H. Richards, selected
chairman OF the ward by the central com
mittee presided and the following COM
mitree was formed: C. II. Richards,
chairman; S. r. Montgomery, Jas. Doyle.
Tom B, Young, b. NJ. Baker, C. p. B. Med
lenka, r. B. II. Schneider, Alex Erickson
and Geo Zinla
This committe is to look after the sam
itary condition of the ward and see that 1t
A. improved wherever necessary. The
committee will meet again Thursday night
to prepare request to the city council to
put sufficient number of men to work
In that ward to put it in good shape.
~
The central committee, OF which Geu>
eral j. B. Waties is chairman will meet at
o'clock this afternoon at the rooms OF
the Business League. All who were pres
ent at the meeting at DR.. Massies Office
last Saturday afternoon and all others who
have the health of the city at heart are
invited to be present. Reports will be
expected from the different ward organi-
cations.