Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-17
VIOLATION OF CONTRACT
Charges Against Street Sweeping Contractors
Daggett and Dugan.
superintendent stutler Alleges That
Hand Sweeping Has Not Been
Up to Specifications.

| today invited the attention of the Commits
| sioners to the fact that the hand-cleaning
| contract with Messrs. Daggett & Dugan
| for the fiscal year ending June 80, Iao0 its
| specifications and general stipulations have
been violated from July 1 to the present
| time. As 1t appears to Mr.. Stutler that the
| alleged violations will continue he recon-
mended that Messrs. Daggett a. Dugan be
| required to show cause why the contract
with them shall not be suspended and other
parties employed to do the work Mr.
| Suffers report is as follows:
Il have the honor to report that the con-
| tract for cleaning streets and avenues by
| hand was awarded to Messrs. Daggett a
| Dugan. on the 18th Of April, 1889 for the
| fiscal year 1890 As the date of commenc-
ing work was July i, 1899. they had two
months and seventeen days TO prepare for
commencing work on that date. They.
| however, were not fully equipped on time
and asked for an extension of time in which
| to furnish bag carriers. 1 notified them
tlat L was willing to allow three DAYS for
| organization and arrangement OF forces
after which l would require strict COM
paance with the specifications. They COM
menced the work on July i with l40 men.
which number at least % men short
| or sufficient force TO do the work properly
Work Not Half Done.
Last year the average per man on both
yards; and under the present contract
many Of the men are required to clean as
| much as from 1900 to $1,000 square yards
The consequence is that the work is not
half done. The contractors have not only
| failed to employ sufficient force to prop
erly 90 the work, but they have also failed
to furnish the men with the necessary
outfit, provided for in section of the
specifications, which is as follows:
Each sweeper shall be furnished with
a bag carrier and a half dozen bags, a wa
ter1ng can, broom and scraper. short-han-
die shovel and broom; also squeegee for
use in wet or slippery weather
From the LIST to the 10th instant, only
sixty men were provided with bag carriers;
and, to The present time. none Of them have
squeegees. On the 10th instant twenty-five
more bag carriers were added: and on the
18th, fifty more. Since the first of the
month. the contractors have employed ten
extra men, making $50 in ell, which is at
least fifteen men less than the number re-
quired to do the work satisfactorily This
was brought by me to the attention OF MIR
DdSgett, VINO Informed me that ne would
absolutely decline to employ more men AT
present eleven men are without bag car
rlers; none of the force are provided with
squeegees; and a proper force TO do the
work satisfactorily is short al least rfteen
men. Also, the specifications require the
contractor to have the works one fore
man Tor every twenty-five men; but this pro-
VISION has not been complied with only
No Attention Paid to Orders.
Since July 1 have deducted from the
contractors earnings 1886 on account Of in
ferior work. The contractors and their
foremen have been notified a number of
times of their neglect to comply with the
provisions Of the contract. but they paw no
attention to orders, either from the office
or from my inspectors.
My inspectors report that the foremen
Tor tina contractor instructs the sweepers
10 skfp over their work in any manner 10
get over II, and to not pay any attention
70 instructions from my inspectors. This
Is a violation of section Of the general
stpuiations, which is as follows:
Inspectors will be appointed whose duty
IL snail be to point out to the contractors
or their representatives any neglect or dis
regard of the specifiea tons of the contract.
Whenever the work is in progress
The District Inspectors, acting under the
orders of the superintendent of street
cleaning, shall have full charge. and if the
contractor is rot present on the work or
ders from said inspectors TO his assistant
foreman or others in the contractors en-
ploy on said work shall be by them received
and strictly obeyed. Any enploye not obey
ing to be discharged by the contractor on
complaint through the superintendent of
street cleaning.
Recommends Suspension of Contract.
The custom established by the same con-
tractors under their previous contract has
been that their men shall be paid once per
week, which is in accordance with the
orders of the Commissioners. The men,
therefore. expected to be paid accordingly;
but the Sth instant they We're disap-
pointed, and were notified that they would
receive no pay until the 18th, but that they
could get what provisions they wanted at
the contractors store. On the 18th tnctant
they were again disappointed with regard
to their pay, and again notified that they
could what nrOyiSions thew cd
the contractors store. This is violation
of section of the general stipulations.
In view of the fact that the contract
specifications and general stipulations have
been violated from July / to the present
Time and to all appearances will continue
TO be violated, | respectfully recommend
that the contractors, Messrs. Dagpett e.
Dugan, be called upon to show cause why
they should not be suspended and other
parties employed to do the work"
Recommendation Approved.
Commissioner Ross. who has immediate
supervision of the street cleaning depart
ment, recommended that the recommended
ton of Mr.. Stutler be approved. and the
contractors be furnished with a copy-of
the report, and be directed to show cause,
in writing on or before u O'Clock noon
Friday next. why the contract with them
shall not be suspended. Mr. Ross also
recommended that copy of the report be
mailed to the sureties on the contractors
bond, the Maryland Fidelity and Deposit
Company of Baltimore. IL is understood
the recommendations of Mr.. Ross will be
approved by his associates.
In Iceland horses are shod with sheep's
horn; in the valley of the Upper Oxus the
antlers of the mountain deer are used for
the same purpose. the shoes being fastened
with horn pins: in the Soudan the horses
are shod with socks made of camei's skin.
In Australia horseshoes have been tried of
A German
a horseshoe of paper. prepared by saturat-
ing with OIL turpentine and other ingredi-
ents Thin layers of such paper are glued
TO the moor TIL the requisite thickness is
attained. And the shoes thus made are
durable and tmpenetrable by moisture.
Thirty-three members of the house Of
lords are octogenarians, or will be before
this year is out The house of commons